Mayra Bueno Silva secured the biggest win of her MMA career thus far when she defeated Holly Holm in the women’s bantamweight main event of a UFC Fight Night at the APEX Facility in Las Vegas on the morning of Sunday 16 July 2023.
‘Sheetara’ moves to 11-2-1 with a fourth successive win and joins illustrious company in becoming just the third fighter to stop ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ – the other two being MMA legends Amanda Nunes and Miesha Tate.
Holm performed strongly through the first round, but early in the second Bueno Silva caught her while being pressed against the fence, wrapping a tight ‘ninja choke’ (a rear-naked choke grip with the body orientation of a standard guillotine choke) to force a submission.
The Brazilian has therefore made a strong claim to be considered one of the frontrunners for the vacant women’s bantamweight championship. The belt was held by Nunes until her recent retirement.
“I finish my fights! I give a show to everybody!" Bueno Silva said during her post-fight interview. "This belt is my belt! This belt is Amanda's belt! This belt is a Brazilian belt!”
Bueno Silva called for a title fight against former champion Julianna Pena.
The rest of the main card featured a welterweight win for Jack Della Maddalena over Bassil Hafez; Francisco Frado knocked out Ottman Azaitar in the lightweight division; Park Jun-yong submitted Albert Duraev in the middleweight category; Norma Dumont outpointed Chelsea Chandler for a unanimous decision triumph in a women’s featherweight fight; and Nazim Sadykhov submitted Terrance McKinney in a lightweight opener.
The next UFC event is a Fight Night at the O2 Arena in London on the evening of Saturday 22 July, headlined by a heavyweight clash between Tom Aspinall and Marcin Tybura.
UFC Fight Night: Holm v Bueno Silva – Main card results
- Main event: Women’s bantamweight: Mayra Bueno Silva def. Holly Holm via submission (ninja choke), R2, 0:38
- Welterweight: Jack Della Maddalena def. Bassil Hafez via split decision (28-29 29-28 29-28), R3, 5:00
- Lightweight: Francisco Frado def. Ottman Azaitar via TKO (punches), R1, 4:05
- Middleweight: Park Jun-yong def. Albert Duraev via submission (rear-naked choke), R2, 4:45
- Women’s featherweight: Norma Dumont def. Chelsea Chandler via unanimous decision (30-27 30-27 30-27), R3, 5:00
- Lightweight: Nazim Sadykhov def. Terrance McKinney via submission (rear-naked choke), R2, 1:07