How Jeisla Chaves went from ring girl to octagon debut at UFC Vegas 118

Jeisla Chaves has traveled an unconventional path to her UFC Vegas 118 debut on Saturday, transforming from ring girl to professional MMA fighter through Muay Thai and a viral moment on Dana White's Contender Series.

The 29-year-old from Poçoes, Brazil once dreamed of becoming a geography teacher, graduating and landing office work. When an old school friend recruited her to hold cards at a Muay Thai event, she accepted the gig—and discovered her true calling. Within a month of training Muay Thai, her coach predicted her fighting future. "At first, I thought he meant as a ring girl again," Chaves said. "He replied, 'No, you'll be there as my fighter.'" Within a year she became a Muay Thai amateur champion.

Chaves spent years training jiu-jitsu to transition to MMA, pivoting fully in 2023. The decision meant sacrificing stability: she quit her shoe factory job, turned down a promotion requiring relocation, and declined a teaching position at her local school—all without telling her family about the opportunities she passed up. Training remained male-dominated at her gym, a lonely pursuit marked by injury.

Her breakthrough came last September on Dana White's Contender Series, where she fought Sofia Montenegro in a "three-round bloody war" that ended in a split-decision victory for Chaves. Both fighters earned UFC contracts. Chaves called it transformative. "That showed me that I'm stronger than I ever imagined," she said. Now, with her original coaches finally able to travel to Las Vegas after visa denials in 2025, she faces Venezuelan striker Yuneisy Duben in a flyweight matchup she expects to mirror her DWCS performance: high-action, heavy exchanges, and the trademark striking warfare that earned her the nickname "A Braba"—Portuguese for badass.