Mayra Bueno Silva Sees No Logic in Holly Holm Match, Yet Promises KO at UFC Vegas 77

Mayra Bueno Silva finds herself puzzled by the UFC’s decision to arrange a match against Holly Holm, the No. 3 ranked fighter, in the currently unsettled bantamweight division.

In a recent episode of the MMA Hook’s Trocação Franca podcast, Silva, aka “Sheetara”, expressed her bemusement at the match setup, but also an appreciation for the unexpected opportunity.

“It really doesn’t make sense that I, being ranked 10, am fighting against Holly, who’s ranked third. But, there must be some rationale to this,” Silva pondered.

Having triumphed over Wu Yanan, Stephanie Egger, and Lina Lansberg since her ascension from the flyweight division, Silva was initially slated to fight Miesha Tate on a June 3 show. However, due to Tate’s injury, UFC shifted gears, scheduling Silva for a main event bout against Holm on July 15 instead.

The retirement and title relinquishment of Amanda Nunes in both the 135- and 145-pound categories opens up opportunities for any high-ranking fighter.

Silva declared, “God has blessed me with this chance, and I intend to fully capitalize on it. The UFC doesn’t strictly adhere to rankings. If you perform well and they like what they see, you get opportunities. They want to put up a great show.”

Silva has earned two $50,000 bonuses in her last three UFC victories, which she believes has landed her in this spotlight.

She stated, “I must be among the four bonus winners. I aim to make the fans remember me even after the event.”

According to Silva, this approach may aid in altering the perceptions of those fans who tend to view women headlining UFC cards skeptically.

She added, “Some people, probably due to sexism, doubt our ability to put on a great show. But fighters like Mackenzie [Dern], Amanda [Nunes] and I are proving them wrong. The sport is still dominated by men, and it’s not seen as a women’s sport yet, but we are gradually changing that.”

Silva feels compelled to demonstrate the capability of women fighters to headline cards with thrilling matches. She promises a high-intensity bout with Holm, thereby addressing any biases against female main events.

Despite acknowledging that the shift from Tate to Holm adds complexity to the matchup due to Holm’s superior stand-up game, Silva remains confident in her victory, predicting a knockout before the end of five rounds.

Silva declared, “I thought the fight with Miesha would last three rounds, but with Holly, it won’t make it to the fifth round. I’ll knock her out before that, proving that Brazil’s new generation of fighters are a force to be reckoned with.”

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• Mayra Bueno Silva’s Fighter Profile
• Holly Holm’s Fighter Profile
• UFC Vegas 77 Fight Card
• Previous UFC Women Main Events