Piera Rodriguez

Piera "La Fiera" Rodriguez is a Venezuelan mixed martial artist who competes in the women's strawweight division of the UFC.

Born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, Rodriguez earned a psychology degree from Universidad Rafael Urdaneta before leaving her home country amid its economic and social upheaval to pursue fighting full-time. She began training in boxing and mixed martial arts in Panama, then relocated to Málaga, Spain to continue developing as a professional. Along the way she trained alongside established UFC competitors such as Mackenzie Dern, Tabatha Ricci and Sabina Mazo, and traveled to Stockholm to train at the gym of Khamzat Chimaev, whom she has cited as an inspiration for her relentless work ethic.

Rodriguez turned professional in 2017 and built her name on the regional circuit, capturing the Legacy Fighting Alliance strawweight championship in April 2021 with a fifth-round technical knockout of Svetlana Gotsyk. That title run earned her a spot on Dana White's Contender Series later that year, where she impressed enough to secure a UFC contract. She also holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, giving her a ground game to complement her striking.

Known for heavy hands and a patient, calculated approach, Rodriguez describes her style as waiting for the right opening and then attacking with full commitment. She made her Octagon debut at UFC 273 in April 2022, outstriking Kay Hansen over three rounds to win by unanimous decision. She has gone on to secure notable UFC victories over Sam Hughes and Josefine Lindgren Knutsson, among others, establishing herself as a durable, action-oriented presence in the strawweight division.

Fighting under the "La Fiera" banner, Rodriguez has spoken of her nickname as representing the fire she brings to everything she pursues. As one of the few Venezuelans to reach the UFC, she carries that identity into the cage, representing a career built through relocation, sacrifice and steady improvement across multiple countries and gyms.