Ivana Širić Petrović, born in 1994 in Germany, began her martial arts journey in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where she moved as a child. However, her professional MMA career gained momentum after moving to Norway at the age of 19, where she continued to build her career. Ivana is proud of her Croatian roots, emphasizing them as an indispensable part of her identity.
Ivana holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and she honed her skills by traveling across Europe, gaining invaluable experience and technical knowledge. Before stepping into the octagon of the world's largest MMA organization, Ivana built an impressive professional record of 6-0-0.
Her talent and dedication shone through in the French organization Ares FC, where she dominantly won the flyweight belt. Not only did she win it, but she also successfully defended it, confirming her status as one of Europe's best female fighters in her category. Undefeated and with a series of impressive victories, Ivana inevitably attracted the attention of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
In 2023, Ivana Širić Petrović made history by signing a contract with the UFC, becoming the first female fighter with Croatian roots to join the ranks of the most prestigious MMA promotion in the world.
She had her debut fight in the UFC on July 1, 2023, against the experienced Brazilian fighter Luana Carolina. Although she lost the fight by unanimous decision, Ivana showed exceptional talent, heart, and readiness to compete with the elite.
She achieved her first victory in the UFC on April 27, 2024, when she impressively defeated the Chinese fighter Liang Na by submission (arm triangle choke) in the third round. With this victory, Ivana not only confirmed her place in the UFC but also solidified her status as one of the exciting rising stars.
Despite currently representing Norway, Ivana Širić Petrović proudly highlights her Balkan roots and does not hide Mostar and Croatia as integral parts of her identity. Her story is an inspiration to many, showing that with dedicated work and self-belief, the biggest dreams can be achieved.
Ivana Širić Petrović's current professional record is 7-3-0. Experts in the world of MMA predict a bright future for her and believe that, if she continues at this pace, she could enter the top 15 of the UFC rankings. We eagerly anticipate more spectacular performances and victories from Ivana in the octagon!