The UFC women’s bantamweight division is in need of new blood following the recent retirement of dominant champion Amanda Nunes — and it seems to have found it in Mayra Bueno Silva.
Silva (10-2-1) submitted former champion Holly Holm (15-7) via standing guillotine choke in the second round of their UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday. The finish came after Holm, 41, left her neck exposed while attempting to take Silva down along the fence. Silva pounced on it and forced Holm to tap without even taking her to the floor.
The 31-year-old Brazilian fighter went on to call out Julianna Peña for the vacant 135-pound title.
“I do what I say I’m going to do,” Silva said. “I want that belt. I deserve it. Nobody finishes like me. Hey, Julianna Peña, let’s go. I deserve this, you deserve this, the people deserve this. I’m the new face. I finish fights and give a show to everybody. This is my belt. This is Brazil’s belt. I’ll do this for Amanda Nunes, for my country, for everybody.”
It was the biggest win of Silva’s UFC career — and possibly the biggest single setback of Holm’s.
Holm went into the headliner at the Apex in Las Vegas as the UFC’s…
