Former GLORY champion Jady Menezes was inspired by Alex Pereira‘s success in the UFC to return to MMA, with her first fight since 2015 scheduled against Gisela Luna at the UAE Warriors 48 event.
Alex Pereira’s UFC success has inspired Jady Menezes, a former GLORY champ, to make a comeback in MMA. Menezes, who won the GLORY super bantamweight title in 2018, is gearing up to fight Gisela Luna. This fight is part of the UAE Warriors 48 event happening in Balneario Camboriu, Brazil. It’s a big deal for Menezes as it’s her first MMA fight since 2015.
“I never thought I’d step back into the MMA ring,” Menezes confessed to MMA Fighting. She even laughed about it. Life, she said, is full of surprises and doesn’t always follow our plans. She’s tried to return to MMA before but didn’t enjoy it. However, things have changed.
She’s switched teams and now works with people she admires. This change has made her realize her potential in MMA. “I’m good at this,” she said. This realization has transformed her relationship with MMA. Now, she’s a fan.
Menezes has an impressive 3-1 record in MMA. In kickboxing, she’s 14-4. After nearly a decade away from MMA, she had to adjust her kickboxing skills. She’s a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and a 32-year-old striker. She looks up to UFC light heavyweight champion Pereira. He’s her inspiration and proof that it’s never too late to transition to MMA.
“Poatan has inspired me so much,” Menezes said about the former two-division GLORY champ. She’s a huge fan. “Who isn’t?” she asked. She described him as extraordinary and even alien-like.
Menezes works at a pet shop. Her daily routine is grueling, juggling her job and MMA training. As she returns to the sport, she hopes to earn enough to “slow down” and change her life. She also wants to “bother the girls in my division,” she added, laughing.
“I want to make money, wherever that is,” Menezes said. But she admitted that the UFC is a big dream for every athlete. The Menezes vs. Luna fight will be at flyweight. However, Menezes, a former kickboxer, plans to lose an extra 10 pounds to compete at strawweight in the future.
She believes Luna will try to trade with her because Luna is also a striker. “But if she tries to take me down, that’s an opportunity for me to show how aggressive my jiu-jitsu is,” Menezes said.