The UFC women’s bantamweight division is wide open following
Amanda
Nunes’ retirement in June.
Advertisement
Mayra
Bueno Silva emerged as one of the top contenders for the vacant
135-pound on Saturday night when she scored a second-round
submission victory of ex-champ Holly Holm in
the
UFC on ESPN 49 main event. It was a little bit of a surreal
experience for the 31-year-old Brazilian.
“I’m very happy. I don’t know what’s happening today,” Bueno Silva
said at the post-fight press conference. “It’s Holly Holm.
I’m very emotional. I’m grateful for my [life], for my team.
“God told me, ‘Hey, you win this fight.’ I believe too much in God.
This week, I’m afraid of Holly, every f—-ing day. I cry too much. I
don’t believe me in this fight. When I win…what? I win! This was
in my mind.”
After a rough stretch in which “Sheetara” won just one of four
Octagon appearances from 2020 to 2021, the American Top Team export
has put together a four-bout winning streak within the Las
Vegas-based organization. That, Bueno Silva believes, puts her
ahead of the likes of Raquel
Pennington in the bantamweight contender’s queue, and it’s why
she called out Julianna Peña in her post-fight interview.
“Raquel, no, because the UFC gave her a chance to fight with me,
and she didn’t want it,” Bueno Silva said. “So if she doesn’t want
it, it’s Julianna Peña and me because I am a fan of Julianna.
Raquel too, but she didn’t want to fight with me, so now I don’t
want to fight with her. Julianna deserves it. I deserve it. UFC,
let’s go.”
Pena, who had a brief reign as bantamweight queen after upsetting
Nunes in December 2021, was quick to react to Bueno Silva’s callout
on social media.
“Did I hear someone say the name of the people’s champ? Perfect,”
Pena wrote. “Get in line. I’ll do you and Raquel on the same night.
Who else wants a beating?”
Did I hear someone say the name of the
#peopleschamp? Perfect. Get in line. I’ll do you and Raquel in
the same night. Who else wants a beating ?— Julianna Peña (@VenezuelanVixen)
July 16, 2023
When those comments were relayed to Bueno Silva, she simply laughed
it off.
“She’s funny,” Bueno Silva said. “I love you, Julianna, but I will
smash you. I will smash you. You and Raquel at the same time. Look
at my fight and look at her fight. Oh, Julianna, shut up.”