Talita Bernardo makes her fourth appearance as a bantamweight on Saturday when she takes on Viviane Araujo.
Bernardo (6-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Araujo (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) open the UFC Fight Pass-streamed preliminary card for UFC 237, which takes place at Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. Additional prelims air on ESPN following pay-per-view main card fights.
Ahead of UFC 237, get to know more about Brazil’s Bernardo below and inside:
Full name: Talita de Oliveira Neves Bernardo
Nickname: I don’t have a nickname.
DOB: March 4, 1987.
City of birth: Macae (Macaé), state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I currently live in Barra de Sao Joao, also in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Height-weight: 5-foot-4, 135 pounds
Academy: Imperio Fight Team
How did you get into professional MMA?
I started fighting already as an adult. I started training jiu-jitsu at age 22. I was encouraged by my husband, who was my fiance at the time. My family never enjoyed fights, but they were never against it. I’m talking about my parents. My mother, especially, is against MMA to this day. She doesn’t watch it, but she also doesn’t get it in the way of what I want to do.
My MMA career has been very fast. I started training in 2014 to help a teammate, since I was a brown belt in jiu-jitsu by that time. I was helping her with her ground game. And by 2015, I had my professional debut. In January of 2015, I had my first professional bout. By 2017, I was already in the UFC. For people who watch our sport, it was meteoric. A lot of people dream about it for years. Thankfully, I was given this opportunity after a lot of hard work. My chance came up, and I was able to seize it.
Can you recap your career?
We learn much more from losses. In my losses, I evolved much more than after my wins. Most of my wins are by submission, since jiu-jitsu is what I enjoy best. I have one win by head-and-arm choke, two by armbar, one by rear-naked choke, and one by decision. My toughest fight of all was the one against Irene Aldana. I wasn’t able to impose my game. I took some hard strikes, and I felt a little lost during the bout. It was both the hardest fight and the best learning experience.
Why do you think the UFC booked you again after two initial losses?
I think it was because of my courage – facing someone in the top 15 with one week’s notice. I didn’t run from that. My first fight in the UFC, I don’t see it as a loss. It was my chance to get into the organization. I did all my preparation, including my weight cut, in one week. And I was still able to fight three rounds. It’s something that’s nearly impossible to do. It was a great fight, and I came very close to winning. My fatigue didn’t allow me to win, but I felt very satisfied after. I think the UFC liked what they saw. They saw my potential. I debuted against someone ranked and had a high-level fight. She’s also a black belt. I was able to fight my fight. I think that’s why they booked me again.
Something I always like to bring up is the lack of sponsorship for fighters. It makes things very difficult. I’m not yet able to live only from fighting. I don’t have sponsors. Unlike what some people might think, we only get paid when we work – only when there’s a fight. If there are no bookings for several months, there are no sponsorships to pay the bills. I still have to work as an instructor at my academy. It makes it hard to have a fight camp, since I have to split my time between working, training, getting proper nutrition, and looking for sponsors. I think this might be one of the biggest roadblocks for most athletes who are starting out. Everyone enjoys watching us put on a show on TV, but it would much better if we had more financial support.
Thoughts on the top Brazilian female fighters in the UFC, like Jessica Andrade?
Brazilian female fighters who are already in the UFC are a big inspiration. I haven’t met Cris Cyborg or Amanda Nunes yet. I’m a fan of both of them – of their skills and accomplishments. We’re hoping Brazil captures yet another belt. I’ve had the pleasure to train with Jessica Andrade. I know her potential. The improvements that she’s made, leading up to this title shot, are certainly an inspiration to all of us who are trying to make it that far.
How’s your training going?
I didn’t change much, but I added more focus on my physical preparation and on increasing my speed. My coach, Josimar Jr., is responsible for putting together my strategy. The other change is that we found several female strikers to help me get ready, from the Warriors Headquarters academy. We’re working on improving my muay Thai, since my strong suit is jiu-jitsu. I’m a jiu-jitsu black belt. I’m looking to become more complete.
Plans for the future?
My plans are the same as everyone else – to win again so I can keep my job in the promotion and earn their confidence. One day, I’d like to fight for a belt. That’s what anyone in the fight world dreams about.
For more on UFC 237, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.
