Yana Santos Record: 17-8-0

Invicta run and UFC arrival

Her Invicta tenure included a knockout of unbeaten Yanan Wu in September 2016 and a memorable two-fight saga with Tonya Evinger – the first meeting in November 2016 ended in a no-contest, and their March 2017 rematch went to Evinger by submission. Santos rebuilt with a five-round decision win and earned her UFC call. Her promotional debut came in March 2018 against pound-for-pound great Cris Cyborg, a first-round loss that nonetheless put her on the biggest stage in the sport.

Establishing herself in the UFC

Santos quickly proved she belonged, taking decisions over Lina Länsberg at UFC 229 in 2018 and Marion Reneau in 2019. After a TKO loss to Aspen Ladd late in 2019, she put together a strong run with decision wins over Julija Stoliarenko in 2020 and a notable victory over surging contender Ketlen Vieira in February 2021. A first-round TKO loss to Irene Aldana at UFC 264 followed.

Veteran resurgence

Santos navigated a rougher patch in 2023, dropping decisions to former champion Holly Holm and to Karol Rosa, but she has since reinvented herself as one of the division's most reliable veterans. She decisioned Chelsea Chandler in August 2024, then added marquee unanimous-decision wins over former champion Miesha Tate in May 2025 and Macy Chiasson at UFC 320 in October 2025, climbing the bantamweight rankings deep into her career.

Fighting style

Santos is a pressure-based, well-rounded fighter who leans on her striking volume and a sambo-rooted clinch and ground game to win rounds; seven of her 17 wins have come by knockout and one by submission, with the bulk of her victories arriving on the scorecards for a 47% finish rate. Her clinch work, top control and ground-and-pound are central to her decision-heavy approach, and her experience and toughness make her a difficult out for anyone in the division. The losses on her record have generally come against the very best, often by stoppage, but her durability and ring IQ have kept her relevant against elite competition for the better part of a decade.

Career highlights

• Former Invicta FC bantamweight champion — captured a major women's MMA title before signing with the UFC.
• Late-career signature wins — outpointed former UFC champion Miesha Tate and contender Macy Chiasson in 2025 to surge back up the rankings.
• Tested at the highest level — shared the cage with the likes of Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm, two of the most decorated women in the sport.