Bruna Brasil: Back from the Drawing Board

Fine lines separate victory from defeat in the Ultimate Fighting Championship—a reality with which Bruna Brasil has now grown intimately familiar.

The Fighting Nerds representative walked into her promotional debut at UFC on ESPN 44 with great expectations and a seven-fight winning streak in tow, only to be turned away by Denise Gomes in a second-round technical knockout on April 15. It was not the outcome Brasil wanted, but her first setback in more than five years was not without its benefits.

“I worked very hard to be ready,” she told Sherdog.com. “I was excited to put on a good performance, but unfortunately, it wasn’t my day. I wasn’t able to find my way in or connect. I couldn’t get my timing. Losses are great learning moments in a very difficult way. It’s truly bitter, but I’m sure I’m stronger and more complete for it. I’m more confident and determined in pursuing my aims.”

Brasil will draw her second assignment inside the Octagon when she matches skills with the unbeaten Shauna Bannon as part of the UFC Fight Night 224 undercard on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London. Bannon, 29, last appeared under the Invicta Fighting Championships flag in March, when the Holohan Martial Arts export outpointed Minna Grusander to a unanimous decision and improved to a perfect 5-0.

“Shauna is a striker,” Brasil said. “She comes from [a] kickboxing [background]. She moves a lot and kicks frequently. I believe we’ll be able to nullify that. I don’t think she’s faced another striker at my level. I think it’s possible she might despair and try to grapple if things aren’t going her way, but only on fight night will we know how things play out. We studied her well. We’re very ready for this opponent.”

A graduate of the 2022 season of Dana White’s Contender Series, Brasil intends to show off the skills that made here a sought-after commodity on the Brazilian regional scene and ultimately paved her way to the UFC. She knows another loss would be disastrous for her immediate goals.

“My complete focus is on winning this fight,” Brasil said. “After that, we can think about other plans. This win is very important for my career and life. I’m only focusing on that. You can expect me to be much more determined, much hungrier for a win. I’m willing to give everything I have in the Octagon to win.”