Between Rounds: Virna “Carcara” Jandiroba

by Damon Smith · April 27, 2019

When you have a dream you don’t just chase it. You stalk it, you attack it, you capture it. That is exactly what Virna “Carcara” Jandiroba did. Virna was sitting pretty atop of the Invicta Fighting Championships as their Strawweight champion. Undefeated and primed to make a long run with the Title Jandiroba’s path seemed set. But she wasn’t just following her dreams or even chasing her dreams she was stalking it and the time to pounce on opportunity had just come into sight. Poised and ready “Carcara” did just that.

Virna is a Brazilian Beauty who has the submission skills of a bloodthirsty Boa constrictor. Undefeated at 14-0 Virna has won 11 of her 14 fights via submission, almost 80%. she is deadly at any point in the fight and looks to tap or nap her opponents in the cage. Jandiroba is 30 years old and has been involved in martial arts since she was 14 years old, over half of her life. A Black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu she has a wealth of knowledge and a skill set unlike many fighters. Virna has a nasty arm bar and knack for finding the rear naked choke and has shown she can hook them on anyone. When she was 8-0 she choked out 25 fight cage veteran Lisa Ellis at just 5-0 Virna won a decision win over 17 fight veteran Aline Sattelmayer showing she isn’t just a one trick pony.

Jandiroba defeated Mizuki Inoue via decision at Invicita FC 28 to become Strawweight champion. Following that up with a submission win in her title defense against Janaisa Morandin by way of arm triangle choke. “Carcara” was on top of the Invicita world when her phone rang. UFC was calling and had asked Jandiroba step up in place of Livia Renata Souza who was forced to withdraw from the fight against former UFC champion Carla Espaeza. Jandiroba knew taking the fight with UFC would mean she had to vacate her Invicita strawweight title and be rushed into a fight with a former champ on short notice. Jandiroba pounced on the opportunity as soon as it came into reach. She wasn’t following her dreams nor even chasing them she was stalking them and now she was ready to strike.

Tonight we all get the absolute privilege to see one of the best submission fighters in the game, a former Invicita champion battle a former UFC champion in the baddest cage of them all. Virna Jandiroba 14-0 will battle Carla Esparza 13-6 in the biggest fight of her life as “Carcara” looks to show the world that she belongs in the UFC and that she is here to stay. Esparza looks to show why she is a former UFC champion and remind everyone that she is a threat to the title and hungry for another shot at gold. When a fighter is willing to vacate a title in order to take a fight you know their mindset and you know they are going into this battle with deadly intentions that is exactly what Jandiroba is set to do tonight.