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.”