Top LFA prospect Aieza Bertolso hopes that 20-fight win streak leads to UFC deal

Tyler Durden 2025.05.24 3 min read

Not many MMA fighters opt for a long amateur career before pursuing a professional career in cages around the world. But when they do, especially at a young age, they often find themselves a step ahead of competition.

That’s the case for 23-year-old strawweight Aieza Bertolso, a top prospect who enters Saturday night’s LFA 209 in Cuiabá, Brazil, riding a 19-fight winning streak. Bertolso won multiple amateur IMMAF championships before turning pro in 2023, going 5-0 since under the LFA banner. She hopes that a win over Samara Santos on May 24 could lead to bigger opportunities in the future.

“I feel ready to fight for the LFA title, or fight at the Contender Series, or even straight in the UFC, because I already have huge experience,” Bertolso told MMA Fighting. “Regardless of where I go, I’m sure I’m more than ready to represent, give my all, and fly even higher in my career.”

Bertolso was born in Alto Taquari, a small town located 300 miles away from state capital Cuiabá, and started taking jiu-jitsu classes at young age. She loved watching videos of Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Amanda Nunes and Jessica Andrade on YouTube, and dreamed of one day becoming just like them.

At 17, looking for a gym to help her transition from grappling to mixed martial arts, Bertolso moved to Rio de Janeiro and joined MSP gym. Her coaches saw talent after a trio of amateur wins in Brazil and decided to enlist her on the amateur circuit, traveling all over the world to compete and gain experience.

Bertolso won her first IMMAF world championship in 2021, and vowed to turn pro after claiming a second title. The trophy came in 2023, and three months later she was already a pro fighter competing for LFA. Named by MMA Fighting one of the top Brazilian prospects to watch in 2025 after winning a trio of fights in 2024, Bertolso enters the cage for the first time this year looking to cement her position as the future of the sport.

“I know this is going to be a great year for my career,” Bertolso said. “I don’t know if I’ll fight for the [LFA] title after this. If I do fight one more time in LFA, I do believe it’s going to be for the belt, but I don’t know yet. All I’m thinking right now is about this next fight, because I know that with a good win, with a good performance, I’ll fly higher not only in LFA. I want to put on a great performance so I can show, if not in LFA but on the Contender or UFC, that I’m ready and deserve this opportunity.”

Santos, her opponent at LFA 209, is a former ONE Championship contender with a record of 12-9-1. She once challenged Xiong Jing Nan for the ONE title in 2018, and has gone 1-1 on the Brazilian circuit since parting ways with the Asian promotion.

Bertolso scored seven of her nine submission victories in the opening round, and foresees her tapping out Soares in Cuiabá.

“She’s an experienced girl, and I’m very excited for this fight,” Bertolso said. “I have huge respect for her. I believe she will give me challenges I haven’t faced in pro MMA yet, and I’m ready for this. I believe we’ll put on a great fight. When they offered me the fight, and I saw she was that experienced, it gave me a boost to want to show that I’m ready to fight more experienced girls and really put on a show and get the victory.”

Top LFA prospect Aieza Bertolso hopes that 20-fight win streak leads to UFC deal

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