Sabrinna
de Sousa is one of the most interesting prospects competing
under the
Professional Fighters League banner at the moment.
Representing KHK
MMA, 25-year-old De Sousa is set to lock horns with former
Ultimate Fighting Championship flyweight title challenger
Taila
Santos on the upcoming
PFL Tampa card. De Sousa began her martial arts journey in
capoeira before transitioning to Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She compiled
a perfect 15-0 amateur mixed martial arts record along the way,
capped by gold at the 2022 International MMA Federation World
Championships. She also became the first woman to capture three
titles under the IMMAF banner. Signing an IMMAF standout is nothing
new for the PFL, which has fished the same talent pool for
prospects like the red-hot Patrick
Habirora, among others. De Sousa is now 6-0 as a
professional.
Sabrinna De Sousa’s 6-0 rise has earned her a showdown with
Taila Santos at PFL Tampa
While the results have been solid, including a perfect 3-0 mark in
the PFL cage, De Sousa looks like she has yet to show her full
potential. She has a varied striking arsenal, but she shines most
in grappling exchanges. Once the fight hits the mat, she can finish
in a number of ways, with armbars and rear-naked chokes her
specialties. She also has the cardio to lean on her grinding game
plan, taking opponents down and wearing them out with submission
attempts and ground-and-pound. In short, De Sousa is a well-rounded
fighter, capable on the feet and genuinely dangerous on the ground.
She does struggle against technical strikers, though, and she is
willing to cede some initiative to secure her takedowns.
AND
NEW! 🙌Sabrinna
de Sousa is the new
#ShootoBrasil Flyweight Champ! pic.twitter.com/GqpJhQYuod— UFC FIGHT
PASS (@UFCFightPass)
May 3, 2025
In her first fight on home soil, the Brazilian captured the Shooto
Brasil 125-pound championship with a win over Sara dos
Santos in the
Shooto Brasil 129 headliner. De Sousa dictated the pace from
the opening bell, looking at ease on the feet as she landed her
overhand right and high kicks. When an opening arose, she shot for
a takedown into half guard, poured on ground-and-pound and advanced
to full mount, from where she attacked with punches and elbows
before threatening an armbar. By the end of the round, dos Santos’
forehead was heavily swollen from the assault. The end came early
in the second stanza. After eating a hard right hand, “Dinamite”
signaled she was done, but with the referee not yet stepping in, De
Sousa landed one more high kick before the official waved it off 32
seconds into the frame.
The victory captured the attention of the PFL, where she debuted
with a unanimous decision win over Saray
Orozco. She then took on fellow IMMAF alum and undefeated
prospect Paulina
Wisniewska. The pair put on a back-and-forth battle. The two
were nearly even on the feet, but De Sousa was more successful in
imposing her game on the canvas. The Brazilian powered Wisniewska
to the mat with a standing arm-triangle and weathered a scare when
her opponent was warned for upkicks. De Sousa showed no trouble
passing guard, though she spent enough time on her back to let the
Pole bank precious points in Round 2. In the end, De Sousa spoiled
Wisniewska’s perfect record, taking a split decision as two of the
three judges saw it her way. To date, this is De Sousa’s best win
on paper.
Cris Cyborg’s
final MMA bout headlines PFL Tampa: Tune in on Saturday, Aug. 22 at
10 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Her upcoming clash with Santos will tell us where De Sousa stands
in terms of maturity, but the future looks bright. A dream matchup
with fellow
Sherdog Prospect Watch graduate Dakota
Ditcheva may prove tricky to book, however. Before taking on
Cheyanne
Bowers in her latest assignment, De Sousa did not appear eager
to cut down to flyweight, and the bout was transformed into a
134-pound catchweight. Ditcheva will likely remain at 125, and De
Sousa will attempt to make the flyweight limit once again against
Santos. Wherever De Sousa ultimately settles, the women’s
bantamweight division needs fresh blood, and she brings plenty to
the table. She has a proven amateur pedigree, has shown she can
handle pressure and is efficient in what she does inside the cage.
If De Sousa can rediscover some of her killer instinct, she will be
the complete package. Her six opponents carry a combined 33-19
record, evidence that she has earned her rise against credible
competition rather than tune-up opposition.
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