Jacqueline Cavalcanti Bio
Jacqueline dos Santos Cavalcanti (born August 29, 1997) is a Portuguese professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women’s Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Fighting out of Almada, Portugal, she carries the ring name “The Nightmare” and trains with Reborn Fight Team. As of November 11, 2025, she is ranked #10 in the official UFC women’s bantamweight rankings.
A late-bloomer on the international stage, Cavalcanti has built her resume through regional European shows and the PFL Challenger Series before reaching the UFC in 2023. Her professional record reflects a finisher-friendly style balanced with disciplined decision wins, and she has emerged as one of the more compelling European bantamweights of her generation.
Early Life and Background
Jacqueline dos Santos Cavalcanti was born on August 29, 1997, in Pirituba, a district in the northwestern zone of São Paulo, Brazil. Although she was born in Brazil, she later established herself in Portugal, where she currently resides in the city of Almada, across the Tagus River from Lisbon. This transcontinental path has shaped her identity as a Portuguese professional athlete.
Standing 173 cm tall with an unusually long 178 cm reach, Cavalcanti possesses the physical tools associated with elite bantamweight competition. Her combination of height, reach, and length has been a defining characteristic since her early training years and continues to inform her approach inside the cage.
Path to MMA
Cavalcanti made her professional MMA debut on June 2, 2018, facing Jackelin Casariego at Fight Company 5 in her first appearance on the regional circuit. She announced herself immediately, winning the bout by technical knockout in the first round and signaling the kind of finishing instinct that would define her rise through European promotions.
Her development included stints on multiple smaller cards, where she faced a varied slate of opponents. On July 10, 2021, she fought Nora Cornolle at FFAC – FFA Challenge 2, taking a unanimous decision. She then stepped onto a larger platform at the PFL Challenger Series 3 on March 4, 2022, where she dropped a split decision to Martina Jindrová, a setback that became a turning point in her career trajectory.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti Career
Early Career (2018–2022)
In the years following her debut, Cavalcanti compiled experience across European and international promotions, learning how to manage distance and adapt to a wide range of styles. Her first-round TKO of Casariego at Fight Company 5 introduced her finishing ability, and her later decision victory over Cornolle showed the patience required at the higher regional level.
Her loss to Jindrová in the PFL Challenger Series provided a high-level test and forced her to refine her game. Following the defeat, Cavalcanti rebounded by capturing the vacant LFA Women’s Bantamweight Championship, defeating Melissa Croden by unanimous decision at LFA 157. The title served as the launchpad that drew UFC matchmakers’ attention.
UFC Breakthrough (2023–2024)
Cavalcanti entered the UFC on short notice, replacing Haily Cowan to face Zarah Fairn on September 2, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 226. She won the fight by unanimous decision, beginning her Octagon tenure with a measured performance that demonstrated her comfort under bright lights.
Her 2024 campaign elevated her profile considerably. On August 24, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 62, she took a split decision over Josiane Nunes, one of the division’s aggressive finishers. Weeks later, on September 28, 2024, at UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis, she earned another split decision, this time in a rematch against Nora Cornolle, replacing the retired Germaine de Randamie on the card.
UFC Continued Run (2025)
A scheduled bout with Germaine de Randamie on January 11, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 249 was cancelled when de Randamie announced her retirement, removing a high-profile matchup from the calendar. Cavalcanti responded by returning on February 15, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 251, where she took a unanimous decision over Julia Avila in a strong contender’s test.
She capped her 2025 run on November 8, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 264, facing Mayra Bueno Silva and producing a unanimous decision win that pushed her into the UFC women’s bantamweight top ten. The result confirmed her as a legitimate threat in a crowded 135-pound division.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the signature moments of Cavalcanti’s career are her LFA Women’s Bantamweight Championship victory over Melissa Croden and her trio of UFC split and unanimous decisions against Josiane Nunes, Nora Cornolle, and Julia Avila. Her November 2025 win over Mayra Bueno Silva, a respected veteran, marked her arrival inside the divisional elite.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti Career Wins
Jacqueline dos Santos Cavalcanti has compiled a professional record that includes 10 wins against 1 loss across 11 professional bouts. Of her victories, three have come by knockout, one by decision, with no submissions or disqualifications recorded, reflecting an aggressive striking style built on length and timing.
UFC Highlights
Her UFC tenure began with a unanimous decision over Zarah Fairn in September 2023 and grew through consecutive decision wins over Josiane Nunes, Nora Cornolle in a rematch, Julia Avila, and Mayra Bueno Silva. The Mayra Bueno Silva victory on November 8, 2025, stands as her most recent and highest-profile result inside the Octagon.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Cavalcanti captured the LFA Women’s Bantamweight Championship by defeating Melissa Croden at LFA 157 and also took a unanimous decision over Nora Cornolle at FFAC – FFA Challenge 2. Her first professional win, a first-round TKO over Jackelin Casariego at Fight Company 5 in June 2018, opened her career with a statement finish.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Jacqueline dos Santos Cavalcanti’s immediate family and upbringing are limited. Born in Pirituba, São Paulo, Brazil, and now based in Almada, Portugal, she has built her professional identity around her training camp at Reborn Fight Team.
Personal Life
Cavalcanti currently resides in Almada, Portugal, where she continues to train and prepare for competition. She keeps her personal relationships private, and no confirmed public details about a spouse, partner, or children are available.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar proved defining for Jacqueline dos Santos Cavalcanti. After the cancellation of her scheduled January bout with the retiring Germaine de Randamie, she returned in February to defeat Julia Avila by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 251, immediately re-establishing momentum.
Her November 8, 2025, unanimous decision win over Mayra Bueno Silva at UFC Fight Night 264 represented the signature performance of her season and elevated her to #10 in the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings. The result placed her squarely in the title conversation within a stacked 135-pound division.
Looking forward, Cavalcanti enters the late stages of 2025 as a rising bantamweight contender, with her combination of size, reach, and finishing potential positioning her as a name to watch in future UFC title discussions.