Istela Nunes

Istela Nunes (born 23 July 1992) is a Brazillian professional mixed martial artist who competes as a strawweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. She has also competed for ONE Championship.
==Early life and background==
==Mixed martial arts career==
===ONE Championship===
On May 27, 2017, she fought Angela Lee for the ONE FC Atomweight title. She lost the fight via anaconda choke in the second round.
However, Nunes claimed that Lee had missed weight by 2.8 pounds and therefore should have relinquished her title and been unable to fight.
===Ultimate Fighting Championship===
Nunes was scheduled to face Angela Hill on September 21, 2019 at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Stephens. However, on August 12, 2019, it was reported that Nunes was removed from the card due to a failed drug test, and she was replaced by Ariane Carnelossi. 
Nunes tested positive for multiple stanozolol metabolites during an out-of competition test on July 22, 2019 and was suspended for two years, until July 22, 2021.
Istela Nunes faced Ariane Carnelossi in her UFC debut on October 16, 2021, at UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont. She lost the fight via a rear-naked choke in round three.
Istela Nunes faced Sam Hughes at UFC on ESPN 34 on April 16, 2022. She lost the fight via majority decision.
Nunes was booked to face Yazmin Jauregui on August 13, 2022 at UFC on ESPN: Vera vs. Cruz.
However, Nunes withdrew due to injury and was replaced by Iasmin Lucindo.
Nunes was scheduled to meet Yazmin Jauregui on December 3, 2022 at UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland.
==Personal life==
During Nunes’s 2-year drug suspension, she moved back to live with her mother in Atibaia, Brazil, and worked in a petshop to help make ends meet until she could make her UFC debut.
==Mixed martial arts record==
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 6–5 (1)
|Viktoriya Dudakova
|TKO (arm injury)
|UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Bueno Silva
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 0:34
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 6–4 (1)
|Yazmin Jauregui
|TKO (punches)
|UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 4:06
|Orlando, Florida, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 6–3 (1)
|Sam Hughes
|Decision (majority)
|UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
| 
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 6–2 (1)
|Ariane Carnelossi
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Rodriguez
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 2:57
|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 6–1 (1)
|Gina Iniong
|Decision (unanimous)
|ONE Championship: Battle for the Heavens
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Guangzhou, China
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 5–1 (1)
|Angela Lee
|Submission (Anaconda choke)
|ONE Championship: Dynasty of Heroes
|
|align=center| 2
|align=center| 2:18
|Kallang, Singapore
| 
|-
|Win
|align=center| 5–0 (1)
|Mei Yamaguchi
|Decision (split)
| ONE Championship: Heroes of the World
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Macau, China
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 4–0 (1)
|Karoline Martins Moreira
|TKO (head kicks)
|FLC 2
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 3:00
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 3–0 (1)
| Thais Camila de Oliveira
|Decision (unanimous)
|New Corpore Extreme 4
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
|
|-
| NC
| align=center| 2–0 (1)
| Caroline Silva
| NC (Illegal soccer kicks)
| Imortal FC 2
| 
| align=center|1
| align=center|5:00
| Parana, Brazil
| 
|-
|Win
|align=center| 2–0
|Maria Vega
|Decision (unanimous)
|3FC– 3 Frontier Challenge
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
|
|-
|Win
|align=center| 1–0
|Cynthia Candido
|TKO (knees)
| PRVT - CASCAVEL TOP FIGHT 2
|
|align=center| 1
|align=center| 3:42
|Parana, Brazil
|
|-
Category:1992 births
Category:Brazilian people
Category:Mixed martial artists