Last updated: August 2026
| Full Name | Luana Munize Barbosa Pinheiro |
| Born | November 18, 1993, in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil |
| Nationality | 🇧🇷 Brazilian |
| Profession | Professional Mixed Martial Artist (UFC Strawweight) |
Luana Pinheiro is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC’s women’s strawweight division. A judo black belt who transitioned to MMA in her early twenties, she earned her UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series and has gone on to headline-level bouts against ranked opposition. No reliable public net worth figure exists for Pinheiro.
Early Life & Family
Pinheiro was born on November 18, 1993, in Joao Pessoa, Paraiba, Brazil, into a family of judokas, and began training judo at age two in her hometown. After an accomplished junior judo career, she moved to Belo Horizonte in 2011 to pursue a place on Brazil’s Olympic judo team.
Rise to Fame
When her Olympic judo ambitions did not materialize, Pinheiro began training in mixed martial arts in late 2015. She earned her UFC contract by defeating Stephanie Frausto via first-round technical knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series in November 2020.
Career History
Pinheiro made her UFC debut with a first-round disqualification win over Randa Markos after an accidental upkick prevented her from continuing. Her most notable UFC victory came via split decision over Michelle Waterson-Gomez at UFC 287 in April 2023. She has since faced a run of ranked opposition, losing to Angela Hill by submission in May 2024, to Gillian Robertson by unanimous decision in November 2024, and to Tecia Pennington by unanimous decision in May 2025, taking her UFC record to 3-4 and her overall professional record to 11-5.
How They Built Their Wealth
Pinheiro’s income comes from UFC fight purses, including win bonuses and Contender Series and performance bonuses, though the promotion does not publicly disclose exact fighter pay, so no reliable net worth figure can be stated.
Personal Life
Pinheiro holds a black belt in judo and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and trains out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Luana Pinheiro’s path from Olympic judo hopeful to UFC strawweight contender reflects the discipline of her grappling background, even as recent losses to ranked opponents have tested her position in a deep division.