Amanda Lemos Bio
Amanda Oliveira de Lemos (born May 22, 1987) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women’s Strawweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Trained at the Marajó Brothers Team in her home state of Pará, she has built a reputation as a powerful finisher. As of October 28, 2025, she holds the #5 position in the official UFC women’s strawweight rankings.
Early Life and Background
Amanda Oliveira de Lemos was born on May 22, 1987, in Belém, the capital city of Pará, in northern Brazil. She grew up in the Amazon region and currently resides in Pará, where she continues to train and develop her mixed martial arts skills. The region’s strong martial arts culture provided an early foundation for her interest in combat sports.
Her introduction to fighting came through the local Brazilian martial arts scene, where she developed the striking power and grappling base that would later define her professional career. Lemos honed her craft alongside teammates at the Marajó Brothers Team, a training camp based in Pará that has shaped her approach to the sport.
Path to MMA
Lemos began her professional mixed martial arts career in 2014 on the Brazilian regional circuit. She built an undefeated record of 5-0, with most of those early bouts taking place under the Jungle Fight banner. Her rapid rise through the regional ranks demonstrated finishing ability and composure well beyond her experience level.
On January 23, 2016, at Jungle Fight 85, Lemos faced Mayra Cantuária for the Jungle Fight Women’s Bantamweight Championship. The bout ended in a majority draw, prompting an immediate rematch. On June 25, 2016, at Jungle Fight 88, Lemos claimed the title with a third-round knockout, establishing herself as one of Brazil’s top female prospects and earning a path toward the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Amanda Lemos Career
Early Career (2014-2017)
Following her Jungle Fight title run, Lemos was scheduled to face Arlene Blencowe at Legend MMA 1 on January 28, 2017, but withdrew from the bout. The opportunity to enter the UFC came on short notice when she was booked to replace the injured Lina Länsberg against Leslie Smith at UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs. Ponzinibbio on July 16, 2017. Lemos lost the lopsided fight via second-round knockout in her promotional debut.
On March 28, 2018, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) suspended Lemos for two years after she tested positive for stanozolol and its metabolite, stemming from a sample collected on November 8, 2017. The suspension kept her out of competition through late 2019, but she returned determined to rebuild her career at strawweight.
UFC Breakthrough (2019-2021)
Coming back from suspension, Lemos faced Miranda Granger on December 21, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 165, stepping in on short notice after Veronica Macedo withdrew. She won the fight via technical submission, signaling her return to form. On August 22, 2020, she outpointed Mizuki Inoue via unanimous decision at UFC on ESPN 15, settling into the strawweight division.
In 2021, Lemos produced one of the most impressive stretches of her career. She knocked down Lívia Renata Souza twice on her way to a first-round technical knockout at UFC 259 on March 6, then finished Montserrat Ruiz via first-round technical knockout at UFC on ESPN 26 on July 17. On December 18, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 199, she took a split decision over Angela Hill in a bout that earned the Fight of the Night bonus award, even though 10 of 11 media outlets scored the fight for Hill.
Title Shot and Continued Rise (2022-2025)
Lemos faced former champion Jéssica Andrade on April 23, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 205 and lost via a standing arm-triangle choke in round one. She rebounded on July 16, 2022, at UFC on ABC 3, submitting Michelle Waterson with a guillotine choke in round two to earn her first Performance of the Night bonus. On October 22, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 214, she stopped Marina Rodriguez with a third-round technical knockout.
Her strong run earned a championship opportunity, and on August 19, 2023, at UFC 292, Lemos challenged Zhang Weili for the UFC Women’s Strawweight Championship. She lost the contest via unanimous decision but remained firmly in the title picture. On February 17, 2024, at UFC 298, she outpointed Mackenzie Dern by unanimous decision to claim another Fight of the Night bonus. After a second-round armbar loss to Virna Jandiroba at UFC on ESPN 60 on July 20, 2024, Lemos returned to the win column with a unanimous decision over Iasmin Lucindo at UFC 313 on March 8, 2025.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lemos is known primarily for her heavy hands and finishing instinct. She has built a professional record that includes multiple knockouts and submissions, with most of her wins coming inside the distance. Her grappling has steadily improved under the Marajó Brothers Team, and her ability to threaten submissions from the bottom and to land power punches while standing has made her a dangerous opponent throughout the strawweight division.
Notable Events and Milestones
Winning the Jungle Fight Women’s Bantamweight Championship in 2016 marked her first major title. Her knockout of former title challenger Marina Rodriguez and her first-round finish of Michelle Waterson earned her Performance of the Night recognition, while her bouts with Angela Hill and Mackenzie Dern added multiple Fight of the Night bonuses. Her title challenge against Zhang Weili at UFC 292 stands as the headline moment of her UFC tenure.
Amanda Lemos Career Wins
Amanda Lemos has compiled a professional record of 15 wins and 5 losses, with her victories split between knockouts, submissions, and decisions. Across her career, she has captured regional gold in Brazil and has defeated a series of ranked strawweight contenders in the UFC.
UFC Highlights
Inside the UFC, Lemos has recorded notable wins over Miranda Granger, Mizuki Inoue, Lívia Renata Souza, Montserrat Ruiz, Angela Hill, Michelle Waterson, Marina Rodriguez, Mackenzie Dern, and Iasmin Lucindo. Several of those performances came via finish, and she has regularly been awarded post-fight bonuses for her work in the octagon.
Other Wins and Performances
Before joining the UFC, Lemos went unbeaten on the Brazilian regional scene and won the Jungle Fight Women’s Bantamweight Championship with a third-round knockout. She later moved down from bantamweight to strawweight in 2020, a transition that has fueled her climb up the divisional rankings.
Amanda Lemos Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lemos was raised in Belém, in the northern Brazilian state of Pará, where she continues to live and train. Her development as a fighter has been closely tied to the Marajó Brothers Team, the camp that has served as her training base throughout her professional career.
Personal Life
Lemos keeps most of her personal life private and focuses publicly on her training and competition schedule. She is identified publicly by her full name, Amanda Oliveira de Lemos, and her Brazilian nationality is a central part of her identity inside and outside the cage.
2025 Season Performance
Lemos opened 2025 with a unanimous decision win over Iasmin Lucindo at UFC 313 on March 8, reinforcing her standing inside the top five of the strawweight division. The victory extended her momentum from the previous year and kept her in the conversation for another title opportunity. She followed that result by stepping into a high-profile rematch with Tatiana Suarez on September 13, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 259, where she lost by unanimous decision in a closely watched contest.
Looking ahead, Lemos is scheduled to face Gillian Robertson on December 13, 2025, at UFC on ESPN 73, replacing an injured Iasmin Lucindo. The booking gives her a late-year opportunity to return to the win column and defend her #5 ranking. With several contenders cycling through the division, a strong finish to 2025 could position her for another marquee bout in 2026.