(MENAFN- International Mixed Martial Arts Federation) By Caoilte de Barra
Brazil is back after an incredible year in 2022, in which the team collected multiple medals at the 2021 World Championships and the 2022 Pan American Championships.
The 2021 World Championships was the first time a team from Brazil entered since 2018, and they made an instant impact taking home three medals. At the Pan American Championships, the team finished the competition with four gold medals placing them third on the overall medal table.
Three of the World and Pan American medalists, Giulliany Perea, Josiane Oliveira and Ana Vitoria Diniz, will all return for their second World Championships outing.
Submission maestro giulliany perea was one of the breakout stars in 2022, going 5-1 in IMMAF competition, with four of her victories coming via submission. She rounded off the year with a World silver medal and a Pan American gold.
Similar to Perea, josiane oliveira enjoyed a promising start in IMMAF competition, going 4-1 last year. Oliveira began competing in MMA after years of taekwondo, where she was an Olympic reserve in 2008.
ana vitoria diniz will be dropping down two weight divisions for the competition after competing at featherweight. Ribas Family teammate Rabech Rufino also joins the squad and will be making her maiden IMMAF appearance. Both athletes train alongside UFC superstar and 2014 World gold medalist amanda ribas in Varginha, Brazil.
Fernanda Guersone is another new addition to the squad. After starting in Chinese boxing, Guersone soon found Muay Thai and went undefeated before transitioning to MMA. Training out of Nova Uniao, Guersone has had a promising start to her MMA career, scoring the fastest KO in Brazil in 2022.
The provisional Brazil team headed to the Worlds is as follows:
Luiz Henrique Da Silva – Seniors / Men / M: Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)
Giulliany Perea -Seniors / Women / F: Strawweight 52.2 kg (115 lbs)
Ana Vitoria Diniz -Seniors / Women / F: Flyweight 56.7 kg (125 lbs)
Josiane Oliveira – Seniors / Women / F: Bantamweight 61.2 kg (135 lbs)
Rabech Rufino – Seniors / Women / F: Featherweight 65.8 kg (145 lbs)
Fernanda Guersone -Seniors / Women / F: Lightweight 70.3 kg (155 lbs)
Hosted by the Serbian MMA Federation, the two amateur tournaments are to take place at Štark Arena, in Novi Beograd (Belgrade), Serbia, from 11 to 17 February. IMMAF's OTT platform, immaf.tv , will stream all bouts for fans all over the world.