Marilia Santos Record: 10-4-0

International run and the Zhang fight

In 2016, Santos suffered an early setback when future UFC standout Mayra Bueno Silva forced a first-round retirement at Sidney Sibamba Fight 4. She bounced back emphatically, traveling to China and outpointing 6–1 prospect Qihui Yan by decision at Kunlun Fight MMA 7 in December 2016 — a quality win on foreign soil. The following August she returned to China for the biggest test of her career, facing Weili Zhang at Kunlun Fight MMA 14. Zhang, who would go on to become a two-time UFC women's strawweight champion, stopped Santos by knockout in the second round.

Later career

Santos rebounded with a 2018 armbar of Noemi Galarza and a decision over Erika Sousa before chasing bigger opportunities. She appeared on Dana White's Contender Series in 2019, dropping a decision to Lucrezia Ria, then signed to fight in Invicta FC. At Invicta FC 37 in October 2019 she ran into surging prospect Mariya Agapova, who finished her with first-round ground-and-pound. Santos closed her run with a career record of 10–4.

Fighting style

Santos is an aggressive, finish-oriented flyweight whose ten wins split between knockouts, submissions and decisions for a finish rate around 50%. Two of her victories came by KO/TKO and three by submission, including an arm-triangle choke and an armbar, showing genuine threat on the feet and on the mat. Her weakness was durability against elite strikers: all three of her losses by stoppage came via knockout or ground-and-pound, a reminder that the step up to championship-level opposition exposed her chin even as her offense remained dangerous.

Career highlights

• International road win — traveled to China and beat 6–1 prospect Qihui Yan by decision at Kunlun Fight MMA 7.
• Shared the cage with a future champion — faced Weili Zhang, the eventual two-time UFC strawweight champion, on the biggest stage of her career.
• Proven finisher — closed half her ten wins by knockout or submission, including armbar and arm-triangle finishes that defined her best performances.