Jennifer Maia: Fighting Her Way Back to the Top

Jennifer Maia has had a couple of setbacks in the Octagon over the last three years, including her unsuccessful bid to wrest the Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title from Valentina Shevchenko and a pair of losses to top contender Katlyn Chookagian, but to the 33-year-old Brazilian, it’s all part of the journey. Maia remains focused on her own evolution as a fighter, on enjoying the process, and on making her way back to another shot at the belt.

The next step in that journey takes place Saturday in Columbus, Ohio, as Maia faces off against surging prospect Manon Fiorot at UFC on ESPN 33. In a pair of conversations with Sherdog, one before and one after accepting the Fiorot fight, the former Invicta FC champ discussed her recent results, her preparation for “UFC Columbus” and the ways in which she is working to make sure her next title shot will go differently.

In the first chat last December, Maia credited her development as a fighter to facing an extremely challenging slate, almost from the moment she debuted in 2009. “Throughout my career, I’ve only faced tough athletes,” she said. “I feel that it helped me become the fighter I am today. I fought the best in the world – Valentina Shevchenko. I faced her on equal terms. The great fights I’ve had since the start of my professional career helped me mature greatly as a fighter.”

Maia also believes that working with the same group of coaches and training partners over the years has aided, rather than hindered her development. “It was a matter of consistency. I’ve been training with the same team since my first professional fight. It’s been the same coach and training partners. The entire team got better together. We captured the Invicta FC belt, and we continue our growth and evolution. I train at the Chute Boxe Monstro academy. My head coach is Edicarlos “Ed Monstro” Goncalves. I’ve been working on my boxing with coach Tiago Almeida Massa. Wrestling training is done under coach Lucas Bento. [UFC veteran] Ericka Almeida has been a big help with my jiu-jitsu. My training partners include Allison Murilo, Maycon Alcino, Leonardo Diniz and Geovanna Moura. They’re always active and fighting, so we serve as each other's sparring partners. We train hard together. I’ve been feeling a great deal of evolution.” While Maia came up short against Shevchenko at UFC 255, she finds positive takeaways from their five-round scrap. On that night in November 2020, Maia won a round against the top pound-for-pound woman in the sport and gave her arguably the toughest test of her flyweight run.

“Since I joined the UFC, I’ve only fought against top-5 opponents,” Maia said. “They’ve all been tough fights against high-level athletes. It’s all made me much stronger. There were no easy fights. In facing Valentina, I got to fight the best in our weight class. I am still in a state of constant evolution, along with my team. After facing Valentina, I know I’m able to fight anyone.”

While Maia ultimately has her eye on another shot at Shevchenko’s title — and faring better this time — she maintains that a fighter as great as Shevchenko isn’t simply an equation to solve, and that the confidence that comes from having been there once already is as important as any individual strategic adjustment. “Of everyone who’s faced Valentina, I was one of the few who was able to face her on equal terms. I won a round. We made it to the final buzzer. I believe I still can beat her. I truly wish to capture the belt. There isn’t much to say, as far as what I’d do differently. I’d use the experience of having already been in the cage with her. Already knowing her game would reduce any anxiety. Solving her puzzle would have to happen during the fight itself. Valentina is very intelligent so it’s hard to formulate a strategy for her. Against her, it has to be round per round.”

* * *
Almost three months later, having accepted a booking with Fiorot — perhaps the division’s most promising and feared new arrival of the last two years — Maia talked to Sherdog once more, explaining the reasons she took a dangerous fight with a lower-ranked fighter. It begins with the need to regain momentum after losing to the top two flyweights in the UFC.

“I lost to Valentina,” she said. “There’s no question about that. She’s the champion. She’s the best in our weight class at the moment, although I do feel I had an excellent fight against her. As far as my two losses to Katlyn, she brought a good anti-game which kept me from putting my own game plan into action. She deserves her wins against me. I do feel that I wasn’t in a good mindset when I faced her this second time. Knowing what I’m capable of, I feel I could have done better. But it wasn’t my day.

“Manon is very tough,” she added. “I’ve been following her work. I’ve watched her last few bouts in the UFC. She’s been standing out from the crowd, doing excellent work. At this level, there are no easy opponents. And we don’t choose who we face. I accepted facing her because I want to show my abilities. I didn’t get hurt on my last outing. As I fight more frequently, my fight rhythm can only get better. I believe we’ll have a war. She’s the opposite of Chookagian. She’s more aggressive. So, it’s a better match for me.

Maia claims that the relatively short notice for this weekend’s fight limits the amount of specific preparation she and Fiorot can to for one another, but admits she selected sparring partners with the French striker in mind.

“We accepted this fight with less than one month’s notice,” she said. “I’d already been training, but we brought things up a notch. I’m doing the same thing I was doing before, with added sparring sessions. I’ve been sparring with Leticia Orchel from the World Strong team. She’s more of a standup fighter and she’s taller, with a very good striking style. She’s adding to my skills. I’m also working with Luana Santos Mathias from Teixeira Team. She’s also a taller striker. We’re looking to learn as much as we can, in what time we have before the next fight.” Through it all, Maia strives to remain happy, focused and centered. “An athlete's life can be difficult. We don’t always win. There are highs and lows. I was very ready for my last fight – physically, technically, psychologically. But I ended up losing. I learn something with every fight. And I always return with an even greater motivation to show my work. I’m always motivated to improve, to evolve. The important thing is that I’m doing what I enjoy. It’s great to receive messages from my fans, from people who value our work. It’s important to be recognized, regardless of results. I’m thankful to everyone for their love. While I am still fighting, I will always give my best.”