Jacqueline Cavalcanti

Jacqueline Cavalcanti, known to fight fans as "The Nightmare," is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the women's bantamweight division of the UFC.

Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Cavalcanti was raised between Brazil and Portugal, building her early career while based in Almada on Portugal's Atlantic coast before eventually relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, to train alongside a deeper pool of elite competition. Before turning to professional fighting, she studied physical education and compiled an undefeated amateur kickboxing record, going 10-0 before making her professional MMA debut in 2018.

Cavalcanti built her name on the regional circuit, winning bantamweight titles with both the Strikers Cage Championship and the Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) before earning a contract with the UFC. She has trained out of Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas, a gym recognized for developing and hosting world-class talent across weight classes.

A striker by trade, Cavalcanti is known for pressuring forward behind volume and power, an aggressive style that made her a standout on the regional scene and translated immediately to the bright lights of the UFC. She has spoken about approaching her career "step-by-step," pairing natural aggression with steadily sharpening technical fundamentals and improving takedown defense to round herself into a more complete mixed martial artist.

Cavalcanti introduced herself to UFC audiences with a lopsided unanimous decision over Zarah Fairn in her promotional debut, out-landing her opponent by a wide margin on the feet. She followed that performance with notable wins over Josiane Nunes, a hard-fought rematch against Nora Cornolle taken on short notice, Julia Avila, and former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva, a run of performances that established her as one of the bantamweight division's most dangerous rising threats.

Blending Brazilian grit with the resilience of her adopted home in Portugal, Cavalcanti has built her identity in the cage around living up to her nickname, presenting a nightmare matchup for anyone standing across from her.