UFC"Esquentadinha"Ketlen Souza Record: 17-6-0
StrawweightRecord17-6-0
Age32
DivisionStrawweight · #29
MMA Elo1649
Next fightOct 10 2026
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Ketlen Souza has a 17-6-0 professional record and is 32 years old in the Strawweight division, representing Carioca Academy (1618 average active-roster Elo across 4 rated fighters). This profile tracks fight history, UFC stats, MMA Elo, record, age, and opponent links.
Last updated Sep 30, 2026 · Combat Edge fight database
Ketlen Souza bio
Personal background
Ketlen Souza is a Brazilian strawweight competing in the UFC, fighting under the nickname “Esquentadinha” — roughly “hot-headed,” a tag she picked up during a fiery early-career weigh-in. Born on August 18, 1994, in Manaus, in the state of Amazonas, she came up in one of the city's tougher neighborhoods and has spoken openly about a difficult upbringing marked by financial hardship and street violence. She turned to combat sports as a way out and built a striking-heavy game on the Amazonian regional circuit. Now training out of Carioca Academy, the 5'2" Souza fights with an aggressive, pressure-forward style that fits her ring name, and at 23-23 in the pro ranks she has carried a 17-6 record into the deeper waters of the UFC's 115-pound division.
Path to the UFC
Souza turned professional in 2017 and stayed busy across small Brazilian promotions like Luta Tribal, Mr. Cage and Future FC, learning her trade in front of hometown crowds in the north of Brazil. Her early run was not without bumps — she absorbed a first-round armbar loss in 2018 and, in 2019, a third-round TKO via body kick to Ariane Carnelossi, a setback that would later set up one of the most satisfying full-circle moments of her career. After rebuilding her momentum, she earned a five-round unanimous-decision win over veteran Gisele Moreira in 2021 and strung together decision wins in Invicta FC, the longtime proving ground for women's MMA, before getting her UFC call.
UFC run
Souza's Octagon arrival was a harsh welcome: in June 2023 she ran into the heavy submission game of Karine Silva and was caught in a first-round kneebar. She responded the way contenders do. In April 2024 she outworked Marnic Mann over three rounds for a unanimous decision, then delivered her statement performance that September at UFC 306, submitting the previously surging Yazmin Jauregui by first-round rear-naked choke. A pair of razor-thin split-decision losses followed — to veteran Angela Hill in February 2025 and to Piera Rodriguez that August — underscoring just how fine the margins are at strawweight. Souza steadied herself in 2026, grinding out a unanimous decision over Bruna Brasil in February before authoring the perfect bookend in June: a first-round knockout of Carnelossi, by head kick and punches, avenging the 2019 loss that had stung for years.
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Fighting style
Souza is a finisher first. Nine of her 17 wins have come by knockout and two more by submission, giving her a 65% finish rate that reflects her appetite for ending fights rather than coasting to the cards. Her power and forward pressure are her calling cards, and her head-kick knockout of Carnelossi showed a striker who can close the show in a single sequence. The flip side is consistency against high-level grappling and seasoned decision-fighters: her UFC losses have come to a submission specialist in Silva and on the scorecards in tight three-rounders, suggesting that the gap between Souza and the elite is one of polish and round-management rather than raw firepower.
Career highlights
- First-round finish of Yazmin Jauregui at UFC 306 — submitted a rising 11-1 prospect on a marquee card, her signature UFC win.
- Avenged her loss to Ariane Carnelossi — knocked out the woman who had beaten her in 2019, completing a seven-year revenge arc with a first-round head-kick finish.
- 65% career finish rate — nine knockouts and two submissions across 17 wins mark her as one of strawweight's more dangerous closers.
Career snapshot
Ketlen Souza career snapshot
Elo · Professional MMAMMA Elo
1649Solid ratingElo trajectory (last 3 years)
Overall#1072
Women's Strawweight#29of 95 active
Peak1649
Last move+20
Opponent quality1605avg. pre-fight Elo · last 10
Career-high 1649 Elo after defeating Ariane Carnelossi (2026-06-06)
Similar Elo in Women's Strawweight
Ketlen Souza quick answers
What is Ketlen Souza's record?
Ketlen Souza's professional MMA record is 17-6-0.
How old is Ketlen Souza?
Ketlen Souza is 32 years old.
What weight class is Ketlen Souza?
Ketlen Souza fights at Strawweight in UFC.
What gym does Ketlen Souza represent?
Ketlen Souza is associated with Carioca Academy, whose 4 active Combat Edge fighters average 1618 Elo.
How tall is Ketlen Souza?
Ketlen Souza is 5'2" tall with a 63" reach.
How much does Ketlen Souza weigh?
Ketlen Souza competes at Strawweight, with a most recent weigh-in of 115 lbs.
What is Ketlen Souza's Combat Edge Elo?
Ketlen Souza's professional MMA Elo is 1649, with a peak Elo of 1649.
How strong is Ketlen Souza's recent opposition?
Ketlen Souza's latest 10 counted opponents averaged 1605 Elo immediately before their fights. This avoids using opponents' later career results with hindsight.
When was Ketlen Souza's last fight?
Ketlen Souza's latest tracked pro fight was against Ariane Carnelossi at UFC Fight Night on Jun 6 2026.
What is Ketlen Souza's recent form?
Ketlen Souza's recent tracked pro form is W-W-L-L-W over the latest 5 decisive pro results.
How does Ketlen Souza usually win?
Ketlen Souza's 17 recorded wins include 9 knockouts, 2 submissions, and 6 decisions, with 65% ending before the final bell.
9Wins by knockout
2Wins by submission
6Wins by decision
2Loss by knockout
2Loss by submission
2Loss by decision
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Ketlen Souza stats
Record : 17 / 6 / 0Tracked UFC statistics may not cover a fighter's full career. Unavailable measurements are not zero.
Significant strikes landed per minute
4.11Fighter3.99UFC strawweight avg
Significant striking accuracy
57%Fighter45%UFC strawweight avg
Significant strikes absorbed per minute
3.89Fighter4.06UFC strawweight avg
Significant strike defenseThe % of opponents strikes that did not land
53%Fighter54%UFC strawweight avg
Average takedowns landed per 15 minutes
0.45Fighter1.39UFC strawweight avg
Takedown accuracy
0%Fighter32%UFC strawweight avg
Takedown defenseThe % of opponents TD attempts that did not land
54%Fighter59%UFC strawweight avg
Average submissions attempted per 15 minutes
0.23Fighter0.42UFC strawweight avg
Pro fight history
ResultOpponentMethodTimeRoundEventDateFight details
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