Athletes
A New Natalia Silva Every Fight
Flyweight Sensation Aims To Offer New Looks, Evolution For Each Opponet
After being sidelined for years with injuries just after getting signed to the UFC, Natalia Silva has made up for lost time in the last year, bursting out of the gate with two show-stopping flyweight victories.
A taekwondo disciple since the age of sixteen and a blue belt in jiu-jitsu, Silva returned to the game with a marked evolution in her skills, with perhaps the most dangerous being her ability to keep her opponents guessing.
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Most of her foes are on the lookout for Silva’s signature armbar, a technique she’s employed seamlessly in six of her victories. But with her finish of the previously undefeated Tereza Bleda last November in Las Vegas, Silva demonstrated that she should be equally feared on her feet after ending the fight with a thrilling spinning back kick in the third round. It was only the fifth such finish in UFC history, and perhaps the most breathtaking moment of the entire event.
“I want to be a different Natalia each fight,” she says. “I think that’s what excites people and I like to put on exciting fights for people. What I want to bring to this fight is something I haven't shown yet. Each fight is something new.”
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The chance to show something new will come when she faces Victoria Leonardo Saturday on the prelims of UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Hill. Fresh off a win over Mandy Bohm in London last year, Leonardo is eager to put together a streak and capitalize on the promise she showed during her contract-winning performance on the 2020 season of Dana White’s Contender Series. It’s the third time the two have been scheduled to meet.
“The first time I broke my arm, so I had to pull out. The second time, something happened, and she couldn’t fight. And now it’s the third time and this fight is happening, God willing!”
She’s careful not to get too ahead of herself. There were, in fact, delays and hassles getting to Las Vegas from Brazil, and she feared this bout might become her white whale. But thankfully, she did make it to the UFC APEX this week in time to do a little media and complete her weight cut. Now she can truly focus on the test ahead.
“Victoria is an athlete that has a lot of heart. She fights with a lot of will. She’s very strong and determined. I think she has good technique, so I consider her a tough fighter. I’ll be constantly alert during the fight.
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“I respect Victoria a lot. I know she’s been through tough times, just like me. She broke her arm twice. I also broke my arm twice. So you can expect a Natalia that will fight with all her heart. I always say that. I think that’s what makes me different. My will to win is greater than anything else.”
A large part of that will comes from her training under coach Carlos Borracha and teammates like UFC middleweight Paulo Costa.
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“Tough. Hardcore. My coach is very demanding during training. He’s always trying to bring us the worst possible scenario during the sessions. I believe that’s something that makes me stronger.”
Natalia Silva Lands Spinning Back Kick KO | UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs Cutelaba
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Natalia Silva Lands Spinning Back Kick KO | UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs Cutelaba
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The former Jungle Fight champion has similar designs on the UFC women’s flyweight hardware, but she’s in no hurry. She’s happy to let her work speak for itself.
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“I’m not worried about that. I’m young. I'm 26 years old. I still have to gain a lot of experience here in the UFC. I'm happy to be here. I want to work. I want to fight and be happy doing it. That’s what matters. Regarding how long I’ll take to get to the Top 15 and how long it’ll take me to get to the title shot, that’s more up to them than to me. I just need to do my job.”
UFC Fight Night: Dern vs Hill took place live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 20, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
