Brazilian mixed martial artist Lívia Renata Souza, known as “Livinha,” was arrested Thursday by the General Investigations Division (DIG) in possession of a firearm, ammunition, weed, and anabolic ster*ids.
The 33-year-old was detained at her residence in Jardim Universal, Araraquara, following an anonymous tip. The case has been registered as dr*g trafficking and illegal possession of a weapon.
Her defense attorney, Glaucio Dalponte Mattioli, stated in a note that she is a weed user and regarding the weapon, explained that “due to a series of setbacks, it was not possible to regularize its possession.”
According to the São Paulo Court of Justice, her arrest was converted to preventive detention (with no set end date) during a custody hearing held on Friday.
The arrest occurred during the execution of a search warrant at the suspect’s home. Civil police officers seized a .380 pistol, 59 rounds of ammunition, anabolic ster*ids, and portions of weed. The exact quantity seized was not disclosed.
According to DIG, Souza claimed the weapon was for self-defense and the weed was for personal use. She was taken to the Women’s Prison in São Carlos.
Souza, a native of Araraquara, began her MMA career in 2012. She held the strawweight championship title in Invicta FC, one of the premier women’s MMA organizations. In 2018, she made her UFC debut. Her last UFC appearance was in October 2021, after which she departed from the organization.
Notably, she was the first UFC athlete in Brazil to be sponsored by a CBD company and has been a public advocate for weed legalization, according to her defense team.
