Undefeated Ketlen Vieira on UFC Fight Night 96's octagon debut: 'Expect violence from start to finish'

Don’t let the timid 6-0 record fool you: fighting has long been Ketlen Vieira’s passion.

On Saturday, Vieira (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes her international MMA debut when she steps into the octagon for the first time. But, set to open UFC Fight Night 96 opposite Kelly Faszholz (3-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC), the 24-year-old “Phenom” is not at all intimidated by the big stage.

Involved in martial arts for half her life, Vieira has been through enough competition that not much can scare her.

“I don’t have many fights, but I’m sure my record is better than that of many girls who are in there,” Vieira told MMAjunkie ahead of her UFC Fight Pass-streamed prelim scrap at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. “I’ve had six wins and no losses, and I fought many girls from outside (my home state of) Manaus. I fought girls who are now in Bellator or Jungle Fight. And many of them were undefeated.

“I already competed in the world’s amateur jiu-jitsu tournament (Mundiais), and at Grapplers’ Quest in Las Vegas. I’m feeling very calm. I’m going to show up and do my job. I don’t care about what the crowd says – I don’t even speak English, so I couldn’t even understand them.”

Vieira’s MMA career started two and a half years ago, but her involvement with martial arts goes way back. At 12, fascinated with fighting, the Manaus, Amazonas, native asked her mom to be enrolled in jiu-jitsu classes. Four years later, she went into judo – which she, now a black belt, practiced until her early twenties.

It was only when the UFC opened its first women’s division that Vieira, inspired by then-champ Ronda Rousey, took up striking in order to become a mixed martial artist. Vieira, who dropped out of law school to pursue it full time, can’t really offer many explanations as to what sparked her interest in the world of combat sports – other than that it’s always been there.

“Since I was a kid, I have always been passionate about fighting,” Vieira said. “I had no one, no relatives, no neighbors, nothing of that sort who trained. It was something I was born with.

“I watched and thought it was nice seeing the girls fighting. I always asked my mom to enroll me and when I was 12 she signed me up for my first sport, jiu-jitsu.”

Though her family is now very supportive of Vieira’s career choice, it hasn’t always been the case. After initial concerns around her transition from grappling, however, the judo black belt now celebrates a promising start to her so far undefeated MMA venture.

“My mom was scared that I would get hurt,” Vieira said. “She’d say, ‘You’re too muscular already, now you want to hurt your face?’ but then she saw the girls in the UFC and thought, ‘If they can do it, my daughter can.’

“Then she started supporting me. And also my three brothers – I am the only girl. Now my family supports me and thankfully I’ve been doing MMA for two years and a half and I’m already in the biggest event with the world.”

Vieira is the first woman in the Brazilian state of Amazonas to be signed by the UFC. She is, however, in good company when it comes to her fellow state representatives, including middleweight contender Ronaldo “Jacare,” who’s not a native but began his martial arts career there, and interim featherweight champ Jose Aldo – whose first coach is now Vieira’s head MMA trainer at the local Nova Uniao branch.

And being the first woman from her state on the octagon, Vieira says, just serves as extra motivation to do an even better job.

“It’s a big responsibility, but I don’t see it as pressure,” Vieira said. “As the first girl from Amazonas, I feel I can open many doors for other girls in the state, so I see this as an extra strength to make it up there and do my job.

“In Manaus, there are many talents. Aldo, (Ronaldo) ‘Jacare’ (Souza) and with more incentive I’m sure there’ll be many more names. I think we lack incentive, because I feel it’s got many talented fighters not only in MMA, but in other styles. I certainly look up to them, especially Aldo, who’s a humble guy who left Manaus with the dream to see the ocean and is now a world champion.”

Even though she still lives in Manaus, Vieira did her camp for her UFC debut under Dede Pederneiras at Rio de Janeiro’s Nova Uniao – where she had already trained in the past. The strategy, she explains, was very focused on Fasholz – who, in spite of having octagon experience, has a slimmer 3-1 overall professional record.

“I saw that she’s a tough girl,” Vieira said. “Her strength is grappling, but she also strikes. So we’re getting ready for everything. To strike, go to the ground, whatever happens we’ll be ready.

“I think it will be a great fight. Expect to see violence from start to finish.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 96, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.