Stepping inside the Octagon to face an opponent who’s willing to do anything to win takes a unique mindset that separates fighters from fans. Even Georges St.Pierre, one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever, had faced his own struggles with fear and anxiety. In an interview with FUEL TV, St.Pierre had admitted, “I’m the kind of guy that I’m not afraid to admit that I’m afraid when I go fight…” Add to that list UFC on ESPN 60 winner Virna Jandiroba.

Brazilian UFC strawweight contender, Virna Jandiroba had also faced her own mental struggles in her youth. But it was her love for martial arts and training that helped her find her way to the light. She confronted personal adversity head-on and reached immense heights. Here’s a look at her inspiring story in overcoming the hurdles and becoming a top-ranked UFC strawweight! 

From anxiety to strength: Virna Jandiroba’s Story

Virna Jandiroba’s path in combat sports started with kung-fu and later transitioned to judo. But what led her to jiu-jitsu? Her battle with anxiety during her teenage years. How did this change her life? In an interview with MMA Fighting, the Brazilian shared, “I started training jiu-jitsu because I had an anxiety issue when I was a teenager, so I’ve been doing therapy ever since.”

But while she was deeply immersed in combat sports, Jandiroba didn’t consider them as a viable option for a career until the death of her older sister, Laiane, due to stomach cancer at the age of 21. Jandiroba confessed, “I had panic attacks after my sister died, and jiu-jitsu helped me overcome that. I was afraid to get out of home, and it was travelling to jiu-jitsu tournaments that I started feeling safer.”

The abrupt loss of a family member also led to Jandiroba developing hypochondria, also known as health anxiety. For those unaware, it is a condition where a person constantly worries about having a serious illness. Despite having little or no symptoms, they often believe something is wrong with their health. It is here that her time on the jiu-jitsu mats allowed her to forget about her worries and the trauma of her sister’s passing, as long as she was working on her grappling skills.

The 36-year-old also has a distinctive facial feature where her pupils are farther apart than normal. This, however, does not affect her vision or compromise her in her fights in any way. However, it does not make her immune to the MMA community’s occasional jibes.

While acting as a refuge for Jandiroba, jiu-jitsu also led her to winning local competitions which encouraged her to transition to mixed martial arts. Now, she’s made it 4 wins in a row in her 7-3 UFC career, submitting Amanda Lemos at UFC Vegas 94. Jandiroba is confident that this win could see her challenge for the UFC gold, as she claimed in interviews before the fight!

Jandiroba is aiming for Weili Zhang with a win at UFC Vegas 94

Currently riding on a 4-fight win streak in the UFC’s strawweight division, Virna Jandiroba has found herself holding the no. 5 spot in the rankings. As such, a win over the no.3 ranked Lemos is crucial for the former Invicta FC champion.

In her interview with UFC.com ahead of the bout, Jandiroba stated, “With this win I will be coming off four wins over extremely talented and high-ranking women. With this win, I should be ranked No. 3 in the division and I will, for sure, be a worthy challenge for Zhang Weili.”

She also shared that while her impressive jiu-jitsu background makes her a submission threat at all times, she was not opposed to standing and exchanging strikes on the feet with Lemos. True to her words, she put her grappling skills on display, escaping a rear-naked choke attempt before sinking in her armbar. In conclusion, poised on the cusp of a shot at the strawweight title, Virna Jandiroba’s journey serves as an inspiring reminder of how overcoming mental struggles can lead to extraordinary achievements!