Denise Gomes, Learning from Adversity

In hindsight, Denise Gomes’ story thus far has been one of learning from adversity and coming back stronger. From her first professional bout—where, as a raw 17-year-old, she was stopped by Gisele Moreira, a naturally larger 10-fight veteran who was twice her age—to her Ultimate Fighting Championship debut last year, where she struggled in a decision loss to Konklak “Loma Lookboonmee” Suphisara, Gomes has a history of turning frustration into success.

As she prepares to face former Invicta Fighting Championships strawweight queen Angela Hill (15-13) in an undercard attraction at UFC Fight Night 231 on Saturday in Sao Paulo, the now 23-year-old Gomes (8-2) recognizes the pattern in her own career and looks back on it with gratitude rather than regret. She sees setbacks as well as triumphs as part of the process.

“My personal story is one of overcoming the odds as well as learning,” Gomes told Sherdog. “Things don’t always play out as we wish. Now, looking back, I see that it was necessary. My MMA debut loss was my motivating factor in training hard to get better. Early on, I only trained jiu-jitsu and muay thai. But not MMA proper. And all my bouts prior to coming to the UFC molded me into who I am today. Even after losing my UFC debut, I felt that I could still do great things, such as what happened last time around. My setbacks didn’t diminish me. Just the opposite. It’s all fuel to propel me to where I’m going. My last two fights were TKO wins. And the more recent one over Yazmin Jauregui earned me a performance bonus, besides being the fastest in our weight class. This doesn’t elevate my ego, nor does it decrease it. It makes me better see who I am, and what potential I have. I can go a lot further. In my last performance, I could see that I belong in this game. Yazmin was my toughest opponent. I knew that beating her would be a great personal victory. Now other girls will be afraid of me. My performances are better each time. I’ve been changing. Of course, I trust in my style, but I always bring new surprises. It’s what I did in my last fight. The bonus I earned goes a lot further for someone living in Brazil. When I lived in the U.S., my fight money was just enough to make ends meet. This bonus brought a big change to my life, and that of my family. I hope to get another one next time. My performances keep getting better as I become even leaner.”

In her upcoming opponent, Hill, it is possible to see traits of both of the women who have handed Gomes defeats. The 38-year-old San Diego resident is one of the most battle-tested women in the division’s history, harking back to the gap in experience between Gomes and Moreira, while she employs a motion-heavy, muay thai-influenced style reminiscent of “Loma Lookboonmee,” over whom Hill owns a victory in 2020. Gomes recognizes what “Overkill” represents in terms of name value as well as stylistic challenge, but remains focused primarily on herself ahead of “UFC Sao Paulo.”

“Invicta FC is an awesome organization,” she said. “I went through there briefly. I would have liked to have been their champion. But I ended up fighting elsewhere [Dana White's Contender Series]. There’s a certain satisfaction in fighting someone who was a champion at Invicta. Sincerely, I have a high amount of trust in the work we do here. We focus on what I do best. To be honest, I don’t watch her videos. I don’t know how she fights. I know what she’s fought Jessica Andrade in the past. I go by what my coaches tell me. She brings good skills, but I bring something better. I’m very confident. This is a great opportunity to show how good my game is. As the fight plays out, we’ll see what happens. She’s very good on the feet. And so am I. So, sparks will definitely fly. And there’s also a chance that if we hit the ground, I’ll get to show how good my jiu-jitsu is.”

Gomes’ preparation for her upcoming bout took place in her usual home base, Parana Vale Tudo in Niteroi, near Rio de Janeiro, where she enjoys the wealth of training partners to be found in one of Brazil’s preeminent launching grounds for female talent. “I got ready at the PRVT in Niteroi with master Elder Lara. I have the same training partners as always – Karol Rosa and all the PRVT girls. Jessica Andrade is in the United States now, but our team is still strong over here. As I’ve said, my focus stays the same. We always look to perfect what we do well. Of course, we have to be mindful. Ultimately, we have to believe in ourselves. I’m confident we’re heading to another victory.”

Her message for UFC fans embodies the lessons she has learned in the cage: that the best is yet to come. “My plan is to get better with each fight,” she said. “I want to feel ever more comfortable. I want to be more daring and deliver good fights. I’m not the kind of person who prefers to work under pressure. As I’ve matured, I’ve been able to fight with more intelligence and aggression. I want the fans to know that I’ll keep getting better, and that I’ll be sure to make it worth their time.”