Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliana Lima.
Hi Juliana, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
People often see the UFC fighter, the black belt, or the coach standing in front of a class. What they do not see is the little girl who fell in love with martial arts long before she ever imagined that one day she would compete on the biggest stage in the world.
I grew up in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, in a family where martial arts were always part of everyday life. My older brothers loved movies like Rocky and The Karate Kid, and we watched them together over and over again. But what fascinated me even more were the old VHS tapes they brought home. They were recordings of the earliest UFC events, Pride, and the legendary Vale Tudo fights in Brazil.
I was completely captivated.
I remember watching Royce Gracie step into tournaments where the goal was to discover which martial art was truly the most effective. He defeated opponents much bigger than himself and introduced Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to the world. Even as a little girl, I knew I was watching something special. I did not fully understand it yet, but something inside me told me that one day I wanted to be part of that world.
Years later, I walked into a Muay Thai gym for the first time, and my life changed forever.
From that first class, I knew I had found my purpose.
Training was never easy. There were injuries, disappointments, fear, and countless moments when quitting would have been easier. But martial arts gave me something much greater than the ability to fight. They taught me discipline, humility, resilience, and the understanding that growth always begins outside our comfort zone.
I started competing professionally in Muay Thai before transitioning into mixed martial arts. At that time, opportunities for women in Brazil were very limited. Amateur MMA was almost nonexistent, so I went straight into professional competition. Looking back, it was a bold decision, but it was also one of the best decisions I ever made.
That journey eventually led me to Invicta Fighting Championships and then to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the very organization I had watched on those old videotapes as a child. Standing inside the Octagon was surreal. I was no longer the little girl watching fighters on television. I had become one of them.
Competing in the UFC was an incredible honor, but my career was never defined only by victories or defeats. Professional fighting demands everything from you. It asks for your body, your mind, your emotions, your relationships, and your time. Every challenge shaped me into a stronger athlete and, more importantly, a stronger person.
Throughout my journey, I never stopped being a student.
One of the greatest honors of my career was earning my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt under the legendary Master Draculino. That black belt represents much more than technical ability. It represents years of discipline, sacrifice, humility, and continuous learning.
I am also proud to be a Kru Level 2 certified Muay Thai instructor under Kru Bob Perez. That certification reflects my commitment to preserving the traditions of Muay Thai while continuing to grow as both a martial artist and a coach.
After retiring from professional competition, I realized my true purpose was never simply to compete.
My purpose is to teach.
Today I am a coach at Gracie Barra Texas in Webster, where I teach Muay Thai, boxing, MMA, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes for women. I also teach children, adults, seniors, and many private students. Every person who walks into the gym has a different story, a different goal, and a different reason for being there. Helping them discover confidence they never knew they had has become one of the greatest rewards of my life.
Teaching has also given me a mission that goes far beyond competition.
One cause that is especially close to my heart is empowering women through martial arts. Every woman deserves to feel confident, capable, and prepared to protect herself if she ever finds herself in a dangerous situation. Self defense is not about encouraging violence. It is about giving women confidence, awareness, and the ability to protect themselves if they ever need to.
I have watched women walk into the gym feeling insecure and intimidated, only to become confident, strong, and fearless over time. Those transformations are just as meaningful to me as any victory I ever celebrated inside the cage.
Working with children has been equally rewarding.
Bullying continues to affect far too many young people, and I truly believe martial arts can change lives. I teach my students that fighting should never be their first choice. Respect, discipline, kindness, and self control always come first. But knowing how to defend yourself changes the way you carry yourself. Confidence often prevents conflict before it even starts.
Seeing a shy child become confident is one of the greatest victories I experience as a coach.
I am currently working on another project that I am incredibly passionate about, my first online striking program.
I wanted to create something for people who cannot attend a gym because of work, travel, finances, or family responsibilities. If someone has a heavy bag at home and the desire to learn, I want them to have access to quality instruction.
What makes this program different is that it focuses on teaching proper technique before anything else. Many online programs jump directly into fast workouts, leaving students to copy movements without understanding the details. I wanted to change that.
Every punch, kick, elbow, and knee is explained step by step before we move into conditioning. Once the technique is solid, the cardio becomes more effective, safer, and much more rewarding.
I have dedicated countless hours to building this program because I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn correctly, no matter where they live.
When I look back at my life, I realize martial arts have given me so much more than a career.
They have taken me around the world. They have introduced me to extraordinary people. They have taught me that success is not built through talent alone. Success comes from consistency, discipline, passion, and the willingness to keep showing up, especially on the days when you feel like giving up.
If there is one lesson my journey has taught me, it is this:
Dreams do not belong only to the most talented.
They belong to the people who refuse to quit.
The little girl who once sat on the floor watching old UFC tapes with her brothers never imagined that one day she would fight in the UFC, earn a black belt under one of the greatest masters in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, become a certified Muay Thai instructor, and have the privilege of teaching hundreds of students.
Today, that little girl is still inside me.
She reminds me every day why I continue to train, teach, learn, and grow. My greatest accomplishment is no longer the fights I won. It is the lives I have the opportunity to impact every single day.
If my story inspires one woman to feel stronger, one child to believe in themselves, or one person to chase a dream they thought was impossible, then every challenge, every sacrifice, and every step of this journey has been worth it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Looking back, I would never describe my journey as either smooth or difficult. It was both.
I was incredibly blessed throughout my career. Amazing sponsors believed in me before many people even knew my name. I had opportunities to train with world class coaches and athletes, travel to different countries, and learn from some of the very best in the sport. I met people who changed my life forever, and many of them became mentors, teammates, and lifelong friends. I truly believe God placed the right people in my path at exactly the right moments.
But every blessing came with sacrifice.
Behind every fight camp were months of strict discipline, exhausting training sessions, painful weight cuts, injuries, and constant pressure. Making weight was often one of the hardest parts of the job. The physical challenge was demanding, but the mental challenge was just as difficult.
I was still very young, yet my entire life revolved around becoming a better fighter. While many people my age were enjoying weekends, vacations, and parties, I was focused on training, recovering, and preparing for the next competition. My social life became very limited, and I spent long periods away from my family as I traveled back and forth between Brazil and the United States to train with the best coaches I could find.
There were moments of celebration and moments of heartbreak. Victories that filled me with confidence and defeats that humbled me. Countless hours of sweat, blood, tears, and sacrifice.
But through every high and every low, one thing never changed.
My passion.
That passion carried me through every challenge, every setback, and every obstacle. Looking back today, I do not regret any of it. Every difficult moment became part of the person I am today, and every person who believed in me became part of my story. For that, I will always be grateful.
As you know, we’re big fans of Ju thai Punch & flow . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Right now, I wear two hats, and I truly love both.
My full time career is at Gracie Barra Texas in Webster, where I have the privilege of working alongside Master Draculino. I serve as the Head Coach of Muay Thai and MMA, and every day I have the opportunity to teach students of all ages and experience levels.
Some of my students simply want to become healthier, more confident, or learn how to defend themselves. Others dream of becoming amateur or professional fighters. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping people discover what they are truly capable of, whether that means stepping into the cage one day or simply becoming stronger, healthier, and more confident in everyday life.
As a coach, my mission has never been just to develop great athletes. It is to help build great people. Martial arts teach discipline, respect, resilience, humility, and confidence, qualities that extend far beyond the mats. Watching my students succeed inside the gym is rewarding, but watching them grow outside the gym is what means the most to me.
Alongside my coaching career, I am also launching my new online business, Ju Thai Punch and Flow.
Ju Thai Punch and Flow is an online striking platform created for people who want to learn authentic Muay Thai and MMA striking from anywhere in the world. Whether someone trains at home, travels frequently for work, has a heavy bag in the garage, or simply cannot make it to a gym regularly, I wanted to create a program that makes high quality coaching accessible to everyone.
What makes this program different is its focus on proper technique. Instead of jumping straight into intense cardio workouts, I teach every punch, kick, elbow, knee, and movement step by step. Once students build the correct foundation, they can safely develop speed, power, conditioning, and confidence.
The website will be launching soon, and I am incredibly excited to share it with everyone. My goal is to help people train the right way, anytime and anywhere, whether they are at home, at work, or traveling. I want to make quality martial arts education available to anyone who has the passion to learn.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happiest is knowing that I can change someone’s life.
Of course, I loved competing, winning fights, and achieving goals I once thought were impossible. Those moments will always be special to me. But nothing compares to seeing the transformation that happens in my students.
I have watched people walk into the gym feeling depressed, overweight, and lacking confidence, only to completely change their lives through martial arts. Months later, they are healthier, happier, smiling again, and proud of themselves. Watching someone regain confidence is one of the most rewarding experiences I could ever ask for.
I love seeing people who once believed they were “too old” to start training realize that age is not a limitation. Some of my students are older adults who simply wanted to stay active, and today they move better, feel stronger, have more energy, and tell me they feel alive again.
Working with children is equally meaningful. Seeing a shy child become confident, make new friends, stand up to bullying without becoming aggressive, and believe in themselves is something that touches my heart every single time. Martial arts teach far more than punches and kicks. They teach respect, discipline, courage, kindness, and resilience.
Helping women is another part of my mission that brings me tremendous joy. Watching a woman go from feeling afraid or insecure to standing tall with confidence and knowing she can protect herself is incredibly powerful. Self defense is not about teaching people to fight. It is about giving them confidence, awareness, and the ability to stay safe.
I also love helping athletes pursue their dreams. Guiding someone through their first competition, watching them overcome fear, grow through the process, and accomplish something they once thought was impossible reminds me why I became a coach.
At the end of the day, my greatest victories are no longer measured by medals, titles, or fights.
They are measured by the lives I have the privilege to impact.
Knowing that I can inspire someone to become healthier, stronger, more confident, or simply happier gives my work purpose every single day. That is what truly makes me happy, and it is why I still wake up every morning excited to step onto the mats.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://juthaipunchandflow.com/
- Instagram: @juthaimma
- Facebook: Juthaimma
- Twitter: Juthaimma
- Youtube: Juthaimma
