Following her convincing victory over Holly Holm at UFC Vegas 77, Mayra Bueno Silva challenged former champion Julianna Pena to a fight for the vacant bantamweight championship. Bueno Silva declared her ambition to compete for the title after submitting Holm with a ninja choke in the second round.
She declared that Pena should take her on since she is the division’s new growing face and also cause she is deserving of the belt. In addition, Bueno Silva emphasized the belt’s significance as a Brazilian emblem by bringing up former champion Amanda Nunes. She is now a new contender in the women’s bantamweight class, hoping to fill the vacuum left by Nunes’s retirement after her outstanding performance and callout.
Mayra Bueno Silva rips Juliana Pena
Following her convincing victory over former champion Holly Holm at UFC Vegas 77, Mayra Bueno Silva didn’t hold back in sharing her thoughts on Juliana Pena. Bueno Silva called out Pena for a fight at the vacant bantamweight belt after winning through a ninja choke in the second round. Amanda Nunes recently announced her retirement.
Bueno Silva asserted her title eligibility in a post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, saying she finishes bouts better than anyone else. Pena was the subject of her direct address, which began with, “I love you, Julianna, but I will smash you. I’ll destroy you. Raquel and you both at once.”
Mayra Bueno Silva literally couldn't contain her laughter when asked about Julianna Peña's tweet. 😂
"I will smash you. … Oh, Julianna. Shut up."#UFCVegas77 | Full video: https://t.co/sZjDBPMSc2 pic.twitter.com/XMSFKnnC4m
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 16, 2023
Pena had already challenged Bueno Silva on Twitter, referring to herself as the “#peopleschamp,” and saying she would fight both Bueno Silva and Pennington on the same night. Bueno Silva’s call-out added gasoline to the flames.
Bueno Silva clearly made a solid case for a championship opportunity and demonstrated her resolve to compete at the top level of the women’s bantamweight division with her incredible winning streak and outstanding performance against Holm.
Mayra Bueno Silva’s stunning victory at UFC Vegas 77
At UFC Vegas 77, Mayra Bueno Silva put on an incredible performance to earn arguably her biggest victory to date. Silva demonstrated her abilities and tenacity in the octagon as she competed against former Women’s Bantamweight champion Holly Holm in the main event.
A quick ninja choke used by Bueno Silva against Holm in the second round of the bout caused the former champion to submit after only 38 seconds. Only twice in her MMA career had Holm been submitted; this demonstrated the Brazilian’s excellent grappling skills.
First submission loss for Holly Holm since UFC 196 when she lost her first pro MMA fight and the bantamweight title to Meisha Tate. Just the second in her career.
What a win for Mayra Bueno Silva. Wow. She is a real player at 135.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) July 16, 2023
Bueno Silva received a well-deserved $50,000 cheque as well as the Performance of the Night bonus for winning. Her winning streak in the UFC now stands at four matches in a row after this victory.
Notably, Bueno Silva didn’t waste any time in challenging former bantamweight champion Julianna Pena for the championship after her spectacular victory. She was resolute and emotional in her post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, demonstrating her readiness for a title opportunity.
Mayra Bueno Silva ties Ronda Rousey for the most submission wins in women's bantamweight history with 3.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) July 16, 2023
Overall, Mayra Bueno Silva’s overwhelming showing at UFC Vegas 77 cemented her position as a formidable force in the women’s bantamweight division. Her call-out of Pena also paves the way for an enthralling future title fight.
What are your views on the potential matchup between Mayra Bueno Silva and Juliana Pena? Share your views in the comment section below.
