UFC fighter, whom Tracy Cortez was supposed to debut against, was driven to homelessness and prostitution during pandemic: What we know about her life

Former UFC fighter Eduarda Neves Santana recently opened up about her struggles with drugs, homelessness, and prostitution during the COVID-19 pandemic after getting cut from the promotion for doping.

Santana signed with the UFC in 2019 and was widely considered a rising star in the Brazilian MMA scene. Santana was notably expected to fight Tracy Cortez in the latter's UFC debut in November 2019. However, some personal issues forced the Brazilian out of the bout, and she was replaced by Vanessa Melo.

The COVID-19 pandemic was especially harsh on Santana. Struggling financially after being cut from the UFC due to failing a drug test, 'Duda Cowboyzinha' got hooked on drugs and was pushed into homelessness while having to quarantine. Without an active income, she was also forced to engage in sex work to fuel her nicotine habit.

Addressing her situation in an alleged three-year-old video that recently surfaced, Santana said:

"The family also doesn't understand that this is a disease, it's not a dirty trick... This addiction is very sad... Sometimes, I go days and days without smoking, and I start to get excited, 'I'm going to fight again!' Then, any little thing makes me depressed, and I start using drugs again."

She continued:

"To get the stuff from the fight, which was expensive, I didn't have any sponsorship, it was just me with myself, you know? Today I prostitute myself to buy a pack of 20, to buy a cigarette." [H/t: Daily Mail]

In the video, as reported by Globo, the ex-UFC star appears to be helped by a local church, which pays for food, while some of her old colleagues contributed to help her buy groceries from the supermarket.

Despite her situation, 'Duda Cowboyzinha' remains optimistic and believes in divine redemption. In the same video, she added:

"God took everything from me, like Job, but one day he will give me everything back. He is testing me like he tested Jesus in the desert. Like he tested Daniel. But one day, this story will have a happy ending. Wait for my return."

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Former UFC fighter Eduarda Neves Santana warns others against indulging in casual drug use

In the same surfaced video, Eduarda Neves Santana warned fans against dabbling in narcotics or drugs.

Given that the Brazilian has a history of drug abuse and nicotine addiction, it's unsurprising that the former UFC star urged fans to chase their goals instead of falling prey to peer pressure. In her statements, she advised:

"Follow your dream, don't listen to 'Buddies,' [and] avoid drugs. 'Oh, I only smoke a skunk, I only smoke a joint,' 'Oh, a joint is natural'... Brother... It starts like this: joint, cocaine, crack... Then it becomes, like, prostituting yourself for drugs." [H/t: Daily Mail]