Virna Jandiroba recently spoke at length about her unique headgear and the meaning behind her nickname, “Karkala.”
Jandiroba will face fellow Brazilian Amanda Lemos in the main event of UFC on ESPN 60 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, her first main event at UFC. The strawweight challenger is scheduled to make her entrance wearing the trademark traditional leather hat typically worn by Brazilian cowboys.
Born and raised in the countryside of Bahia state in northeastern Brazil, Jandiroba is proud of his ancestry and explains that his trademark hat is common among cowboys in the “backwoods” of Bahia. The 36-year-old says the hat symbolizes his hometown.
“I’m from Brazil. I was born and raised in the countryside in the state of Bahia,” Jandiroba told ESPN. “My parents are from there too. My mother comes from farmers, she comes from the fields. I think here in the Northeast, we have very strong ancestry. My family is especially full of women. Strong women. The hat that I wear during games is a symbol. It represents the countryside of the Northeast. The cowboys here in the outback often wear it. I think it represents the countryside here in the ‘outback.'”
I like Virna Jandiroba’s hats. pic.twitter.com/vMgj5VNMcb
— Josie Aldo (@JosieAldoMMA)
March 31, 2024
Jandiroba’s nickname, “Karkara”, also comes from the bird of the same name found in the “outback”. Jandiroba resonates with the Karkara, known for its flexible eating habits and intelligence, making it one of the most resilient bird species in the world.
“My nickname at UFC is ‘Karkara’. The Karkara is a bird that lives in the ‘outback’ here. It’s a very tenacious bird. It’s a bird that survives and perseveres in adversity,” she said.
Jandiroba is on a three-fight win streak and a win over Lemos could put her closer to a strawweight title shot, while “Amanjinha” returned to action after an unanimous decision win over Mackenzie Dern in an unsuccessful title bid against Weili Zhang.
