Athletes
Mayra Bueno Silva | Confident In The Face Of Adversity
Former Title Challenger Plans To Snap Her Winless Streak And Prove She Still Belongs Among The Bantamweight Elite
Confidence can be a powerful weapon in any fighter’s arsenal, and for Mayra Bueno Silva, that self-belief is front and center as she gets set for a significant bout in her career at UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs Brown.
Bueno Silva has endured a torrid time over the last two years. After what should have been a statement submission victory over former champion Holly Holm in July 2023, Bueno Silva was flagged for an anti-doping violation, a result caused by her prescription ADHD medicine that didn’t at the time have a therapeutic use exemption. As a result, Bueno Silva accepted a four-and-a-half-month suspension, and the biggest win of her career was overturned to a no-contest.
Help Randy Brown Get Relief To Communities Impacted By Hurricane Melissa
After serving her suspension, Bueno Silva returned to challenge for the vacant women’s bantamweight title but lost via unanimous decision to Raquel Pennington at UFC 297. Then, six months later, she was stopped on cuts by Macy Chiasson at UFC 303. Sitting on a three-fight winless streak, Bueno Silva opted to drop to 125 pounds but ended up on the wrong end of another unanimous decision against Jasmine Jasudavicius.
Now, eight months on and sitting on a four-fight winless run, Bueno Silva sits 10th in the official UFC women’s bantamweight rankings and faces the job of resurrecting her old form and reigniting her career as a legitimate contender at 135 pounds.
Mayra Bueno Silva Gets The Kneebar Sub On Lansberg | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Mayra Bueno Silva Gets The Kneebar Sub On Lansberg | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield
/
Standing in her way is 9-1 Portuguese contender Jacqueline Cavalcanti, who sits one place below Bueno Silva in the rankings at No. 11. It’s a test that Bueno Silva knows she simply must pass as she looks to prove to the world what she’s believed for the last few years.
“For me, this is the most important fight in my career, because I want to show I'm the best bantamweight in the world,” she stated.
Saturday's Full Fight Card Preview
“I’ve never shown [the real] ‘Sheetara’. I always show you one fighter, a good fighter, but I’ve never shown ‘Sheetara’. I think if I show you ‘Sheetara’, I’ll show you the best fighter in the world.
“I have a lot of fights, good fights – Fight of the Night, Performance of the Night – but I feel I haven’t shown ‘Sheetara’ yet. Now I’m ready to show who ‘Sheetara’ is – not just for me, but for my family, for my coaches, for everybody who watches me and believes in me.”
Given her recent run of form, a major uptick in results is needed if she wants to back up that assessment, and she says that one factor can be the key that changes everything for the better, starting Saturday night.
“I don't think I need to make things different,” she explained.
“I am a good fighter, but sometimes I don't fight like I train. I need to show this now. I need to prove I am the best [and] I will prove this.”
Bueno Silva’s confidence in her ability shone through in her fight week interview with UFC.com, but that’s not to say there’s an absence of humility. The Brazilian contender cited her fights with former champions Holly Holm and Raquel Pennington as key matchups that have helped her become a better fighter.
“I think my fight with Raquel Pennington was a hard fight for me. I changed a lot of things in my mind, and when I lost to Raquel, a lot of things changed,” she admitted.
"But the fight that changed everything in my career was my fight with Holly Holm. I was very scared of Holly, very scared. When I saw Holly on the other side of the Octagon. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh! It’s really Holm!’ My coach told me, ‘Hey, Sheetara! Forget about Holm! You’re a good fighter, too!’
“When I started training, I watched Holly in my city, and I think she was the hardest fight in my career. Raquel Pennington was hard, too, but Holly Holm changed everything in my life.”
Full Guide To VeChain UFC 322 Fight Week
The experiences of facing the likes of Holm and Pennington proved to Bueno Silva that she belongs at the sharp end of the 135-pound division. But for that to happen, she needs to get back in the win column and start stacking victories to progress from the Top 10 to the Top 5, then break into title contention.
Her next test comes against Cavalcanti, who enters this weekend on a seven-fight win streak, with five-straight victories in the Octagon. That form certainly looks impressive, but Bueno Silva plans to highlight what she sees as a key difference between herself and her opponent.
“She's a good fighter. She’s coming off some good victories, but I don’t think she’s at my level yet. This girl doesn’t put on a show like me,” she stated.
“I don’t come into this fight at a good time, I know. I’ve made mistakes and I’ve paid for this. But now I’m back.
MORE FIGHT NIGHT: Bonfim Levels Up | Schnell Excited
“This girl likes decisions too much. I put on a show, and now we’ll show I’m back. I will finish Jacqueline. I’m back!
“I think my hands are very powerful. I can finish her with my hands, but my jiu-jitsu is good. I’ve proved this. I don’t know [how], but I promise I will finish this fight before the time finishes.”
UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs Brown took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 8, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!