Joanne knew fighting would be her destiny, despite not knowing
the sacrifices that laid ahead. While preparing for her clash
against former
Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Shannon
Clark, “Arya Stark” fondly looks back at the events that
brought her to this point.
“I left the interior of the Brazilian state of Ceara. I’m from the
back country,” she shared with Sherdog in her native
Portuguese.
“When I arrived at the state capital, Fortaleza, I found a place to
train. I started training in capoeira, kickboxing and jiu-jitsu. By
the time I was 19, I had my pro debut. It’s when I decided this is
how I’d be spending the rest of my life. As soon as I stepped off
the cage, I told my coach that this is the life I wanted for
me.”
Ilara
Joanne’s road from rural Brazil to PFL San Diego
Things haven’t been easy, but she feels it’s all been worth it.
“From my Bellator
debut in 2019 until now, I had to overcome multiple obstacles. I
worked as a security guard. I worked at a pizzeria. I cleaned
bathrooms. Twice, I got free lodging where I was training. Those
things fed my dream. I never doubted I’d one day be rewarded for my
hard work and dedication. This journey has brought me to places I’d
never imagined. I fought in Japan. I never thought I’d find myself
in Japan one day!”
Top notch
featherweights headline PFL San Diego: Tune in Saturday, June 27 at
7 p.m. ET on ESPN 2.
Joanne faces Clark at
PFL San Diego on June 27. Despite putting on gritty
performances in both Bellator and the
Professional Fighters League, it’s been hard to go on a winning
streak. She hopes a new training approach may turn things
around.
“I got ready at my home team in Brazil –
Pitbull Brothers. I’m dedicating myself to training like never
before. I want more wins and more fights in the organization. I’m
betting on my grappling. I’m putting in the effort to reawaken my
love for jiu-jitsu. I love jiu-jitsu but I feel it’s gone somewhat
by the wayside in my MMA bouts. I worked on my grappling so I can
do what I enjoy. I worked primarily with coach Valdines
Silva. The whole team pitched in, including head coaches
Patricio
Freire and Patricky
Freire. We all collaborated on my strategy, so we’ll have the
best possible outcome on fight night.”
Joanne respects her opponent but sees areas that can be
exploited.
“I’ve been studying Shannon. No one should be underestimated. She’s
coming off defending her LFA championship belt. Her strongest
attributes are her willpower and physical strength. I believe that
my key advantages are my experience and technical level. I’m
looking forward to things playing out as well as possible.”
Ultimately, it is Joanne’s wish to impart some hard-earned wisdom
with those who may embark on the same adventure.
“The lesson for anyone who’s getting started today is this: you
only lose if you give up. The important thing is to overcome all
obstacles and to never give up. Eventually, hard work is rewarded.
That’s what happened to me and I’m very thankful to God for it. I’m
also thankful to my team, to my managers, and to the promotion.”