Kelly Ottoni, a martial arts gym owner in Sao Paulo, is returning to MMA at 39 to inspire others and improve her life, fighting Jackie Cataline at Invicta FC 56 in Denver, while aiming for opportunities in major promotions like UFC, PFL, and Bellator.
Kelly Ottoni runs a martial arts gym in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She wants to lead by example.
That’s why, at age 39, she’s putting the gloves on again. She’s taking on a tough challenge against PFL and Bellator veteran Jackie Cataline at Friday’s Invicta FC 56 event in Denver.
The former Jungle Fight bantamweight champion has her reasons for returning to MMA after more than two years. It’s not just about her own life but showing the power of combat sports to change lives.
With over 80 competitions under her belt in various forms of martial arts—boxing, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai—Ottoni sees MMA differently now. “Martial arts is a philosophy of life for me, but MMA is more about making money,” Ottoni told MMA Fighting.
She wants to secure a better future as she gets older. “I’m not only changing my life; I have other people around me who are hustlers like I am,” she said. “They dream of better things in life, so I want to help the youth.”
“You pay the price for a dream and work hard every day,” she explained. “Sometimes you still don’t achieve it because you need a second job to pay bills. It’s hard to live as an athlete in Brazil.”
Ottoni jokes she’s “quite an old hand.” Despite her 5-0 MMA record, her experience in martial arts is vast. She feels “extremely happy and pressure-free” entering the Invicta FC cage for the first time.
She’s open to fighting anywhere from 135 to 155 pounds. Facing Cataline in a featherweight contest, she’s looking for other great opportunities.
Her brother, Quemuel Ottoni, has also held the Jungle Fight belt. He was the first man to defeat future UFC and GLORY two-division champion Alex Pereira in MMA.
Quemuel is set to fight for a UFC contract against Kody Steele on Sept. 10 in the promotion’s Contender Series. Kelly believes they could one day share a UFC card but says competing in the octagon isn’t her ultimate goal.
“I see Invicta FC as a door to other major promotions,” Ottoni said. “Not just the UFC. We have PFL and Bellator too.”
She mentioned Larissa Pacheco as the current PFL champion. “UFC is the World Cup, and everybody knows that,” she added. “But I want to make money.”
“If I get to the World Cup, great,” she continued. “But I want to buy a house and keep my NGO going. I’ll enter whatever door opens for me.”
Cataline, her opponent Friday night, holds a 4-3 professional record with two first-round finishes under the PFL Challenger Series banner. Ottoni’s 5-0 record includes two first-round knockouts and one submission.
“It’s pretty clear what Cataline will attempt to do,” Ottoni said. “I’m sure she’s watched my fights and will try to take me to the ground.”
“There’s no other path for her,” she added. “But she’s never fought anyone at my level.”
“It’s about taking me down and holding me there,” Ottoni explained. “It’s about trying to stop someone who knows how to do jiu-jitsu.”
“The champion Alex ‘Poatan’ is showing the world what a striker can do,” she said proudly. “That’s what I do best.”
“My brother has always said I can beat these girls in MMA,” she continued. “I’ve always liked striking.”
“I’ve always done jiu-jitsu and wrestling, but I’m kind of crazy,” she confessed with a laugh. “You cut me open? I’ll cut you back.”
“That’s my style, you know?” she asked rhetorically. “I’m a sniper looking for blood.”
“I can’t walk backward,” she concluded with determination. “Hit me all you want; I’ll always smile at you and keep walking forward.”