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Polyana Viana | The Best Is Yet To Come
Polyana Viana Returns From Injury Feeling Better Than Ever Ahead Of UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates Matchup With Jaqueline Amorim
It’s been a difficult year-and-a-half for Polyana Viana, who faced back-to-back losses before a serious injury sidelined her for 16 months.
Right off the heels of the best win of her career - a 47-second knockout of Jinh Yu Frey - Viana suffered a submission loss and a TKO defeat to ranked opponents Gillian Robertson and Iasmin Lucindo. Eager to return to the Octagon, Viana’s path was further delayed when a patella dislocation and ligament damage kept her out of action.
The time away from competition wasn’t just about recovery, but it was also a period of reflection and growth. Viana took valuable lessons from those fights and returns to the Octagon this Saturday at UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates with a renewed focus.
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“It doesn’t matter if the opponents are ranked or not, I’ve had even tougher challenges in other fights,” Viana said, referring to her two losses against Robertson and Lucindo. “Regardless of whether it’s a win or loss, I’ve had challenges that were just as hard.
“I think no matter what fight you have, you’re always going to have learning. It was a learning experience. I wasn’t feeling my best. I wasn’t feeling my best mentally for those fights, but it was a learning experience that I’ve had, and I think for sure, now, after going through this camp, we had really good training and I’m going to deliver even better results now.”
Viana was initially scheduled to make her return in October against Cory McKenna. However, with her injuries still not fully healed, Viana was unable to train grappling properly during training camp and had no choice but to pull out of the fight.
This Saturday, Viana will finally step back into the Octagon at 100 percent to face submission ace Jaqueline Amorim, who’s currently riding a three-fight finish streak. Amorim has submittedher last two opponents by first-round armbar and recently told UFC.com she’s hoping to add another submission to her record in an attempt to solidify her claim as the best grappler in the strawweight division. Viana isn’t buying into that just yet.
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“If she wants to really prove herself and say she is the best grappler in the division, she needs to fight Mackenzie Dern and Virna Jandiroba,” Viana said. “I think they’re ways ahead in that category. We’re here as a challenge and here to put that to proof.
“She’s a very talented girl, great jiu-jitsu, and I see a lot of me in her because I worked a lot of jiu-jitsu when I came into MMA. I’m at a point in my life where I train MMA, and that’s where I needed to adapt. That’s where I see her. She’s very focused on jiu-jitsu, but I’ve been able to actually evolve and go into more MMA-focused training.”
With four first-round finishes in her UFC career (one knockout and three submissions), and only three of her last 15 fights going the distance, Viana’s known for her explosive style. If she steps into the Octagon as the best version of herself against a fast-rising prospect in Jaqueline Amorim, fans can expect fireworks early and often.
UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates took place live from T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri On April 26, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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