Mayra Bueno Silva is seeking a shot at the vacant UFC bantamweight championship after defeating former champion Holly Holm and critiqued fellow contenders Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington‘s performances during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour.
Mayra Bueno Silva has expressed her desire to vie for the vacant UFC bantamweight championship following her significant win in Las Vegas the past Saturday. This marked Silva’s career’s biggest win till date. Having achieved victory over ex-champion Holly Holm during UFC Vegas 77‘s main event, Silva increased her bantamweight record to 4-0. This feat positioned her as one of the top contenders for the championship title. Further, she strongly critiqued 135-pound contenders Julianna Peña and Raquel Pennington during her appearance on The MMA Hour on Monday.
According to Silva, Julianna Peña talks inconsistently and unnecessarily about her achievements. She acknowledged Pena as a good fighter but confidently outmatched herself against the former. She passionately advocated about her own fighting style, claiming that it is distinct and more thrilling as compared to Pena’s. Silva threw a challenge at Pena indicating that she won’t have a chance at winning against Silva’s knock-out and submission tactics. Silva also dismissed a potential contention between Pena and Pennington for the title, attributing it to lack of public interest.
Silva emphasized her point by highlighting Pennington’s previous fights, stating that while they had good bouts in the past, she had lost her charm in the recent times. Pena had also lost her comeback match against Amanda Nunes, after once winning the UFC title from her. However, Silva points out, Pena had only two fights with Amanda Nunes, and disregards them as not noteworthy. On the other hand, Silva has been able to maintain a winning streak with recent victories over various fighters, earning her three post-fight bonuses. Silva holds an assertive belief in her abilities, asserting that no female fighter can match her style, performance, and submission tactics. She confidently proclaims, “I’m next.”
Displaying her attitude, Silva calls out Pena, suggesting that she shies away from a challenge. She further indicates that Pena’s reluctance is likely due to her fear of Silva’s aggressive fighting prowess. Silva, stating her intentions bold and clear, wishes to vigorously fight Pena for a full five rounds. This is fuelled by her perception that Pena has been overly vocal about her abilities. Despite her winning streak and competitive spirit, Pennington reportedly declined a fight with Silva after Miesha Tate withdrew due to an injury, which eventually led to Silva vs. Holm.