Jaqueline Amorim aims to stop opponent Sam Hughes within five minutes during her UFC 287 debut to avoid making her father nervous.
Jaqueline Amorim has quickly made a name for herself in the world of MMA, dispatching all her opponents en route to her UFC 287 debut Saturday in Miami. She has her sights on defeating Sam Hughes in under five minutes, a humorously motivated goal to prevent her father from getting distressed. Amorim credits her father, a longtime jiu-jitsu practitioner and MMA fan, for inspiring her to begin jiu-jitsu training at age 5 in Manaus, Brazil. She was captivated by both the martial art and the PRIDE events she watched alongside her father.
However, with women’s MMA not yet a large market when she was growing up, Amorim focused her full-time efforts on grappling. She made it her mission to win the IBJJF Worlds, Pan-American, and build a name for herself within the jiu-jitsu world. “I decided to stay in jiu-jitsu and win everything I wanted,” Amorim said on this week’s Trocação Franca podcast. Her dedication paid off as she won multiple IBJJF World Championships in gi and no-gi as both a purple and brown-belt.
With women’s MMA becoming increasingly popular worldwide, Amorim decided the time was right to transition to the sport. Having won and defended the LFA strawweight title before signing with the UFC, Amorim said her father supported her throughout her journey. She quipped, “We always say in the gym, I have to go there and give my all in the first round to finish it early, otherwise my father will get nervous if it goes to the second round.” Regarding her goals for the upcoming fight against Hughes, Amorim expressed her desire to apply her jiu-jitsu skills and end the fight quickly.
Although Amorim has less in-cage experience than Hughes, who has six UFC bouts to her name, she believes that her extensive background in grappling will provide her with an edge. While she acknowledges that MMA and jiu-jitsu are two separate sports, she also sees her grappling experience as advantageous. “All the experience I’ve had in jiu-jitsu has only helped me,” Amorim explained. Despite this, she remains focused on evolving as an MMA fighter and aims to finish her fight with Hughes in a show of respect and competitive spirit.