Bia Mesquita signs with the UFC; debut set for October
Decorated BJJ world champion and undefeated MMA star Bia Mesquita has signed to compete in the UFC.
One of the best BJJ competitors ever has officially signed to compete in the UFC.
On Thursday, Bia Mesquita announced that she will continue her still-young MMA career in the UFC, and her promotional debut is set for October 11, 2025, at a UFC Fight Night card in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She posted about the signing on Instagram.
A multiple-time world champion, Mesquita brings a practically unmatched grappling pedigree to the UFC. She won her first of 5 IBJJF no-gi world titles in 2010 and won her first of 10 IBJJF gi world titles in 2012. In addition to numerous other gold medals at the various IBJJF majors, she is also a 2017 ADCC world champion. Those accomplishments earned her the moniker of “Lady GOAT.”
Considering her aggressive, physically imposing style of grappling, it’s no small surprise that the 34-year-old Brazilian has found immediate success in MMA. Since making her professional MMA debut last summer, Mesquita has rattled off a trio of submission victories, one win by DQ, and, in her most recent appearance, she captured the vacant LFA bantamweight title with a dominant TKO victory over the previously undefeated Sierra Dinwoodie.
She currently trains at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, alongside fellow grappling standouts like Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, current UFC bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison, and surging strawweight submission artist Jaqueline Amorim.
Mesquita instantly becomes one of the UFC’s most talented grapplers and arguably the bantamweight division’s most dangerous submission hunter. She possesses a well-rounded grappling skill set that makes her a threat in any and all positions, but so far in her MMA career, she has largely focused on taking the back and finishing with a rear-naked choke.
Althought Mesquita announced the date of her UFC debut, she did not announce her opponent for the event. Be sure to check back with Grappling Insider for more updates on her promotional debut.
