"Dama de Ferro" is aiming to even her record within the promotion as she faces off against Gillian Robertson, a participant from "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 26, in the UFC 297 undercard scheduled for January 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
At 31 years old, Polyana has secured victories in three of her last five fights. However, she is currently looking to bounce back after a setback, having experienced an arm-triangle submission loss to Iasmin Lucindo at UFC on ESPN 51 in August.
As Viana prepares for her upcoming battle with Robertson in the 115-pound division, here are amazing facts about her, that you probaly never knew about.
1. Overcoming the odds from the start.
Polyana Viana faced challenging circumstances from the beginning. Born on June 14, 1992, in Sao Geraldo do Araguaia, Brazil, she grew up in a small city of 25,000 people located about 5,000 miles southeast of UFC headquarters in Las Vegas. Raised by a single mother, Viana's journey was marked by resilience.
2. A support system of excellence.
Standing at 5 feet 7 inches, the strawweight fighter trains at the Chute Boxe affiliate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, led by Diego Lima. This renowned camp has produced several top-notch fighters, with former UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira being a prominent example. Surrounding herself with the right people has been a crucial part of Viana's preparation.
3. Regional success adds to her credentials.
Polyana Viana gained recognition early in her career by claiming the Jungle Fight women's strawweight championship in her eighth professional fight. On November 28, 2015, she asserted her dominance by defeating Amanda Ribas in the first round of their JF 83 co-main event. After a successful title defense, Viana transitioned to the Watch Out Combat Show before entering the UFC in 2018.
4. A preferred method of victory.
As a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, Viana has notably secured six out of her eight submission victories with the armbar, including two within the UFC Octagon. She displayed her proficiency by submitting Emily Whitmire in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 175 bout on August 29, 2020, and repeated the feat against Mallory Martin at UFC 258 the following February.
5. Real-world testing of her skills.
In 2019, Viana made headlines beyond the fight world when she thwarted a robbery attempt outside her Rio de Janeiro apartment. Displaying both courage and quick thinking, she confronted the assailant who reportedly used a fake gun in the incident;
Images of the man and the injuries to his face circulated widely in the mainstream media in the days that followed the incident.