Mayra Bueno Silva will lastly hear cheers — or boos — from a crowd once more for the primary time since 2018.
“Sheetara” made her octagon debut in her native Sao Paulo, Brazil, scoring a first-round armbar victory over Gillian Robertson in November 2018. It took some time for her to get well from a nasty knee harm suffered that evening, and as soon as she returned, Silva was a part of the UFC Brasilia card in March 2020 that was nearly shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving an empty area for the primary time because of the well being disaster.
Since then, Silva has entered the octagon seven instances, with all of these fights going down contained in the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, a spot constructed to host occasions within the pandemic with only some folks in attendance. Now, as Silva prepares to face Raquel Pennington for the vacant bantamweight title at UFC 297 on Jan. 20 in Toronto, she celebrates competing in entrance of a bigger crowd.
“To get followers on their toes with each punch, each transfer, each takedown, that’s priceless,” Silva stated on MMA Combating’s Trocação Franca podcast. “That’s unbelievable. I’m far more anxious to expertise that once more, to see the group once more, than in regards to the precise combat. I’m very comfortable for that.”
“Once I came upon I used to be going to combat Raquel I believed it was going to be in Vegas,” she continued. “I used to be comfortable too as a result of Vegas is the place I did my entire UFC profession, however after I came upon it was going to be in Toronto I spotted, rattling, we’ll have a crowd once more, I’ll meet followers once more. I get up daily thanking God for my life and for the chance He’s giving me.”
Silva earned a shot on the vacant belt after defeating Wu Yanan, Stephanie Egger, Lina Lansberg, and Holly Holm in 4 bantamweight appearances. Her most up-to-date victory, a ninja choke submission of Holm, was overturned afterward as a result of a optimistic drug check, however that didn’t cease the UFC from awarding Silva with an opportunity for gold.
The American Prime Group fighter vows to “give followers a terrific present and convey the belt again [to Brazil]” as a result of Brazilian followers “deserve this pleasure” after double champion Amanda Nunes retired from the game. After years away from actual arenas, “Sheetara” appears to be like again at her UFC Sao Paulo debut as proof that followers in attendance may help you win fights.
“I felt my knee wasn’t OK [against Robertson] however nonetheless saved combating as a result of I used to be at residence, I used to be with my folks, they usually have been screaming,” Silva stated. “I’d by no means hand over. I most likely wouldn’t be capable of come again for the second spherical as a result of I couldn’t even stand nonetheless, however as I used to be there, in that first spherical, I gave my all as a result of followers have been comfortable. It was a celebration in my yard, and there’s no manner I’d allow them to down.”
