Jungle Fight Promoter to Stage Brazil’s First All-Female MMA Card

Former fighter Wallid Ismail has already brought new levels of exposure to Brazilian MMA with his Jungle Fight promotion, which has exported numerous UFC prospects and airs regularly in the U.S. on ESPN Deportes. Now, he’s aiming to increase the profile of Brazilian women’s MMA.

Ismail recently announced the formation of Pink Fight, the first all-female fight promotion in South America’s largest country. Pink Fight’s maiden voyage is set for Jan. 29 in the seaside city of Porto Seguro, Bahia.

“I’m very happy to be on the frontline of the first time ever an exclusively female event hits Brazil,” Ismail stated in a release. “I’m sure that Pink Fight will reveal new talents and encourage other women to become professional fighters.”

In fact, the new promotion’s official website is currently accepting applications for female fighters.

Pink Fight’s inaugural six-fight bill will be topped by a 125-pound affair between Renovacao Fight Team product Maria Elisabete Tavares and muay Thai specialist Kalindra Carvalho Faria. One of the best-known names on the Brazilian female circuit, Vanessa Porto, was expected to participate, but according to a report from Tatame.com, more than 10 potential opponents turned down the bout.

The new promotion has also found a friend in Brazilian Senator Magno Malta, a longtime proponent of MMA.

“Such a big nation with the potential to create champions deserved a female promotion,” stated Malta. “We have a lot of examples to follow, [like] world No. 1 Cris ‘Cyborg’ [Santos] and our president, who is also a woman. Brazil has a lot of female representatives who make us proud and now it’s time to create MMA idols, too.”