Homeless Fallen UFC Athlete Duda Cowboyzinha Reveals: ‘You Start with a Joint and End Up Prostituting Yourself’
Eduarda Neves Santana, known as Duda Cowboyzinha, a former UFC fighter, has been seen living on the streets in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. A video circulating on social media shows the 26-year-old eating a donated meal provided by a local evangelical church group that supports the homeless.
Duda Cowboyzinha
In the video, Duda Cowboyzinha openly discusses her struggles with drug addiction and reveals that she resorted to prostitution to fund her substance use. The authenticity of the video was confirmed by people close to the former athlete, including fellow fighter Alex “Cowboy” Oliveira, who referred to her as his “sister” in a comment on Instagram. Santana’s nickname, “Cowboyzinha,” was inspired by Oliveira during their time training together.
Duda Cowboyzinha’s troubles began after she was cut from the UFC in 2020 following a positive doping test for Ligandrol, a prohibited anabolic agent. Although her team successfully proved contamination in her supplements and reduced her suspension from two years to one, she was ultimately released from the UFC roster. The suspension and subsequent career setback reportedly led to depression, which contributed to her struggles with substance abuse. She has since undergone treatment in rehabilitation clinics but has experienced repeated relapses.
In the emotional video, the Brazilian Duda Cowboyzinha recounts how her drug use escalated from casual marijuana smoking at parties to more severe substances like cocaine and crack. She warns others about the dangers of drug use and shares how financial difficulties in pursuing her MMA career without sponsorship led her down a dark path.
“I want to warn others: don’t start with drugs, because it’s a path of no return. I started with a joint, and today I prostitute myself to buy cigarettes” she admitted, “I just smoke a little skunk, I just smoke a joint, oh, a joint is natural, Brother… It starts like this: a joint, then cocaine, then crack… And then what?”
Despite her current circumstances, Brazil’s Duda expressed hope for recovery and a brighter future. She credits faith as a source of strength, stating, “God took everything away from me like He did with Job, but one day He will give it all back. He is testing me like He tested Jesus in the desert.”
She concluded with a promise to turn her life around and achieve a happy ending. Originally from Cidade de Deus, a community in Rio de Janeiro, Duda began her MMA career with three consecutive wins in Brazil’s WOCS promotion before signing with the UFC in 2019. She made her debut against Bea Malecki in Sweden but lost via submission in the second round. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she faced financial hardships and relied on government emergency aid to make ends meet.
