Career Averages - Mayra Bueno Silva
Career Averages - Jacqueline Cavalcanti
Mayra Bueno Silva - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 26 of 45 | 57% | 34 of 53 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 1 | 1:39 |
| Michelle Montague | 0 | 42 of 83 | 50% | 108 of 161 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 0 | 2 | 10:14 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Michelle Montague | 0 | 16 of 20 | 80% | 46 of 51 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:56 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 20 of 37 | 54% | 24 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:29 |
| Michelle Montague | 0 | 18 of 43 | 41% | 21 of 46 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 1 | 2:01 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 6 of 8 | 75% | 10 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:10 |
| Michelle Montague | 0 | 8 of 20 | 40% | 41 of 64 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 3:17 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 26 of 45 | 57% | 11 of 27 | 10 of 12 | 5 of 6 | 22 of 38 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
| Michelle Montague | 42 of 83 | 50% | 41 of 80 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 21 of 58 | 0 of 1 | 21 of 24 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Michelle Montague | 16 of 20 | 80% | 16 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 15 of 16 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 20 of 37 | 54% | 8 of 23 | 8 of 9 | 4 of 5 | 16 of 30 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 |
| Michelle Montague | 18 of 43 | 41% | 17 of 40 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 42 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 6 of 8 | 75% | 3 of 4 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Michelle Montague | 8 of 20 | 40% | 8 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 12 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 8 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Montague (-375); Bueno Silva (+300)
Round 1
It’s moving night in the rankings at 135 pounds for women, with three of the four repping that weight class currently sporting a number next to their name. Silva (10-6-1, 1 NC; 5-6-1, 1 NC UFC) is one of those three despite not recording a win since February 2023, and there is no truth to the rumor that her mother’s maiden name is Capulet. PFL expat Montague (7-0, 1-0 UFC) is looking to get there, and a victory tonight will almost certainly grant her a numerical designation. Before they throw hands, the ladies touch gloves, and referee Herb Dean will handle anything after that.
There is one strategy for Montague in this match, and she implements it immediately. Walking the former title challenger and putting three fists in her face, she closes the distance and hits a body lock takedown to put the Brazilian on her back. Silva defends off her back by isolating one wrist with both hands, and the Kiwi shakes out of it and smacks Silva with several powerful hammerfists. The punches are so mighty that Silva decides she should probably protect her mug and abandon the escape effort. When she does this, Montague elbows her a few times to force Silva turning. Montague hangs on with her right arm posted off Silva’s face, and she rolls Silva back over when Silva tries to buck out of the precarious position. Montague establishes herself in half guard, again fighting off the baseball grip on her left wrist so she can further beat down on “Sheetara.”
Montague floats when Silva tries to buck her off, staying heavy with the need arises and dropping down power strikes when they are open. The size difference is significant, as Silva keeps twisting and turning but is stuck on her knees until she voluntarily rolls to the side so she can sneakily search for a leglock off her back. Montague stacks her up and uses a can opener with her hands clutched behind Silva’s neck, and Silva responds with another leg submission attempt until Montague just steps over her. Montague hammers Silva with a free hand, dominating the former title challenger right to the end of the round. The only question is whether that performance merits a 10-8 in her favor, while Silva struggles to get back to her feet and manages to make her way back to her corner.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Montague
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-8 Montague
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-8 Montague
Round 2
Montague practically runs at Silva as the round kicks off, punching her way into range. Silva times a charge and throws Montague to the side, drilling her with a heavy right hand. Montague breaks off and circles away, shooting for a takedown when Silva lashes out with a low kick. Montague chambers and looses one to the ribs, and then kicks high while Montague walks her down without fear. Montague snaps the head back with a jab and shoots from a long way away, allowing Silva to wrap her arms around her neck. Silva latches onto a front choke, and this sudden ninja choke is tight as Montague lowers herself down to relieve the pressure. The Kiwi hits the deck in order to snap out of it, with Silva not quick enough to follow her while maintaining her grip strength. Montague sticks out a right hand and jabs with the ball of her foot, and Silva steels herself and nails Montague with a combination. Montague backs herself to the wall, and she gets stung a few more times and shoots for a desperate takedown.
Silva briefly stops it, but considers taking her back in the process and is tripped up to put herself on her back. Silva hangs on with a kimura sweep, until the bigger, stronger woman muscles her way out of it and shifts to climb into side control on the opposite side. Montague hunts for a crucifix setup, only for Silva to twist and turn to at least prevent the dominant position from locking down. Montague moves to Silva’s open guard, with Silva using butterfly hooks to sweep her. Silva kicks off, with Montague on one knee, and her heel bangs square into Montague’s jaw. Dean immediately calls time, while someone from the audience shouts that he should take a point. Dean asks her if Montague is ok after the blow, and they resume 45 seconds later with Montague smiling and ready to continue. Montague is quick to shoot for a takedown, and she pushes Silva to the wire. Silva frames off with short, effective punches, until the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Round 3
Montague engages again early, but this time, Silva is ready for it. Silva punches back to keep Montague honest, but she is unable to stop the double-leg takedown that sweeps Silva clean off her feet. Montague lands in side control, fighting off any early effort for Silva to sweep or get out. When Silva turns to her knees, Montague punches her in the face repeatedly. Slick as a whistle, “Sheetara” slips around to the side to take Montague’s back.
Montague twists and keeps moving while Silva looks for any exposed limb. As Montague continues shifting and fighting, she flips Silva over to position herself in side control. When she gets it, “The Wild One” pounds on her with any free fist or elbow she can find. Silva contorts herself to get away, but the heavier Montague clubs and smothers her seemingly without end. The only thing that ends this is the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Montague (29-27 Montague)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Montague (29-27 Montague)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Montague (29-27 Montague)
The Official Result
Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo is very confident in Michelle Montague, calling her a spectacular grappler with world-level wrestling and jiu-jitsu experience. He notes that Mayra Bueno Silva is on a four-fight losing streak and has poor wrestling, making it hard for her to get the fight to the ground. He expects Montague to control where the fight goes and win a decision without being in any trouble.
Big Brady picks Mayra Bueno Silva (referred to as Michelle Waterson) over Marina Rodriguez Silva. He criticizes Marina's fight IQ and notes she is on a losing streak. He believes Waterson's wrestling and ground-and-pound will be too much, predicting a TKO in the second or third round.
Connor picks Montague because Bueno Silva appears depressed and has been figured out by better fighters. He notes that Montague is aggressive, confident, and young in her career, and that Silva's recent losses have shown she doesn't know how to learn. However, Connor acknowledges that Silva has been beaten by a much higher class of fighter and that Montague is not at that level, making this a risky pick.
The host sees this as a classic striker vs grappler matchup where Silva has a massive advantage on the feet and Montague on the ground. He doubts Montague's ability to get the fight down due to her poor offensive wrestling and Silva's good takedown defense in the clinch. He says it's an IQ test: Montague is unbetable, so Silva is the only value play, but she is weak off her back. He prefers live betting and notes the fight likely goes to decision.
James picks Montague, believing she will dominate with takedowns and ground and pound, similar to Jasmine Jasudavicius' win over Silva. He predicts a TKO stoppage due to ground and pound, though Silva's toughness may extend the fight.
Montague is a strong grappler with good top control and submission threat, but her striking is robotic and she can be wobbled. Bueno Silva has submission skills off her back and could threaten with submissions, but she has been struggling and has a poor gas tank. Montague's size and strength should allow her to grind out a decision, but the chalk is hard to trust.
Zane picks Bueno Silva despite her recent losing streak, because he believes Montague is not skilled enough to capitalize on Silva's weaknesses. He notes that Silva has power, aggression, and dynamic submissions, and that Montague's grappling is not at a level to control her. Zane also points out that Silva's losses came against a much better class of fighter than Montague.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 39 of 97 | 40% | 46 of 107 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:12 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 80 of 164 | 48% | 87 of 172 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 9 of 24 | 37% | 11 of 26 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:57 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 21 of 40 | 52% | 21 of 40 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:01 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 16 of 31 | 51% | 21 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 23 of 57 | 40% | 28 of 63 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:54 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 14 of 42 | 33% | 14 of 42 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 36 of 67 | 53% | 38 of 69 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 39 of 97 | 40% | 15 of 62 | 8 of 14 | 16 of 21 | 36 of 93 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 80 of 164 | 48% | 45 of 118 | 20 of 26 | 15 of 20 | 73 of 156 | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 9 of 24 | 37% | 1 of 11 | 2 of 7 | 6 of 6 | 8 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 21 of 40 | 52% | 6 of 21 | 5 of 7 | 10 of 12 | 20 of 38 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 16 of 31 | 51% | 3 of 16 | 5 of 5 | 8 of 10 | 15 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 23 of 57 | 40% | 15 of 45 | 8 of 10 | 0 of 2 | 20 of 54 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 14 of 42 | 33% | 11 of 35 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | 13 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 36 of 67 | 53% | 24 of 52 | 7 of 9 | 5 of 6 | 33 of 64 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-250); Bueno Silva (+210)
Round 1
The promotion as of late has fallen in love with smashing two fighters together of drastically different trajectories hoping the one on the rise pulls it off. In this case, it is the women’s bantamweight division in dire need of contenders. It would be unfair to claim that the promotion
wants
one fighter to win, but the younger woman in Cavalcanti (9-1, 4-0 UFC) with a spotless UFC record intact is a far easier sell. In her fifth walk to the UFC cage, she collides with former flyweight title challenger Silva (10-5-1, 1 NC; 5-5-1, 1 NC UFC), who has tumbled down the rankings and may be fighting to keep her place on the roster. Referee Chris Tognoni draws the charge for this uneven momentum bout, one that should see some movement at 135 pounds no matter who prevails.
The ladies bump their fists together. Cavalcanti bounces back and forth to establish herself in the cage, pushing out a jab and trading low kicks. Cavalcanti connects with a kick to the thigh, and Silva’s response goes wide. Cavalcanti chips at the front leg, and she checks one coming back and doubles up on counters. She goes to the midsection, and Silva responds in kind. Silva ignores a one-two to sit down on a calf kick, and she stays out of range of Cavalcanti’s subsequent punches. The two are jittery and still not willing to commit to much, with Silva barely even in first gear. When she does throw something, it is in response and generally mirroring what already struck her. She chains a low kick into a wheel kick, and Cavalcanti leans back to dodge the latter and drills Silva with a right hand down the middle.
Silva stabs her toes out with a kick to the body, and Cavalcanti has not stopped with her low kick attack yet. She mixes in front kicks with calf kicks, and she swarms her way in. Silva ties her up, and Cavalcanti knees her in the gut and pushes off the face. Silva shoots down suddenly in pursuit of a double-leg entry, and Cavalcanti puts her back to the wall to defend it. Tognoni asks for them to do more, so Silva tries to lift her foe but cannot elevate her very high. Silva breaks off willingly, and she flicks out a few jabs. Cavalcanti looks to loop punches behind the jab, and she changes stances to keep Silva guessing at which side the kicks will be from. One final push kick from “Sheetara” concludes the tepid sparring match of a round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 2
The bantamweights touch gloves to get going again, and Cavalcanti gets right in her rhythm of low kicks, jabs and forward movement. Silva tries to fire back, and Cavalcanti pushes off before getting caught with anything. Silva turns her hips into a harder-than-usual low kick, so Cavalcanti walks her down and strings five punches together to the body and head. Cavalcanti lifts a leg to check a kick and knees Silva in the belly to push her to the wire. They trade knees on the inside, with Cavalcanti spinning her foe around and landing more knees. Cavalcanti abandons the tie-up, and she puts three punches on the face.
Cavalcanti lifts her leg up to take some of the sting out of a kick, and both women let their lands go in a sudden exchange. Silva starts committing to more heavy leg kicks, and Cavalcanti’s volume remains steady with moves that touch rather than sting. Silva boots Cavalcanti upside the head, and it is narrowly blocked in time. Commentator Dominick Cruz chastises the women for not putting their full effort into this fight, and they apparently can hear him as they again whir into action and start drilling one another with strikes. Cavalcanti kicks, and Silva kicks her back in the ribs. Cavalcanti splits the guard with a jab and shakes her hand out, and she plants a one-two on the jaw as she drives the Brazilian back. Cavalcanti stomp kicks the lead knee of her adversary, and her jab has marked up the bridge of Silva’s nose. As Silva tries to circle to the side and avoid all contact to end the round, Cavalcanti walks her down and boots her in the guts as time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
Of the two women in the cage, it is Cavalcanti who is fired up and ready to push the pace in the final frame. She does just that right out of the cage, walking behind a right hand that she bangs into Silva’s temple. As she chains punches together, Cavalcanti’s punches draw a failed takedown shot out of her opponent that pushes her to the wire but little else. Cavalcanti’s offense has drawn some swelling around Silva’s left eye and right temple, and she is quickly blowing up all over like golf balls slid under her skin. Cavalcanti pecks at the front leg with sticking her hands out, and she even tries a trip and throw but Silva bounces off. Cavalcanti’s one-two barely reaches as Silva’s right hand does not land cleanly, and Cavalcanti is walking forward without fear of reprisal.
Cavalcanti jabs the body with the ball of her foot, and she reams Silva with a one-two. Silva tries to grab hold of the woman from Portugal and get some dirty boxing going, but when that does not amount to much, it is a power jab that has the best effect of her strikes thus far. Cavalcanti recovers and snaps out her own jab in Silva’s face, using it to open up a few clubbing right hands. The once-beaten woman lets Silva buzz past her with a spinning strike, and she resets and works the body. Silva loads up on a right hand, and her subsequent low kick is checked. They flash jabs simultaneously, but Silva will likely need more if she wants to get her hand raised in the next 55 seconds. Cavalcanti stays in front of her foe, and she measures a right hand on the swollen eye socket. She follows it with a few more, and Silva walks forward as if she wants to brawl. When Cavalcanti lands on her, she changes her mind. Cavalcanti’s stance switches alone take most of Silva’s offense out of the equation, and she marches the former title challenger down and busts her in the chops with a left hand. The fight concludes, and the two ladies embrace as a camera quickly shows that Silva’s right foot has also ballooned as a result of this match.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Mayra Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Joselyne Edwards because she is the much better striker and can piece up Mayra Bueno Silva on the feet. He notes that Mayra is on a three-fight skid and may be desperate for takedowns, but Joselyne's takedown defense should hold up if she avoids naked kicks. He prefers Joselyne to box rather than kick to avoid getting taken down.
Big Brady is not high on Cavalcanti, noting her underwhelming wins and split decisions against lower-level opponents. He acknowledges Bueno Silva's dangerous guard but criticizes her refusal to wrestle offensively. He thinks Cavalcanti will pick apart Bueno Silva at range for 15 minutes, winning a decision, but notes Bueno Silva has a path if she takes the fight to the ground.
Cody picks Silva as a dog, citing her superior grappling and competition level. He thinks Cavalcanti's wins are over low-level opponents and that Silva can take her down and submit her.
Lucrative James confidently picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He notes her cleaner striking, volume, and defensive skills, while Mayra Bueno Silva is on a downslide and has bounced between weight classes. He acknowledges Silva's submission threat but believes Cavalcanti can avoid it and win a decision. He also mentions Silva's recent black belt but doubts it will change the outcome.
The host believes Cavalcanti's striking edge will allow her to pick Silva apart from distance, though Silva's aggression could make it close. Ultimately, Cavalcanti should land better shots and win on the scorecards.
Paul is torn, leaning pass. He notes Silva's inconsistency and Cavalcanti's lack of impressive wins, but can't back Cavalcanti at minus 260.
The Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Mayra Bueno Silva. He cites Silva's recent losses and inability to bully opponents, while Cavalcanti has shown good striking and range management. He expects a competitive decision, with Cavalcanti outlanding Silva to a 29-28 win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine Jasudavicius | 0 | 56 of 105 | 53% | 164 of 229 | 3 of 5 | 60% | 0 | 0 | 7:11 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 37 of 72 | 51% | 41 of 76 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 0 | 14 of 25 | 56% | 35 of 51 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:48 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 10 of 18 | 55% | 10 of 18 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 0 | 30 of 54 | 55% | 62 of 88 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:20 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 21 of 38 | 55% | 24 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 0 | 12 of 26 | 46% | 67 of 90 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:03 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 6 of 16 | 37% | 7 of 17 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jasmine Jasudavicius | 56 of 105 | 53% | 23 of 66 | 20 of 26 | 13 of 13 | 48 of 94 | 8 of 10 | 0 of 1 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 37 of 72 | 51% | 23 of 53 | 8 of 12 | 6 of 7 | 30 of 64 | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 14 of 25 | 56% | 5 of 14 | 5 of 7 | 4 of 4 | 13 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 10 of 18 | 55% | 4 of 10 | 2 of 3 | 4 of 5 | 10 of 18 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 30 of 54 | 55% | 14 of 36 | 9 of 11 | 7 of 7 | 27 of 49 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 21 of 38 | 55% | 15 of 29 | 4 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 15 of 32 | 6 of 6 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Jasmine Jasudavicius | 12 of 26 | 46% | 4 of 16 | 6 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 8 of 21 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 6 of 16 | 37% | 4 of 14 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 14 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Attention next shifts to the 125-pound weight class, where Bueno Silva (10-4-1, 5-4-1 UFC) awaits Jasudavicius (12-3, 6-2 UFC) in a compelling women’s flyweight affair. Mark Smith officiates. No glove touch. Bueno Silva rushes to the center and stars with a leg kick. Rear-leg front kick to the midsection from the Brazilian. Jasudavicius fires of a two-punch volley and circles off the fence. They trade and separate. Bueno Silva sneaks in a left hook and backs it up with two leg kicks, followed by a one-two. Jasudavicius circles, then secures a takedown. Bueno Silva catches a guillotine. Jasudavicius breaks the grip and sets up in full guard. Two minutes to go. Jasudavicius passes side control and lands in a topside crucifix. Short elbows fall. Bueno Silva frees herself briefly, but the Canadian cuts off her escape and powers into half guard. Bueno Silva mostly neutralizing her from the bottom, but Jasudavicius still manages to sneak in a few shots. Bueno Silva makes a pass at a leg lock as the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicus
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicus
Round 2
Bueno Silve emerges with a significant hematoma above her left eye. They circle one another in the center. One-twos from Jasudavicius. Bueno Silva threatens with a standing guillotine but releases the choke. The Brazilian grabs the Thai clinch and throws a few knees. Nice counter right hand over the top from Jasudavicius. Bueno Silva stalks forward and connects with two vicious left hooks to the body. Now, the Brazilian gets her jab in gear. Powerful one-two from Jasudavicius, followed by a front kick to the body. Midway through the round. Bueno Silva closes the distance and fires elbows from both sides. Right hand over the top from Jasudavicius. The Canadian clinches and lands an elbow on the break. Jasudavicius secures a takedown, scores with shoulder strikes, controls the scramble and scores with ground-and-pound. Bueno Silva hunts a leg lock. No luck. Jasudavicius closes with ground-and-pound.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius
Round 3
Jasudavicius likely enters the final round with a lead. Bueno Silva’s movements labored now. Jasudavicius circles. Bueno Silva cuts loose with a combo and mixes in a nice elbow. The Brazilian stalks, lands another elbow and then eats a few knees. They trade, with neither woman gaining a discernible advantage. Jasudavicius feints a takedown, resets and swoops in four a successful double-leg. Bueno Silva looks discouraged, as the action stalls. Jasudavicius passes to half guard and steps over into full mount. She frames an arm-triangle choke but bails on it. Bueno Silva surrenders her back. Jasudavicius pounding away with punches to the body and head. Back to mount for the Canadian. Jasudavicius stays busy with ground-and-pound and draws a warning for a head butt. Bueno Silva flirts with an armbar, only to eat more punishment before the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Jasudavicius (30-26 Jasudavicius)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Jasudavicius (30-27 Jasudavicius)
The Official Result
Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Mayra Bueno Silva—Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Jasmine Jasudavicius, citing her wrestling pedigree and ability to control where the fight goes. He acknowledges Mayra Bueno Silva's toughness and dangerous ground game, but notes that Jasudavicius is a much better wrestler. He mentions that public comments overwhelmingly favor Jasudavicius, which has increased his confidence, though he admits he's unsure if that's influencing him.
Big Brady believes Jasmine Jasudavicius needs to get the fight to the ground, where she can control Mayra Bueno Silva. He notes Silva has poor takedown defense and doesn't mind being on her back, but is dangerous with submissions. Brady thinks Jasudavicius will be smart on top and win a decision, though Silva could be live for a submission. He predicts a 30-27 Jasudavicius decision.
Jasudavicius's grappling will be the key to victory, allowing her to grind out a decision. She may also showcase improved striking from her Thailand camp, but her wrestling will bail her out of bad spots.
The MMA Guru picks Mayra Bueno Silva as an underdog, noting she has competitive fights with top-level fighters and wins that Jasudavicius could only dream of. He believes Silva's physicality, clinch work, and grappling will be key, and that she will be bigger at flyweight. He also suggests she may miss weight but still win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macy Chiasson | 0 | 46 of 59 | 77% | 53 of 66 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:19 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 50 of 85 | 58% | 64 of 99 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:48 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macy Chiasson | 0 | 42 of 52 | 80% | 47 of 57 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:58 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 37 of 62 | 59% | 50 of 75 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:28 | |
| 2 | Macy Chiasson | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:21 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 13 of 23 | 56% | 14 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:20 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macy Chiasson | 46 of 59 | 77% | 24 of 34 | 20 of 22 | 2 of 3 | 21 of 32 | 23 of 25 | 2 of 2 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 50 of 85 | 58% | 27 of 59 | 13 of 16 | 10 of 10 | 22 of 52 | 18 of 23 | 10 of 10 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macy Chiasson | 42 of 52 | 80% | 20 of 28 | 20 of 22 | 2 of 2 | 19 of 27 | 23 of 25 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 37 of 62 | 59% | 21 of 44 | 13 of 15 | 3 of 3 | 19 of 41 | 18 of 21 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Macy Chiasson | 4 of 7 | 57% | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 1 | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 13 of 23 | 56% | 6 of 15 | 0 of 1 | 7 of 7 | 3 of 11 | 0 of 2 | 10 of 10 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bueno Silva (-115), Chiasson (-105)
Round 1
With the 135-pound title picture in flux, the winner of Silva (10-3-1, 1 NC; 5-3-1, 1 NC UFC) and Chiasson (9-3, 7-3 UFC) could be next in line for a shot at gold—although Silva fell short her last time out vying for the title in an exceptionally dull affair. The 32-year-old bantamweights come together to touch gloves to start the fight all while referee Chris Tognoni prepares himself to officiate. Silva maintains the center of the cage while Chiasson strafes on the outside. Chiasson swings too hard with a right hand, resulting in Silva grabbing hold of her and clinching her to land a knee and an elbow. Chiasson separates and reaches out with a left hook, and on a second effort she misses with the same strike as a body kick belts her in the ribs. Silva kicks the front leg, sticks out a right hand and evades a counter. Silva plants the ball of her foot on Chiasson’s chest, fires a head kick off from the other leg and punches her way into the clinch. When up close and personal, the Brazilian strikes with an elbow, and Chiasson answers her with one of her own. Silva breaks out of the tie-up after absorbing this strike, and she misses a body kick and keeps turning to slap Chiasson in the face with a wheel kick. Chiasson scores a front kick and a low kick, and she keeps her guard up to defend a head kick. Silva works the body with several punches and knees, and she pulls Chiasson down to knee her in the face a few times. Chiasson defends from a takedown and walks to the fence, and she uses body shots in close range with several uppercuts. Silva tries to go after the trip, and Chiasson stifles it and takes a few knees to the midsection. Silva gets off an elbow, and Chiasson rips the body and goes up high in a flurry. Silva backs herself up against the cage wall, and the two end up back in the clinch trading body blows. Chiasson lines up several knees to the body, and Silva pushes away and tags Chiasson with a right hand. Silva uses the opportunity to shoot for a double, and Chiasson sprawls against the wall but is tripped to a knee for a second. Chiasson springboards back up and presses Silva against the wire until the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Round 2
The ladies clap hands, and Chiasson is ready to party and starts trading strikes. Head shots lead to other punches to the body and kicks, and she decides to take the fight down to the ground and succeeds. One single elbow from Chiasson slices a massive cut open above Silva’s right eyebrow. Chiasson stays tightly pressed to her opponent, and Silva throws her legs up in pursuit of an armbar. Chiasson remains stacked up on top until Silva abandons it, and Silva kicks her off of her. Chiasson stands and whips low kicks at the thigh from both sides, while Silva lays on her back with her hands behind her head bicycling upkicks. Chiasson decides to let Silva up, and Tognoni calls time to bring in the physician to observe the monstrous cut above her eyebrow. This appears to be a fight-ending cut, nearly two inches wide from one to the other. The doctor tells Tognoni the cut is extremely deep and that the blood will pour into her eye, and it already has as Silva’s face is covered with blood. Tognoni waves the fight off, and Silva is incensed, to the point that she climbs out of the cage and tries to plead her case to UFC head Dana White. He and others around him back away as she is leaking all over the place, and White tells her she needs to go see the doctor and get patched up. No matter her cries, this is a legitimate stoppage and way to win the fight—the head wound is no joke, much like the headliner of PFL last night.
The Official Result
Macy Chiasson def. Mayra Bueno Silva R2 1:58 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)
Cody picks Chiasson, citing her size, wrestling, and cardio advantages. He notes that Bueno Silva has poor takedown defense and cardio issues, and that Chiasson has consistently scored takedowns against tough opponents. Cody believes Chiasson will use her clinch work and wrestling to wear on Bueno Silva, and that she can win a decision or possibly get a submission. He also mentions that Bueno Silva's best wins are over lower-tier competition and that she failed a drug test.
Daniel Vreeland picks Macy Chiasson because she has looked better recently, rounding out her game and improving her takedown defense. He notes that Chiasson is a better striker than Bueno Silva and has a significant reach advantage (six inches). Vreeland believes Bueno Silva's only path to victory is grinding, but Chiasson has the skills to stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing. He also cites Bueno Silva's poor gas tank in her last fight against Raquel Pennington as a concern.
Daniel believes Bueno Silva has championship potential, citing her power, calf kicks, and opportunistic submissions. He notes that her loss to Pennington came when she was sick and had a busted eardrum. He views Chiasson as having physical attributes but being flaky and prone to mistakes under pressure. He thinks Bueno Silva is meaner, more athletic, and has a higher trajectory.
Jeff Fox picks Macy Chiasson, echoing Vreeland's reasoning. He notes that Bueno Silva did not look good in her last fight and has gas tank concerns. Fox points out that Chiasson is way bigger, a better striker, and has improved her grappling. He also mentions that Chiasson's coach will keep her focused.
The host does not discuss this fight at all in the transcript. The entire podcast is focused on the Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler fight, which is not on the provided fight card. Therefore, no pick is made for this fight.
The host leans Chiasson, citing her strength and ability to grind on Bueno Silva. He notes Bueno Silva is dangerous with submissions off her back early, but if Chiasson can control her against the cage for the first 6-7 minutes and then take her down, she will have success. He mentions the line has moved from +180 to nearly pick'em, indicating confidence in Chiasson.
Paul picks Bueno Silva by submission, noting that her submission grappling is her biggest weapon. He acknowledges that Chiasson is bigger and has better wrestling, but believes Bueno Silva can catch her in a submission if the fight goes to the ground. Paul points out that Bueno Silva has a history of pulling off submissions from seemingly losing positions, and that the plus-370 odds for her by submission offer value.
The Guru picks Macy Chiasson as an underdog over Mayra Bueno Silva. He notes Chiasson's size and reach advantage, and that Bueno Silva looked terrible in her last fight. He believes Chiasson can muscle her around and out-hustle her. He also mentions Chiasson's flexibility in submissions and her competitive fight against Norma Dumont.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raquel Pennington | 0 | 134 of 201 | 66% | 265 of 342 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 2 | 2 | 11:28 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 69 of 88 | 78% | 96 of 118 | 3 of 9 | 33% | 3 | 0 | 8:58 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raquel Pennington | 0 | 11 of 22 | 50% | 26 of 39 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:16 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 18 of 22 | 81% | 27 of 31 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:20 | |
| 2 | Raquel Pennington | 0 | 33 of 52 | 63% | 47 of 66 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:04 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 20 of 30 | 66% | 29 of 41 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2:46 | |
| 3 | Raquel Pennington | 0 | 27 of 43 | 62% | 52 of 68 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:32 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 17 of 20 | 85% | 20 of 23 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 1:35 | |
| 4 | Raquel Pennington | 0 | 29 of 38 | 76% | 75 of 86 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 3:17 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 7 of 8 | 87% | 8 of 10 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 1 | 0 | 1:11 | |
| 5 | Raquel Pennington | 0 | 34 of 46 | 73% | 65 of 83 | 0 of 0 | --- | 2 | 0 | 4:19 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 7 of 8 | 87% | 12 of 13 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:06 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raquel Pennington | 134 of 201 | 66% | 91 of 156 | 32 of 34 | 11 of 11 | 54 of 110 | 38 of 43 | 42 of 48 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 69 of 88 | 78% | 32 of 44 | 26 of 30 | 11 of 14 | 28 of 45 | 38 of 40 | 3 of 3 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raquel Pennington | 11 of 22 | 50% | 7 of 18 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 19 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 18 of 22 | 81% | 11 of 13 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 4 | 7 of 11 | 10 of 10 | 1 of 1 | |
| 2 | Raquel Pennington | 33 of 52 | 63% | 29 of 47 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 23 of 40 | 10 of 12 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 20 of 30 | 66% | 7 of 14 | 10 of 11 | 3 of 5 | 7 of 16 | 12 of 13 | 1 of 1 | |
| 3 | Raquel Pennington | 27 of 43 | 62% | 13 of 28 | 12 of 13 | 2 of 2 | 9 of 23 | 14 of 16 | 4 of 4 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 17 of 20 | 85% | 6 of 8 | 9 of 10 | 2 of 2 | 4 of 6 | 13 of 14 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Raquel Pennington | 29 of 38 | 76% | 22 of 31 | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 11 | 5 of 5 | 19 of 22 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 7 of 8 | 87% | 3 of 3 | 3 of 4 | 1 of 1 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Raquel Pennington | 34 of 46 | 73% | 20 of 32 | 5 of 5 | 9 of 9 | 8 of 17 | 7 of 7 | 19 of 22 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 7 of 8 | 87% | 5 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 6 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Bueno Silva (-170), Pennington (+142)
Round 1
The post-Amanda Nunes era at bantamweight truly begins, as eternal contender Pennington and the red-hot Bueno Silva meet to contest the belt vacated last year by the “Lioness,” who in a nice touch by the UFC is in attendance cageside with her family. Canada’s own Jerin Valel draws the referee assignment for this five-round title fight. Both fighters are in orthodox stance to open the fight. Bueno Silva throws a leg kick that glances, and Pennington rushes forward with a flurry of punches, backing the Brazilian up. Bueno Silva touches Pennington’s lead leg with a solid low kick. They engage again, and Pennington grabs hold of Bueno Silva and shoves her to the fence. Bueno Silva clasps her arms as Pennington throws a few short strikes. Bueno Silva breaks the clinch, and lands another hard calf kick. Pennington grabs a single-leg and tries to take Bueno Silva down, but Bueno Silva defends easily. Pennington goes for another quick single moments later, and they move to the fence. Bueno Silva takes Pennington’s back as she drags her to the canvas and quickly locks up a choke. Pennington fights the hands expertly, standing as she does so. Pennington breaks the grip to the point that she feels safe throwing elbow strikes to the thigh of Bueno Silva. Bueno Silva gives up on the choke and briefly loses back control as Pennington scrapes her against the chain-link, but hops back on her back and pulls her to a sitting position against the fence. She throws strikes from seated back control until the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Bueno Silva
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Bueno Silva
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Bueno Silva
Round 2
Pennington comes forward with a triple jab, backing Bueno Silva up and dodging the first calf kick that comes her way. Bueno Silva throws another calf kick, backing Pennington to the fence as she does so, then uses underhooks to keep her there. Pennington throws knee up the middle, then another, and switches her hooks to reverse Bueno Silva against the fence. She lets Bueno Silva off the fence and tags her with three punches as she does so. Bueno Silva comes back with a single counter, but it’s a solid one. Bueno Silva clinches and puts Pennington back on the fence. They exchange knee strikes in close quarters. Bueno Silva tags Pennington with a pair of uppercuts to the body, and Pennington comes back across the top with a big punch to the head that rocks her. They get a little space and Pennington hits her with two more good shots to the head. Bueno Silva is hurt and goes staggering back to the fence. Pennington gives chase but ends up clinching, without enough space to follow up with more big shots. They disengage and fight a running battle all the way back across the cage, where Bueno Silva takes Pennington’s back once again and tries for the rear-naked choke. Pennington calmly defends, but again she is standing with Bueno Silva in back control. Bueno Silva loses the choke moments before the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Round 3
Pennington scores first with a long overhand right. Bueno Silva lands two good right low kicks in succession. Pennington clinches and runs Bueno Silva to the fence, where the Brazilian promptly reverses her. Bueno Silva pushes her into the chain-link, looking to move to her back, but Pennington defends well and throws a knee to the body. Pennington takes the outside position. Bueno Silva uses a whizzer kick to toss Pennington to the ground, but Pennington kicks her off and sweeps to stand. Halfway through the round it’s Pennington driving Bueno Silva into the cage. Bueno Silva throws a knee to the body then reverses Pennington into the fence. The two would-be champs spend several long moments exchanging sporadic knees on the inside. Bueno Silva grabs a front headlock and briefly threatens, but Pennington escapes and tosses her to the canvas, ending up on top in half guard with an arm around the neck. Pennington gets up and Bueno Silva stays on the ground, suddenly looking very tired. She seems to want Pennington to go back into her guard, but Pennington is having none of it and Valel waves her up. The round expires a few moments later.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Round 4
Pennington steps right in a smashes Bueno Silva with a right overhand. She throws another pair of punches as Bueno Silva comes forward, looking for the clinch. Pennington quickly reverses her against the cage, but elects to stay there, throwing short punches—rather than disengage as her corner is loudly imploring her to do. Bueno Silva moves to try and take Pennington’s back against the cage. Pennington defends for a moment, but Bueno Silva persists and gets the position, then slaps on another rear-naked choke. It isn’t completely under the chin, and Pennington is turning red as she fights it off. She shrugs Bueno Silva partway off her back, but Bueno Silva continues to threaten with the choke even from the side. Finally, Pennington spins all the way into Bueno Silva’s guard at the base of the fence. She throws strikes as Bueno Silva throws her legs up for a possible triangle or armbar, but none of them are enough to really threaten, and Pennington keeps pouring on the punches and hammerfists. At the 30-second mark, Pennington postures up and comes down with a big hammerfist that draws a reaction from the Brazilian. The round ends a moment later, and Bueno Silva is slow to get up.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Pennington
Round 5
Pennington is first off the blocks with a left and right hook. Bueno Silva swings back, advancing as she does so. Pennington seems motivated to deny her the clinch, especially against the cage, but Bueno Silva manages to get her there anyway. Bueno Silva tries for some kind of body lock, but bails on it and goes for a kneebar on her way down. There’s nothing doing there, and Pennington lands on top, sliding to mount as she locks up an arm-triangle choke. Bueno Silva is surviving just fine, as Pennington is in complete control of the position but apparently can’t get enough torque to finish the choke. Pennington moves out to one side without completely surrendering the mount, and Bueno Silva is slowly turning away from her. A minute and a half to go, and Pennington gives up the choke, settling in Bueno Silva’s half guard. Pennington pours on the punches as Bueno Silva clings to her, eyes closed, just hanging on. Valel looks on and Pennington stands out of guard, throwing kicks to the legs of her supine foe. Pennington dives in with a couple of big, but glancing punches right before the final horn. Barring a historically horrible judging gaffe, “Rocky” should be your new UFC women's bantamweight champion in about two minutes here.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Pennington (49-45 Pennington)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Pennington (49-46 Pennington)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Pennington (49-46 Pennington)
The Official Result
Raquel Pennington def. Mayra Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-45)
Angelo picks Pennington, citing her experience, pressure, and control style. He acknowledges Bueno Silva's power and submissions but believes Pennington's grit and high-level experience will prevail. He has a quarter unit on Pennington at plus 135 and will monitor for better value. He notes the potential distraction of Pennington's eight-month-old baby.
Big Brady picks Silva, noting her submission skills are top-notch. He expects the fight to hit the mat at some point, where Silva will have the advantage. He thinks the striking will be close but Silva's forward pressure and durability will be key. He predicts a submission win for Silva.
Cody picks Bueno Silva but is not confident, citing her submission threat and the fact that Pennington fights in the clinch where Silva caught Holly Holm. However, he worries about Silva's cardio and the lack of her ADHD medication (ritalinic acid) in a five-round fight. He sees Pennington as a live underdog but ultimately goes with Silva.
Vreeland picks Bueno Silva, analyzing her striking success against Holly Holm. He notes that Silva found the range against Holm and landed impactful strikes. He contrasts Pennington's lack of range kicks and long fighting style, which should allow Silva to close distance. Vreeland also mentions Silva's submission threat if Pennington shoots takedowns. He sees Silva overwhelming Pennington on the feet.
Daniel Vreeland picks Mayra Bueno Silva to become the new bantamweight champion. He highlights her heavy power, devastating leg kicks, and finishing instinct, including the ninja choke. He expects her calf kicks to be effective against Pennington's stationary boxing style, and believes she will land the harder shots throughout the fight, possibly finishing or winning a decision.
Fox picks Bueno Silva as the better fighter, but acknowledges Pennington's tendency to win. He notes Pennington's year-long layoff as a concern. Fox doesn't provide detailed technical analysis but defers to Silva's overall skill advantage.
This fight is not discussed in the transcript. The host only covers the main event, co-main event (Weili Zhang vs Tatiana Suarez), and other fights, but not Pennington vs Bueno Silva.
I'm leaning on Bueno Silva to win inside the distance, likely by submission. Pennington could be the busier fighter and win rounds with volume, but Bueno Silva has a finish-heavy style that can break and frustrate Pennington. I think Bueno Silva lands a shot that opens up a clinch and sub opportunity. I'm not taking the moneyline at -155; I prefer the inside distance prop. I'd be very surprised if Pennington finishes Bueno Silva.
Paul picks Pennington, emphasizing her experience in five-round fights, superior cardio, and wrestling. He notes Bueno Silva's submission threat but believes Pennington can avoid submissions and take over in later rounds. He also jokes about Silva missing her ADHD medication affecting her focus.
The MMA Guru picks Mayra Bueno Silva, citing her higher finishing potential and submission ability. He notes her win over Holly Holm (though overturned) and her competitive fight with Manon Fiorot. He believes she will submit Pennington with a knee bar in round two.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Holm | 0 | 27 of 39 | 69% | 50 of 70 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 3:05 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 20 of 37 | 54% | 31 of 50 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holly Holm | 0 | 26 of 38 | 68% | 49 of 69 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 2:42 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 19 of 33 | 57% | 30 of 46 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Holly Holm | 0 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:23 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holly Holm | 27 of 39 | 69% | 15 of 24 | 10 of 12 | 2 of 3 | 21 of 31 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 20 of 37 | 54% | 9 of 21 | 7 of 10 | 4 of 6 | 13 of 28 | 7 of 9 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Holly Holm | 26 of 38 | 68% | 15 of 24 | 9 of 11 | 2 of 3 | 20 of 30 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 19 of 33 | 57% | 8 of 17 | 7 of 10 | 4 of 6 | 12 of 24 | 7 of 9 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Holly Holm | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 1 of 4 | 25% | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Holm (-170), Bueno Silva (+145)
Round 1
Likely the lone fight on the card with immediate championship implications, former champ Holm (15-6, 8-6 UFC) will look to send a message to the matchmakers that she is still at the top of her game at 41 years of age. Silva (10-2-1, 5-2-1 UFC), 10 years younger, is gunning for an upset, with upwards of five rounds to do just that. Needing no further introduction, referee Keith Peterson prepares for the bantamweight main attraction, one that opens up with a quick tap of gloves and not a lick of nonsense. Silva advances slowly, and Holm races at her and throws punches to back her away. Silva kicks the lead calf twice, and Holm gives her a scare with a head kick. Holm is moving quickly on the outside, and she sticks Silva twice with right hands before changing levels for a single. Silva stands up and elbows her foe in the face, leading Holm to let it go and squeeze against her in the clinch. They trade short knees on the inside to little effect, and Holm settles down to impose her weight and will. Holm pushes off and gets away without a strike on the break, and she lifts her leg up to check a body kick. Holm moves quickly to get Silva’s attention with a few punches, and she is out of the way before a counter finds its mark. Holm uses her momentum to clinch Silva up again. When they stall out, Holm times an elbow to break away, and she separates to back off only to lunge forward with a few punches. Silva wings an elbow that slams into Holm’s temple, and Holm has to shake it off and retreat. Silva chases with a few punches, and Holm kicks her way out of a clinch and starts working the body with her feet. Silva comes up short on a front kick, and Holm bounces around before Silva comes towards her. Holm dodges a spinning strike, and she takes a left on the chin and a subsequent right hand to stun Holm. The former champ shoots in for a double after getting her bell rung, and the Brazilian keeps her back to the cage wall and even lifts up a knee to hit Holm during the takedown. Silva motions to Peterson to get between them, but the round ends with Holm hanging on tight.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Holm
Round 2
Holm paces back and forth in her corner before they start fighting again, and Silva takes the center of the cage and gets kicked in the midsection on the way in. Cutting Holm off, Silva pops Holm with a right hook. The former kickboxer moves forward to clinch, and Silva slides her arm under the chin with her back leaned against the wall.
As Holm leans over for a potential takedown, Silva connects her arm to set up a ninja choke that is a modified, dangerous guillotine choke. Holm wriggles but is shocked at this situation, as she is trapped and cannot come up with a way to get out of the bad spot. “Sheetara” leans forward to press her chest down and put more pressure on the neck and submission grip, and she knows she has set the hook. Before she goes out, Holm frantically taps out on the side of her opponent.
Peterson rushes to the other side to see if there had been a tap, and Silva releases the grip before Peterson is able to get between them and separate them. This is a massive feather in the cap for the Brazilian, who is only the second fighter to ever submit Holm – and the first, Miesha Tate, did so to win the bantamweight title. The victorious Silva is the only betting underdog to have pulled off a win tonight, and she made a real statement and stamped herself as an instant contender for the champ-less division. In her post-fight interview, Silva speaks about her mental health issues, thanking those that helped her through the worst days that are behind her. Calling for a title shot, it could be entirely possible that “Sheetara” punched her ticket for that opportunity, as the line of contenders is hardly a determined one. If she gets the next crack at the 135-pound title, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
The Official Result
Mayra Bueno Silva def. Holly Holm R2 0:38 via Submission (Ninja Choke)
Angelo is confident in Holly Holm, calling her the more technical striker with better takedown defense and offense. He notes Silva's losses have come via wrestling, and Holly can do the same. He thinks Holly can hold Silva against the cage, get takedowns, and avoid submissions. He placed a one-unit moneyline bet at minus 160. He disagrees with a DM suggesting Silva should be the favorite, stating Holly has earned the right to be favored.
Big Brady picks Holly Holm but with hesitation, as he sees two clear outcomes: Holm dominating on the feet or Bueno Silva catching an armbar. He notes Holm is 41 but still looks good, and if she fights smart and keeps it standing, she should cruise. However, he worries Holm might take Bueno Silva down and get submitted. He is not betting this fight due to the risk.
Cody picks Holly Holm, comparing her to a Rolex watch that keeps going. He highlights her high ring IQ, ability to adapt, and wrestling improvements. He notes Silva's takedown defense issues and that Holm can mix in takedowns. He expects Holm to Matador from the outside, mix in takedowns, and win a decision, possibly winning championship rounds.
James is leaning towards Mayra Bueno Silva as an underdog. He notes that Holly Holm is 41 years old and may be declining, while Bueno Silva has strong submission skills and finishing ability. He mentions that many respected bettors are on Holm, but he is skeptical of her grappling and thinks Bueno Silva could submit her. He plans to watch more tape but is leaning towards the dog side.
The host believes Holm's veteran savvy and clinch-heavy approach will keep her safe from Bueno Silva's submissions. He expects Holm to mix striking, clinch, and grappling to cruise to a decision win. He notes Bueno Silva's lack of urgency and low volume as weaknesses.
Paul picks Holly Holm, citing her technical striking, experience, and ability to win at range. He expects a slow, tepid fight with Holm winning a decision, similar to the Vieira fight. He notes the line moved from -145 to -180, so he missed his betting window. He also mentions the PrizePicks over 90.5 significant strikes is tight and won't play it.
The MMA Guru picks Holly Holm over Mayra Bueno Silva, noting Holm's activity, athleticism, and ability to control fights against the cage. He questions Silva's cardio for a five-round fight and doubts her submission threat, believing Holm can dictate where the fight takes place. He predicts Holm wins by decision or late stoppage.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 25 of 50 | 50% | 40 of 72 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:21 |
| Lina Länsberg | 0 | 39 of 69 | 56% | 58 of 90 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 1 | 0 | 5:09 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 17 of 36 | 47% | 27 of 52 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:10 |
| Lina Länsberg | 0 | 24 of 47 | 51% | 31 of 55 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:16 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 8 of 14 | 57% | 13 of 20 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:11 |
| Lina Länsberg | 0 | 15 of 22 | 68% | 27 of 35 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:53 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 25 of 50 | 50% | 16 of 41 | 7 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 18 of 43 | 7 of 7 | 0 of 0 |
| Lina Länsberg | 39 of 69 | 56% | 13 of 38 | 17 of 20 | 9 of 11 | 21 of 47 | 11 of 13 | 7 of 9 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 17 of 36 | 47% | 10 of 29 | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 12 of 31 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Lina Länsberg | 24 of 47 | 51% | 3 of 21 | 14 of 17 | 7 of 9 | 16 of 36 | 8 of 9 | 0 of 2 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 8 of 14 | 57% | 6 of 12 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 12 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Lina Länsberg | 15 of 22 | 68% | 10 of 17 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 11 | 3 of 4 | 7 of 7 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Silva (-435), Lansberg (+350)
Round 1
The only fighters tonight holding a ranked spot on the roster are the four women competing. Before the big-time main event, two bantamweights on the outer edge of the top 15 will look to maintain or improve that number. Lansberg (10-7, 4-6 UFC), at the age of 40 and on a three-fight skid dating back to 2020, has her back against the wall. Meanwhile, Silva (9-2-1, 4-2-1 UFC) has gotten her hand raised both times in 2022 with plenty of momentum on her side, and a potential passing of the torch moment might be coming soon. The ladies will be joined by referee Jacob Montalvo, who clocks them in right before they bump fists. Lansberg reaches her hands out to hand-fight, and Silva leads off with a low kick. Lansberg, with her fingers outstretched, jab straight into the Brazilian’s right eye, and we have a pause about 15 seconds into the match. Silva blinks it out and is good to go before long, and they resume. Lansberg scores a jab, and Silva flails back with punches and spins with a back kick to the liver. Lansberg wears it well but is backed against the cage, and Silva is on top of her landing strikes to the head and body before disengaging. They go back to hand-fighting before Silva plods forward with two body kicks. Lansberg looks to get off a standing elbow up close, but Silva stops it and kicks her in the calf and then ribs. A punch from Silva forces Lansberg to ricochet off the fencing, and they clinch up to allow Lansberg to rip an elbow over the top. Silva breaks off and lets fly with a barrage of leg kicks and follow-up shins to the liver area. Silva stabs her toes to the body with a subsequent kick, and Lansberg takes it flush and walks her down to clinch up and strike up close. Silva is the one that gets off elbows on the inside, and not “Elbow Queen,” as she mixes in knees before they separate. Lansberg looks to search for the clinch again, and she scores a few knees and uppercuts before Silva unloads with a knee to the body to get her to break up. Silva spins with another back kick to the body, and Lansberg ties her up and knees the ribs. Silva spins her around up against the wire, and they trade knees one after the other. Silva changes levels in search of a single-leg takedown, and the Swede sprawls and gets her legs tripped up briefly. Silva muscles Lansberg down to the mat, dropping the 40-year-old right on her face. Silva moves to half guard as Lansberg winds up on her back, and she slashes down with a quick elbow. Silva fights off a sweep attempt and hacks down with another elbow before the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Silva
Round 2
The second round begins with a sharp striking exchange, with Lansberg pushing the pace early and winging elbows when clinching up. Silva pushes her away and pounds the calf with kicks, marking up an already welted lead wheel for the Swede. As Lansberg recklessly pushes forward to initiate some sort of offense, Silva uses her foe’s momentum against her and trips her to the ground. The Brazilian hits the mat in half guard from above, and she uses her shoulder to press down on Lansberg’s chin. Silva slowly works her way to attempt a guard pass, preferring position over submission or damage. Lansberg protects her mug from any ground strikes, but she is being wholly controlled on bottom. Silva shifts to three-quarter mount and happily takes the back when Lansberg scrambles, sliding both hooks in instinctively. Lansberg hand-fights to protect her neck from a submission, and Silva drops down a pair of elbows to the side of the head. Silva softens Lansberg up with strikes, and she pulls back to resume the back control with her hooks in. The Brazilian cinches up a body triangle, and Lansberg keeps a tight grip on Silva’s left arm beneath her armpit. Silva elbows her foe repeatedly until she forces a scramble, and Lansberg scrambles to get out of an armbar setup that develops in a hurry. Lansberg keeps moving and stands up, but instead of forcing Silva to stand back up, she decides to dive back in the fire and claim top position.
“Sheetara” welcomes this, as she finds that Lansberg landed on the mat in such a position that she can grab hold of the foot and torque it to straight the leg out. Silva locks up a kneebar, and before it hyperextends and the tendons shred like a chuck roast in a crock pot, Lansberg taps out on her opponent’s hip.
In the blink of an eye, Silva now finds herself on a three-fight win streak with two submissions in that run, and she calls for a top contender like Raquel Pennington, Miesha Tate or Julianna Pena next to get a crack at gold.
The Official Result
Mayra Bueno Silva def. Lina Lansberg R2 4:45 via Submission (Kneebar)
Angelo is confident in Bueno Silva but acknowledges the matchup is tricky. He notes Bueno Silva has zero takedowns in the UFC despite four submission wins, relying on pulling guard or submissions from bottom. Länsberg is a world champion Muay Thai striker who can't defend takedowns, but Bueno Silva may struggle to get the fight to the ground. Angelo still expects Bueno Silva to win, likely by submission, but admits Länsberg could win if she keeps it standing.
Big Brady notes that Bueno Silva has incredible grappling but never initiates takedowns (0-for-1 in UFC). He thinks the fight will stay on the feet, where Länsberg has power and has been competitive as a dog. He still picks Bueno Silva to win by decision, but warns against the -425 line.
Cody picks Bueno Silva but is not confident at -500. He notes she is very slow and plotted, with zero percent takedown accuracy in the UFC. Her best attribute is the armbar, but she has no wrestling to set it up. He says if she can't take Länsberg down, it becomes a striking battle where Länsberg is effective in the clinch. However, Länsberg is 40 and doesn't have the cardio to keep pace. He thinks the fight likely goes to decision and warns that holding a -500 ticket in women's MMA is risky due to judging.
Connor agrees with Zane, calling it a physicality pick. He notes that Länsberg has been outmuscled by less athletic fighters like Pannie Kianzad, and that she lacks a functional game against stronger opponents. He also points out that Länsberg is trying to change her style at age 40, which is unlikely to succeed. Connor feels bad for Länsberg but sees Silva as the clear winner.
Jacob agrees with Bueno Silva but thinks the fight could be closer than expected. He notes Länsberg wants to clinch and hold against the cage, and Bueno Silva is also a Muay Thai striker who doesn't mind clinch positions. Jacob emphasizes Bueno Silva needs to use trips and judo to get the fight to the ground, where her Jiu-Jitsu dominates. He believes if she can do that, she finishes the fight.
Bueno Silva has youth, speed, and power advantages, and her striking should overwhelm the aging Länsberg. Länsberg is on the decline and has been outworked in recent fights. Expect Bueno Silva to land a big shot and finish via submission (club and sub) in the second round.
Paul picks Bueno Silva but says minus 500 doesn't get him out of bed. He thinks the most interesting part is the over/under, noting Länsberg is durable and the fight likely goes to decision. He says the first-round finish against Edgar is cooked into the line. He plans to bet the fight goes to decision at minus 125. He calls Bueno Silva the pick but won't lay the heavy chalk.
The MMA Guru confidently picks Mayra Bueno Silva, calling Lina Länsberg a middle-aged mom who hasn't finished anyone in years. He praises Silva's forward pressure, good chin, and recent performance against Manon Fiorot. He predicts Silva will beat Länsberg on the feet, leading to a panic takedown attempt from Länsberg, and Silva will latch on a submission from the bottom, likely an armbar or triangle in the first two rounds.
Zane notes that Länsberg is 40 years old on a three-fight losing streak and has tried to change her style but hasn't succeeded. He describes Silva as a hard-hitting opportunist who knows how to implement her game, even if her technique is rough. He believes Länsberg lacks the physicality and technical skill to stop Silva from imposing her will, and that Silva's aggression and submission threats will be too much. Zane also mentions that Länsberg's attempts to become an out-fighter have not worked, and she is likely to be bullied.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 4 of 4 | 100% | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Stephanie Egger | 0 | 8 of 13 | 61% | 12 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 4 of 4 | 100% | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | --- | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Stephanie Egger | 0 | 8 of 13 | 61% | 12 of 17 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 4 of 4 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Stephanie Egger | 8 of 13 | 61% | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 6 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 4 of 4 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Stephanie Egger | 8 of 13 | 61% | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 6 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Silva (-110), Egger (-110)
Round 1
This ESPN card has taken some hits right before it was set to go down, but it will proceed with 10 fights at the UFC Apex. The first comes in the women’s bantamweight category, as two finish-minded ladies each sporting stoppage rates at 75% or above toe the line. Brazil’s Bueno Silva (8-2-1, 3-2-1 UFC) will battle it out with well-rounded Egger (7-2, 2-1 UFC), and the referee in charge of their meeting is Chris Tognoni. The gloves get to touched to start off this evening’s violence, and the women measure their range and clash shins together with the first strikes of the night. Bueno Silva swats at her foe with a few punches, and Egger responds by grabbing her and hip tossing Bueno Silva over. Bueno Silva takes her back for a moment, only to get rolled around. When Egger claims top position, she starts smashing down punches and elbows. Egger falls into an armbar as she is throwing strikes, and Bueno Silva locks it up fast.
The Swiss fighter stacks her up, but she falls forward and the submission is tighter. Bueno Silva shouts to Tognoni that Egger tapped, and she lets go of the move and holds her arms up. Everyone is confused, because Egger does not admit she tapped out, and just glances at Tognoni with a quizzical look. After a few seconds of awkwardness, Tognoni waves the fight off, apparently from Bueno Silva’s claim of the tap.
Tognoni goes to consult the replay official to review the stoppage, and when this does not prove conclusive, he does the rare but proper call of polling the judges – this means, asking the judges what they saw and if there is something only seen from one of their vantage points. Judge Ron McCarthy declares that he clearly saw a tapout, and that is all that is needed to put this result in the books. A unique instance, but proper in the confines of the rules. Egger protests that she did not tap out, but it’s all over. This speedy submission for Bueno Silva goes down as one of the quickest in UFC women’s divisional history.
The Official Result
Mayra Bueno Silva def. Stephanie Egger R1 1:17 via Submission (Armbar)
Angelo picks Mayra Bueno Silva despite her takedown defense concerns. He notes she defended 19 takedowns combined in her three fights where she was taken down, and believes her physicality and striking should get her the win. He acknowledges the risk of being controlled on the ground but trusts her ability to keep it standing enough to win a decision.
Big Brady favors Mayra Bueno Silva as a dog, citing her superior striking volume and power, as well as her dangerous grappling off her back. He notes that Stephanie Egger's grappling is solid but her striking is still developing, and he believes Bueno Silva can keep the fight on the feet and outpoint Egger. He also mentions that if taken down, Bueno Silva is extremely active and dangerous on the mat. He predicts a decision win for Bueno Silva.
Cody also picks Bueno Silva, agreeing that she has the striking advantage. He notes that Egger's only path is to get the fight to the ground, but Bueno Silva has shown durability and ability to survive bad spots. Cody is concerned about Bueno Silva's habit of shaking off punches, which may not impress judges. He thinks she wins but won't lay money.
Daniel Levi picks Bueno Silva at underdog odds, citing her power striking and ability to land damage on the feet. He worries about her takedown defense, as Egger has a strong grappling background, but believes Bueno Silva can win by knockout or submission if she avoids being controlled. He likes the value since the line flipped.
Paul picks Bueno Silva as a dog, noting that she is strong, physical, and durable. He mentions that Egger is a judoka who needs the clinch, while Bueno Silva wants to strike. Paul thinks Bueno Silva's power and tenacity will be enough to rough up Egger. He is waiting for a better price, as the line has moved to +117.
The MMA Guru picks Mayra Bueno Silva, citing her toughness, durability, and excellent jiu-jitsu. He believes she can tough out positions and push the pace in later rounds, winning 29-28. He notes that Stephanie Egger's recent wins over Jessica-Rose Clark and others are not impressive, and that Bueno Silva has submissions and a draw with Montana De La Rosa.
Jacqueline Cavalcanti - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketlen Vieira | 0 | 30 of 92 | 32% | 66 of 158 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 4:42 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 53 of 110 | 48% | 72 of 130 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketlen Vieira | 0 | 11 of 47 | 23% | 11 of 47 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 24 of 46 | 52% | 24 of 46 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Ketlen Vieira | 0 | 2 of 6 | 33% | 38 of 72 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 4:42 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 20 of 23 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Ketlen Vieira | 0 | 17 of 39 | 43% | 17 of 39 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 28 of 61 | 45% | 28 of 61 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketlen Vieira | 30 of 92 | 32% | 27 of 86 | 2 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 29 of 90 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 53 of 110 | 48% | 15 of 62 | 16 of 25 | 22 of 23 | 53 of 110 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ketlen Vieira | 11 of 47 | 23% | 9 of 44 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 47 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 24 of 46 | 52% | 6 of 23 | 4 of 8 | 14 of 15 | 24 of 46 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Ketlen Vieira | 2 of 6 | 33% | 1 of 4 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Ketlen Vieira | 17 of 39 | 43% | 17 of 38 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 17 of 39 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 28 of 61 | 45% | 9 of 38 | 12 of 16 | 7 of 7 | 28 of 61 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, trusting her speed and footwork. He expects Cavalcanti to win the striking exchanges and that Vieira's takedowns won't matter to the judges. He also likes the over 2.5 rounds as a lock. He notes Vieira may have won her last fight but expects a similar decision loss here.
Big Brady leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, believing she is the better striker with superior volume. He thinks she can stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing, winning by decision. He acknowledges Ketlen Vieira's path to victory via takedowns but doubts she will execute.
Cody picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her high striking volume (6.5 significant strikes per minute) and youth. He notes that Ketlen Vieira often gets out-struck but wins via cage control, but believes Cavalcanti's takedown defense has improved and she is physically strong enough to avoid being smothered. He expects Cavalcanti to out-land Vieira and win a 29-28 decision, though he acknowledges the risk of judges favoring control time.
Connor picks Cavalcanti, agreeing with Zane. He notes Vieira has no progression in her game and only changes aggression level per opponent. Cavalcanti is defensively minded, moves her feet well, and has a jab, making it hard for Vieira to charge in. He hopes Vieira doesn't drag Cavalcanti into the mud.
Cavalcanti is better everywhere: more technical striker, higher pace, better fight IQ, difficult to take down, great cardio. Vieira has low volume and bad fight IQ. Cavalcanti will outpoint Vieira and win a comfortable decision.
Lucrative James leans toward Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her superior striking and consistent volume. He believes Vieira's takedowns may not be enough to win two rounds, and Cavalcanti's composed striking will earn a decision. He notes the fight could be close and split.
The host thinks Cavalcanti is a slicker striker with a better gas tank, but he is hesitant to bet her at -155 due to Vieira's grappling threat and live dog status. He predicts Cavalcanti wins by decision, but would only bet if the line drops closer to -120.
The host picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Ketlen Vieira, believing this fight will launch Cavalcanti into title contention. He cites Cavalcanti's improved grappling defense and striking edge to pick apart Vieira and win on the scorecards.
Paul picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti by split decision, noting that both fighters are likely to go to decision and that Vieira has been involved in many split decisions. He believes Cavalcanti's volume and more impactful strikes will earn her the nod, but expects it to be contentious. He bet the fight ends in a split decision at plus 400.
Zane picks Cavalcanti because she is a sharp technical striker with good footwork and a jab, while Vieira is stuck in the mud with no progression in her game. He expects Cavalcanti to pick Vieira apart at range, as Vieira's only path is to overpower her in the clinch, but she often spends time at range not knowing what to do.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 39 of 97 | 40% | 46 of 107 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:12 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 80 of 164 | 48% | 87 of 172 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:55 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 9 of 24 | 37% | 11 of 26 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:57 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 21 of 40 | 52% | 21 of 40 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:01 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 16 of 31 | 51% | 21 of 39 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 23 of 57 | 40% | 28 of 63 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:54 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 0 | 14 of 42 | 33% | 14 of 42 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:15 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 36 of 67 | 53% | 38 of 69 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayra Bueno Silva | 39 of 97 | 40% | 15 of 62 | 8 of 14 | 16 of 21 | 36 of 93 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 80 of 164 | 48% | 45 of 118 | 20 of 26 | 15 of 20 | 73 of 156 | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 9 of 24 | 37% | 1 of 11 | 2 of 7 | 6 of 6 | 8 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 21 of 40 | 52% | 6 of 21 | 5 of 7 | 10 of 12 | 20 of 38 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 16 of 31 | 51% | 3 of 16 | 5 of 5 | 8 of 10 | 15 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 23 of 57 | 40% | 15 of 45 | 8 of 10 | 0 of 2 | 20 of 54 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Mayra Bueno Silva | 14 of 42 | 33% | 11 of 35 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | 13 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 36 of 67 | 53% | 24 of 52 | 7 of 9 | 5 of 6 | 33 of 64 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-250); Bueno Silva (+210)
Round 1
The promotion as of late has fallen in love with smashing two fighters together of drastically different trajectories hoping the one on the rise pulls it off. In this case, it is the women’s bantamweight division in dire need of contenders. It would be unfair to claim that the promotion
wants
one fighter to win, but the younger woman in Cavalcanti (9-1, 4-0 UFC) with a spotless UFC record intact is a far easier sell. In her fifth walk to the UFC cage, she collides with former flyweight title challenger Silva (10-5-1, 1 NC; 5-5-1, 1 NC UFC), who has tumbled down the rankings and may be fighting to keep her place on the roster. Referee Chris Tognoni draws the charge for this uneven momentum bout, one that should see some movement at 135 pounds no matter who prevails.
The ladies bump their fists together. Cavalcanti bounces back and forth to establish herself in the cage, pushing out a jab and trading low kicks. Cavalcanti connects with a kick to the thigh, and Silva’s response goes wide. Cavalcanti chips at the front leg, and she checks one coming back and doubles up on counters. She goes to the midsection, and Silva responds in kind. Silva ignores a one-two to sit down on a calf kick, and she stays out of range of Cavalcanti’s subsequent punches. The two are jittery and still not willing to commit to much, with Silva barely even in first gear. When she does throw something, it is in response and generally mirroring what already struck her. She chains a low kick into a wheel kick, and Cavalcanti leans back to dodge the latter and drills Silva with a right hand down the middle.
Silva stabs her toes out with a kick to the body, and Cavalcanti has not stopped with her low kick attack yet. She mixes in front kicks with calf kicks, and she swarms her way in. Silva ties her up, and Cavalcanti knees her in the gut and pushes off the face. Silva shoots down suddenly in pursuit of a double-leg entry, and Cavalcanti puts her back to the wall to defend it. Tognoni asks for them to do more, so Silva tries to lift her foe but cannot elevate her very high. Silva breaks off willingly, and she flicks out a few jabs. Cavalcanti looks to loop punches behind the jab, and she changes stances to keep Silva guessing at which side the kicks will be from. One final push kick from “Sheetara” concludes the tepid sparring match of a round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 2
The bantamweights touch gloves to get going again, and Cavalcanti gets right in her rhythm of low kicks, jabs and forward movement. Silva tries to fire back, and Cavalcanti pushes off before getting caught with anything. Silva turns her hips into a harder-than-usual low kick, so Cavalcanti walks her down and strings five punches together to the body and head. Cavalcanti lifts a leg to check a kick and knees Silva in the belly to push her to the wire. They trade knees on the inside, with Cavalcanti spinning her foe around and landing more knees. Cavalcanti abandons the tie-up, and she puts three punches on the face.
Cavalcanti lifts her leg up to take some of the sting out of a kick, and both women let their lands go in a sudden exchange. Silva starts committing to more heavy leg kicks, and Cavalcanti’s volume remains steady with moves that touch rather than sting. Silva boots Cavalcanti upside the head, and it is narrowly blocked in time. Commentator Dominick Cruz chastises the women for not putting their full effort into this fight, and they apparently can hear him as they again whir into action and start drilling one another with strikes. Cavalcanti kicks, and Silva kicks her back in the ribs. Cavalcanti splits the guard with a jab and shakes her hand out, and she plants a one-two on the jaw as she drives the Brazilian back. Cavalcanti stomp kicks the lead knee of her adversary, and her jab has marked up the bridge of Silva’s nose. As Silva tries to circle to the side and avoid all contact to end the round, Cavalcanti walks her down and boots her in the guts as time expires.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
Of the two women in the cage, it is Cavalcanti who is fired up and ready to push the pace in the final frame. She does just that right out of the cage, walking behind a right hand that she bangs into Silva’s temple. As she chains punches together, Cavalcanti’s punches draw a failed takedown shot out of her opponent that pushes her to the wire but little else. Cavalcanti’s offense has drawn some swelling around Silva’s left eye and right temple, and she is quickly blowing up all over like golf balls slid under her skin. Cavalcanti pecks at the front leg with sticking her hands out, and she even tries a trip and throw but Silva bounces off. Cavalcanti’s one-two barely reaches as Silva’s right hand does not land cleanly, and Cavalcanti is walking forward without fear of reprisal.
Cavalcanti jabs the body with the ball of her foot, and she reams Silva with a one-two. Silva tries to grab hold of the woman from Portugal and get some dirty boxing going, but when that does not amount to much, it is a power jab that has the best effect of her strikes thus far. Cavalcanti recovers and snaps out her own jab in Silva’s face, using it to open up a few clubbing right hands. The once-beaten woman lets Silva buzz past her with a spinning strike, and she resets and works the body. Silva loads up on a right hand, and her subsequent low kick is checked. They flash jabs simultaneously, but Silva will likely need more if she wants to get her hand raised in the next 55 seconds. Cavalcanti stays in front of her foe, and she measures a right hand on the swollen eye socket. She follows it with a few more, and Silva walks forward as if she wants to brawl. When Cavalcanti lands on her, she changes her mind. Cavalcanti’s stance switches alone take most of Silva’s offense out of the equation, and she marches the former title challenger down and busts her in the chops with a left hand. The fight concludes, and the two ladies embrace as a camera quickly shows that Silva’s right foot has also ballooned as a result of this match.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Devin Tejada scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Mayra Bueno Silva via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Joselyne Edwards because she is the much better striker and can piece up Mayra Bueno Silva on the feet. He notes that Mayra is on a three-fight skid and may be desperate for takedowns, but Joselyne's takedown defense should hold up if she avoids naked kicks. He prefers Joselyne to box rather than kick to avoid getting taken down.
Big Brady is not high on Cavalcanti, noting her underwhelming wins and split decisions against lower-level opponents. He acknowledges Bueno Silva's dangerous guard but criticizes her refusal to wrestle offensively. He thinks Cavalcanti will pick apart Bueno Silva at range for 15 minutes, winning a decision, but notes Bueno Silva has a path if she takes the fight to the ground.
Cody picks Silva as a dog, citing her superior grappling and competition level. He thinks Cavalcanti's wins are over low-level opponents and that Silva can take her down and submit her.
Lucrative James confidently picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He notes her cleaner striking, volume, and defensive skills, while Mayra Bueno Silva is on a downslide and has bounced between weight classes. He acknowledges Silva's submission threat but believes Cavalcanti can avoid it and win a decision. He also mentions Silva's recent black belt but doubts it will change the outcome.
The host believes Cavalcanti's striking edge will allow her to pick Silva apart from distance, though Silva's aggression could make it close. Ultimately, Cavalcanti should land better shots and win on the scorecards.
Paul is torn, leaning pass. He notes Silva's inconsistency and Cavalcanti's lack of impressive wins, but can't back Cavalcanti at minus 260.
The Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Mayra Bueno Silva. He cites Silva's recent losses and inability to bully opponents, while Cavalcanti has shown good striking and range management. He expects a competitive decision, with Cavalcanti outlanding Silva to a 29-28 win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Avila | 0 | 54 of 138 | 39% | 57 of 145 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:39 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 73 of 199 | 36% | 75 of 201 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julia Avila | 0 | 24 of 49 | 48% | 24 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 32 of 81 | 39% | 32 of 81 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Julia Avila | 0 | 12 of 35 | 34% | 15 of 40 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:23 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 17 of 54 | 31% | 17 of 54 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Julia Avila | 0 | 18 of 54 | 33% | 18 of 56 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:16 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 24 of 64 | 37% | 26 of 66 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Julia Avila | 54 of 138 | 39% | 17 of 86 | 9 of 18 | 28 of 34 | 51 of 134 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 73 of 199 | 36% | 54 of 176 | 11 of 13 | 8 of 10 | 73 of 198 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Julia Avila | 24 of 49 | 48% | 5 of 28 | 3 of 4 | 16 of 17 | 24 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 32 of 81 | 39% | 21 of 69 | 5 of 6 | 6 of 6 | 32 of 81 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Julia Avila | 12 of 35 | 34% | 4 of 20 | 2 of 6 | 6 of 9 | 12 of 34 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 17 of 54 | 31% | 12 of 48 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 17 of 53 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Julia Avila | 18 of 54 | 33% | 8 of 38 | 4 of 8 | 6 of 8 | 15 of 51 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 24 of 64 | 37% | 21 of 59 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 | 24 of 64 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-440), Avila (+340)
Round 1
There still ain’t no gettin’ offa’ this train we’re on until the middle of April, so strap in and enjoy the ride. We surge through February with a UFC Apex offering, the first of three in the next five weeks for better or worse. Suitably, the event only features a couple ranked competitors and a few names could be on the chopping block should they come up short. Potentially with her back against the wall is bantamweight Avila (9-3, 3-2 UFC), who took 2024 off instead of completely retiring, having lost two of her last three. The same cannot be said for Portugal’s Cavalcanti (8-1, 3-0 UFC) who will be nine years the younger. The ladies touch ‘em up over the oversight of referee Chris Tognoni, and the fights begin. As a note, the old gloves are officially in effect for every UFC card going forward. Cavalcanti in the center of the cage paws out with jabs that clatter off the guard, and Avila gives her back a surprisingly heavy leg kick to think about. Avila kicks on the other side of the leg, and she backs off as Cavalcanti swarms her. Avila circles away to check a kick and let one go, and the two try to find their range from distance. Both lunge with long strikes, and Avila mixes in low kicks. Avila parries a front kick and chews up the Portuguese woman’s front calf, making her shake it out. Cavalcanti jabs a foot to the belly and strings a few punches together, and this activates Avila into start trading. Cavalcanti reaches out with a long left hook to intercept Avila a few times, and she gets a body shot in to further frustrate the geologist. Avila checks a kick and loops a right hand over the top to keep Cavalcanti honest. The woman from Portugal strings together a one-two down the pipe, and she chains a few punches behind it but gets smacked with an overhand right. Cavalcanti leans back to dodge the worst of the swinging strike and connects on Avila, putting in body work to open up the head. Cavalcanti brushes a pair of hooks off the temple, and she wraps a kick around the side. Avila kicks her back at the end of the round.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 2
Cavalcanti is the aggressor to start off the second round, having found her preferred range with jabs and kicks. Avila throws caution to the wind, absorbing a strike to get in, and she connects cleanly on her opponent. Cavalcanti shrugs it off to put a one-two on the chin and slide back from the anticipated looping counter. Avila is telegraphing her approach, giving Cavalcanti the right read to avoid the worst of the damage. Cavalcanti draws out a counter, prods out a pair of stabbing kicks to the midsection and catches a kick that flies back at her. Cavalcanti sets it down after landing once, and her one-two again is right on point. Cavalcanti snaps the head to the side with a right hand down Broadway, and Avila’s lunging blows are hitting air. Cavalcanti uses a perfect front kick to intercept the advancing Avila, stunning her and clipping her with a pair of fists. Cavalcanti wraps two punches around the guard and sneaks a kick up, with Avila practically standing straight in front of her foe taking shots. Avila sinks in on a hearty low kick, and she belts the belly with a resounding thud. As Cavalcanti turns away, Avila falls over and grabs Cavalcanti’s ankle. Cavalcanti tries to escape, but Avila torques her down to the mat and blood starts streaming down her face from a sharp right hand from the Portuguese woman. Cavalcanti controls the guard, tying Avila up from all but the least effective ground strikes, with Avila largely settling for bleeding on her foe. Avila wraps up a guillotine choke when Cavalcanti stands, but she is too slippery to get it so the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
Blood flow on Avila’s cut is largely stemmed for now, but a few good strikes in the third round will undoubtedly open it up again. Avila keeps her guard up high while rattling off solid leg kicks, and she rushes forward and gets her leg caught. The pressure of Avila surprises her opponent, as she wings punches and forces awkward exchanges befitting of her “Raging Panda” nickname. Cavalcanti slows her foe down with jabs, busting Avila’s nose up and practically ignoring anything thrown at her. Avila slings for the bleachers, but Cavalcanti is the more accurate and active of the two. Avila hurls all power, and those strikes glide past her adversary. Cavalcanti lets Avila crowd her so she can pop her with short, effective punches, and picks her opportunities to get away safely in time. Cavalcanti connects with a one-two from afar, letting Avila flail back as Avila is still swinging hard but her accuracy is falling fast. Cavalcanti lets her overswing so she can ding here, staying calm under fire and further transforming Avila’s face into a crimson mask. The two crash together at the same time, and it is Cavalcanti who bounces forward first. Avila jabs and scores a right hand to tie the heavy favorite up and jam her to the wall, but this clinch exchange will not likely get her the edge she was seeking. With seconds to go, Avila lets go with everything she has, and the horn blares.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Julia Avila via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo is confident in Jacqueline Cavalcanti, noting she is younger, stronger, and faster. He believes Julia Avila's best days are behind her and that toughness alone is not enough. He wishes Cavalcanti wrestled more to exploit Avila's defensive gaps, but still picks her confidently.
Big Brady picks Cavalcanti, noting that while she is overrated and has gone to split decisions, Avila has no path to victory. Avila cannot take Cavalcanti down (90% takedown defense) and is outmatched on the feet. He expects a unanimous decision win for Cavalcanti.
Cavalcanti is the better striker with technical advantages that will allow her to keep the fight standing and batter Avila from distance. However, the host notes that Cavalcanti is too big a favorite and wouldn't mind a small bet on Avila for the upset. Official pick is Cavalcanti by decision.
The MMA Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Julia Avila, citing Avila's recent loss to Miesha Tate and her age (36). He notes Cavalcanti's wins over tough opponents like Josiane Nunes and Nora Cornolle, and sees her as younger, rangier, and with more room to improve.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 54 of 114 | 47% | 80 of 156 | 1 of 9 | 11% | 0 | 0 | 3:56 |
| Nora Cornolle | 0 | 54 of 154 | 35% | 87 of 194 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 1:09 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 16 of 27 | 59% | 29 of 48 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:41 |
| Nora Cornolle | 0 | 11 of 43 | 25% | 25 of 60 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:34 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 17 of 32 | 53% | 29 of 50 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 1:51 |
| Nora Cornolle | 0 | 13 of 41 | 31% | 24 of 54 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:27 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 21 of 55 | 38% | 22 of 58 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Nora Cornolle | 0 | 30 of 70 | 42% | 38 of 80 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 54 of 114 | 47% | 15 of 65 | 17 of 23 | 22 of 26 | 41 of 95 | 13 of 19 | 0 of 0 |
| Nora Cornolle | 54 of 154 | 35% | 28 of 117 | 12 of 15 | 14 of 22 | 48 of 146 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 16 of 27 | 59% | 7 of 17 | 2 of 3 | 7 of 7 | 13 of 22 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
| Nora Cornolle | 11 of 43 | 25% | 1 of 28 | 4 of 4 | 6 of 11 | 11 of 42 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 17 of 32 | 53% | 2 of 14 | 10 of 11 | 5 of 7 | 10 of 24 | 7 of 8 | 0 of 0 |
| Nora Cornolle | 13 of 41 | 31% | 8 of 34 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 4 | 10 of 37 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 21 of 55 | 38% | 6 of 34 | 5 of 9 | 10 of 12 | 18 of 49 | 3 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
| Nora Cornolle | 30 of 70 | 42% | 19 of 55 | 6 of 8 | 5 of 7 | 27 of 67 | 3 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
It’s no time like the present to move to the next fight, which comes at the 135-pound weight class in a wide-open division. A pair of ladies with two wins in the promotion will aim for win no. 3, with Cavalcanti (7-1, 2-0 UFC) returning from a quick turnaround against home country Cornolle (8-1, 2-0 UFC). While the woman from Portugal is currently riding a five-fight win streak, the local Cornolle has not tasted defeat since her pro debut—which came against Cavalcanti—and is flying high. Referee Christophe Chapuis takes charge of the cage, and he starts the rematch as the two women touch gloves. Cornolle stays on the outside while Cavalcanti is in the middle, and she pecks at her foe with a few low kicks. Cavalcanti responds in kind, and they dart in at one another with single jabs. Cavalcanti looks for a right hand over the top when a leg kick is aimed at her, and she continues to work the Frenchwoman’s lead leg over with her shin. Another leg kick from Cornolle is answered with an overhand right, but it is a bit too slow to get to her. Cornolle ducks and reaches her way in, only to find herself out of range. Cavalcanti jams a hard low kick on the front wheel, and she checks a kick that comes back her way. Cornolle reaches her foe with a winging right hand, using this strike to close the distance and wrap her arms around Cavalcanti’s waist. Cavalcanti leans her head against the cage as Cornolle hangs on from behind her, with the woman from France pursuing a level change. When Cavalcanti stands her up, Cornolle dings her with a pair of sneaky elbows and two knees. The third knee from Cornolle allows her to lift her opponent and chuck her to the floor, where she is stuck in an odd position until she steps all the way over to full mount. Cavalcanti rolls her over and finds herself in armbar danger, so she stands back up and stars slapping Cornolle’s legs with kicks. Cornolle responds with axe kicks, so Cavalcanti does the same. When “Wonder” works her way back up, Cavalcanti walks her down and beans her with a pair of punches. Cornolle tosses out a naked leg kick, and two more fists fly at her mug. Cavalcanti chains several punches together as a head kick brushes past her shoulder, and Cornolle tries a second high kick from up close. Cavalcanti pays it no mind, walking through a high knee to put her hands on her opponent until the bell sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cornolle
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 2
Cavalcanti deploys her same game plan to start the second round, claiming the center of the cage while slowly advancing. Cavalcanti picks at her adversary with kicks, avoiding a wheel kick and landing a right hand over the top. Cornolle connects with a left hand, and she has a head kick come up short of the mark. Cavalcanti keeps crowding her, and they trade low kicks. A high kick from Cornolle gets closer than before, whipping it up in close proximity. She appears to celebrate her work a little too long, as Cavalcanti rings her bell with a right hand down the middle. The power punches from the woman born in Brazil but now a Portuguese local do serious damage, and Cornolle wobbles and bounces off the fence. Cavalcanti stays composed as she traps Cornolle against the wire, ringing her bell with another big right, and Cornolle bends over and has to shake it off. To save her composure, the Frenchwoman changes levels and succeeds in tripping Cavalcanti’s legs out. Cavalcanti climbs back up, and she grabs the fence to keep herself from getting mat returned as Chapuis slaps her hand. Cornolle stays tightly pressed to her opponent, chipping away with knees and dirty boxing until Cavalcanti spins her about. Cornolle uses a knee to get a bit of space, and she fires off a head kick from up close to break away. Cavalcanti shrugs it off and keeps the pressure fully on “Wonder,” and she stuffs a takedown but cannot stop Cornolle from grabbing her. Cornolle opens up with a number of knees from up close as she clinches, continuing this until the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
The bantamweights are lathered up for five more minutes of combat, and Cavalcanti leads off the round where she prefers, in the center slowly spreading her way towards the cage to back her opponent up. Cavalcanti uses her jabs to keep a safe range, but Cornolle steps in to break that up momentarily with a hard right elbow. Cavalcanti no-sells it and hammers Cornolle’s front leg with a kick, and she leans back to dodge a head kick. Cavalcanti checks a kick as Cornolle staggers back, and she avoids a high kick and a spinning back fist while sneaking in an overhand right. Cornolle shoots in but cannot get to the hips, settling for a clinch and a knee to the breadbasket. Cavalcanti frames off with an elbow to split up, and she shakes her arms out. Cavalcanti tries to pin a one-two on the chin, and a follow-up right reaches its intended target. Cornolle responds with a head kick that slaps off the guard, and she gets marked up with a right hand that shakes up her balance. Cavalcanti’s right finds its home once more, not letting the head kick counter get to her, and she pushes off another clinch setup. Cavalcanti stalks the Frenchwoman down, ignoring a high kick to stretch out with three punches. The crowd attempts to inspire their fighter with two minutes left, and she channels their energy to explode into a slugfest. Cavalcanti stands her ground and knocks her back, and Cornolle shrugs at her as if to say that Cavalcanti’s blows do not hurt her. When Cavalcanti connects hard, Cornolle turns around and shouts something at her own team, which allows Cavalcanti to hit her again. Cornolle gathers herself, and Cavalcanti reaches a right hand that misses the mark when “Wonder” attacks the hips. Cornolle hangs on and mashes her elbow on Cavalcanti’s face, and Cavalcanti bursts out of the tie-up and boots Cornolle in the belly. Cornolle again waves her own, and Cavalcanti obliges, lobbing punches, elbows and kicks at her until the final bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (29-28 Cavalcanti)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Nora Cornolle via Split Decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Angelo picks Nora Cornolle despite acknowledging Jacob's strong disagreement. He argues that Nora's forward pressure and busy striking will be effective against Jacqueline, who tends to back up. He believes Jacqueline's split decision win over Josiane Nunes was questionable and that Nora's aggression will earn her rounds. However, he is not confident enough to bet on Nora straight up, but considers betting the +3.5 spread if available.
Big Brady picks the underdog Nora Cornolle, noting she has shown rapid improvement and looked impressive in her last fight against Melissa Mullins. He thinks the fight will be close and go to decision, with Cornolle having home-field advantage in Paris. He is not high on either fighter but sees value in the dog.
Cody picks Cornolle as an underdog, citing the hometown advantage and the fact that both are strikers. He notes that Cavalcanti's recent win over Josiane Nunes was a close split decision, and Cornolle has shown high volume when not taken down. He expects a close fight that could go Cornolle's way via split decision.
Connor agrees, noting that Cavalcanti is technical enough and has a bright future. He was impressed by her performance against Nunes and thinks she will be able to out-strike Cornolle, who relies on clinch work. Connor expects Cavalcanti to win decisively.
Daniel Vreeland picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti to win, but is not confident at the price. He thinks Cavalcanti is the more polished striker and should win at distance, but notes Cornolle has power and can steal moments. He mentions Cornolle's improvements and the home crowd, but believes Cavalcanti's volume and technique will earn a decision.
JP picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti because she has a reach advantage and has fought Nora Cornolle before, winning by decision. He notes Cornolle is a wild striker with power but Cavalcanti's volume should win her the fight. He also mentions Cavalcanti is younger at 27 vs Cornolle's 34, and he is fading older fighters.
Paul switches to Cornolle after discussion, citing the CF model and the fact that Cavalcanti is on short notice and fought a month ago. He notes that Cornolle has good volume and that the fight being in France could lead to a favorable decision. He expects a close striking match that Cornolle might win.
The MMA Guru picks Nora Cornolle over Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing Cavalcanti's short-notice turnaround as a red flag. He notes that Cavalcanti fought a month ago and usually fights twice a year, while Cornolle was preparing for a bigger fight. He believes Cornolle is more prepared and will win despite similar skill levels.
Zane thinks Cavalcanti will win the rematch because she is a more consistent striker and has improved since their first fight, where she dominated Cornolle. He notes that Cavalcanti is fundamental and handled pressure well against Josiane Nunes. Cornolle's only path is clinch work, but Cavalcanti should be able to out-strike her.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 91 of 171 | 53% | 91 of 171 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Josiane Nunes | 0 | 52 of 153 | 33% | 52 of 153 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 34 of 62 | 54% | 34 of 62 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Josiane Nunes | 0 | 20 of 52 | 38% | 20 of 52 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 31 of 60 | 51% | 31 of 60 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Josiane Nunes | 0 | 18 of 48 | 37% | 18 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 26 of 49 | 53% | 26 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Josiane Nunes | 0 | 14 of 53 | 26% | 14 of 53 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 91 of 171 | 53% | 49 of 119 | 11 of 19 | 31 of 33 | 91 of 171 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Josiane Nunes | 52 of 153 | 33% | 33 of 126 | 11 of 19 | 8 of 8 | 50 of 149 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 34 of 62 | 54% | 17 of 42 | 6 of 8 | 11 of 12 | 34 of 62 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Josiane Nunes | 20 of 52 | 38% | 8 of 37 | 6 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 20 of 52 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 31 of 60 | 51% | 15 of 41 | 4 of 7 | 12 of 12 | 31 of 60 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Josiane Nunes | 18 of 48 | 37% | 12 of 39 | 4 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 18 of 48 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 26 of 49 | 53% | 17 of 36 | 1 of 4 | 8 of 9 | 26 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Josiane Nunes | 14 of 53 | 26% | 13 of 50 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 12 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-192), Nunes (+160)
Round 1
Two Brazilian strikers with deceptively high knockout rates meet in the center of the cage in this next endeavor. Much taller and longer, Cavalcanti (6-1, 1-0 UFC), who now fights out of Portugal but was born on Sao Paulo, will maintain ample natural advantages against the diminutive brawler Nunes (10-2, 3-1 UFC). Even though she measures around 5-foot-2 and short arms to match, it is “Josi” who comes into this fight having knocked out foe in seven of 10 wins, much like a Mark Hunt-esque women’s bantamweight. The countrywomen tap their gloves together to start the fight, with referee Mark Smith watching on with bated breath. Cavalcanti paws out her jab repeatedly right out of the gate, and she sticks out a few low kicks until Nunes counters her over the top. Nunes swarms forward but is out of range, and Cavalcanti peppers her with distant strikes. They trade low kicks, and Nunes just misses with a reaching left hand. Cavalcanti boots her in the head with a kick, and she slides away from the swarming Nunes. Cavalcanti keeps her foe at arm’s reach, not allowing Nunes to get inside to bop her in the chops with any number of winging strike. Cavalcanti jabs and keeps lateral footwork to avoid danger, and she sticks out a one-two to get Nunes’ attention. As Nunes races forward, she does manage to connect with a few punches, and she bites down on her mouthpiece and knows she has to eat a few shots to get inside. She does just that, shrugging off a straight right hand so she can blast Cavalcanti in the side of the head. Nunes keeps slugging, and a particularly effective right hand draws some swelling on Cavalcanti’s temple. Cavalcanti slows things down with a few front kicks to stay at her preferred range, and she sticks a body kick under the guard while moving. Cavalcanti reaches with a jab and a right, and she hops away from a few looping shots that miss the mark. Cavalcanti scores a low kick and slides away when Nunes grabs her leg, and she intercepts Nunes with a stern right hand. Nunes keeps plowing forward, and she runs at Cavalcanti throwing hands until the horn sounds.
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Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nunes
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 2
Gloves get touched, and Cavalcanti pokes and prods from her safe distance early. A few twos from Cavalcanti have reddened up Nunes’ left eye, and she uses her jab to set that strike up time and again. Nunes chambers and partially fires her huge left hook to no avail, and she even jumps forward winging one but hits nothing but air. Cavalcanti drives home a one-two on the cheek as Nunes rushes after her, hand-fighting and keeping Nunes from hitting her. Nunes finds her range with a big left hand, bouncing Cavalcanti off the wall, and she connects with another after a serious wind-up. Nunes paws out a right hook that wobbles Cavalcanti, and she blocks a body kick instead of pouncing. Cavalcanti shakes it off and flicks a low kick and a right hand, and she gets back to a jab with a solid two behind it. Cavalcanti’s low kick is caught, and she just gets away when Nunes loads up on pure power. Cavalcanti watches Nunes run at her to crack her with a preemptive right hand, and Nunes tries to pay her back but is just taking damage. Cavalcanti picks her shots and uses her serious reach advantage to disallow Nunes from denting her forehead with huge power strikes. Cavalcanti nails her foe with a right hand, and she gets punched back and claims it was an eye poke. Smith calls time and allows Cavalcanti to recover, but it appears to be a fist that irritated her and not outstretched fingers. When they resume after about 25 seconds, Cavalcanti is on her bike with Nunes fired up, and her long punches open a cut on the cheek of her adversary. Nunes tries to cut Cavalcanti off but is following her around, allowing Cavalcanti to piece her up. Nunes gets off two left hands before Cavalcanti can skirt away, and Cavalcanti looks for a step-in knee when they get up close. Nunes scores with another hook, and a front kick from Cavalcanti makes her think twice about swinging recklessly before the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
There is one final fist bump to get going, and Nunes charges forward like before. Nunes has a big left hand soar past her opponent, with Cavalcanti deftly avoiding the worst of almost every blow. Nunes briefly draws her foe into a slugfest, and Cavalcanti takes a few and makes the decision to not give Nunes the only chance to put her down. Cavalcanti digs a body shot amidst several jabs, circling away from the power and letting a left brush past her. Nunes walks into several fists, and she grits it out to launch her left twice. Nunes gets into range, but Cavalcanti exits and dodges a haymaker on the way out. Nunes tries to feint and fake her way in, but Cavalcanti is not biting, rather jabbing her in the face. When Nunes bull-rushes her, Cavalcanti clips her with an uppercut, causing Nunes to crash into the wall. Nunes gathers a full head of steam and keeps her guard up, blocking a head kick that makes Cavalcanti topple to the mat. Nunes tries to pounce, but Cavalcanti pushes her off and climbs back to her feet. Cavalcanti gets on her bike, seemingly cruising with jabs and the occasional front kick while Nunes is walking straight into everything. Cavalcanti smacks her in the side of the head with a lead hook, swelling up Nunes’ right eye a bit. Nunes ignores any damage she has sustained and is loaded for bear, but Cavalcanti is faster and longer. Nunes throws caution to the wind, with a few lefts getting in before Cavalcanti evades the rest of the blitz. Cavalcanti jabs with a front kick to the knee, allowing her to take some of the sting out of Nunes’ lunging hook. Cavalcanti slaps the instep of her foot on the midsection of the shorter woman, and she bounces away from further danger. Nunes walks her down, tagging her with two left hands but not flustering Cavalcanti one bit. Cavalcanti picks out a few jabs and right hands, and Nunes no-sells every blow so she can try for one final power strike. That blow does not come because Cavalcanti kicks her in the belly, and the bantamweight bout draws to a close. It could go either way, depending on how judges value Nunes power strikes vs. her foe’s accuracy and activity.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (29-28 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Josiane Nunes via Split Decision (27-30, 29-28, 30-27)
Angelo picks the underdog Josiane Nunes, describing her as a bowling ball who only moves forward and throws bombs. He thinks the odds are too wide in favor of Cavalcanti due to recency bias, and that Cavalcanti doesn't like pressure. He notes that Nunes lost her last fight because a giant held her against the cage, but doesn't see that happening here. He suggests a plus 3.5 bet on Nunes, similar to the Dan Hooker bet.
Cody picks Cavalcanti because of her reach, speed, and striking technique. He notes that Nunes is short and has to close distance, which plays into Cavalcanti's range game. He also uses MMA math: Cavalcanti dominated Zara Fairn, while Nunes had a competitive fight with Fairn. He thinks Cavalcanti will outpoint Nunes and win a decision.
Daniel Vreeland picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her significant size and reach advantage over the much shorter Nunes. He notes Cavalcanti's high volume and well-rounded skills, while Nunes is too small for the division and will be bullied.
Brevin picks Cavalcanti by decision, noting she is the bigger fighter and a better striker with range. He dismisses Nunes due to her loss to Chelsea Chandler, which he finds disqualifying. JP agrees, adding that Nunes is much smaller and Cavalcanti is a good striker who is very rangy. Both expect the fight to go the distance.
Paul agrees with Cody, noting that Nunes was outworked by Chelsea Chandler. He thinks Cavalcanti's volume will be the difference. He also mentions that women's favorites have been winning at a high rate this year, so he's comfortable backing the favorite here.
The MMA Guru picks Josiane Nunes because he believes she is stronger and has more grit than Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He criticizes Cavalcanti's wins over Zara Fairn and Melissa Gatto as unimpressive, implying Nunes has a better mentality and will dig deeper. He relies on a subjective assessment of who wants it more.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 39 of 259 | 15% | 39 of 259 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| Zarah Fairn | 0 | 126 of 221 | 57% | 127 of 222 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 5 of 86 | 5% | 5 of 86 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Zarah Fairn | 0 | 36 of 62 | 58% | 36 of 62 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 10 of 80 | 12% | 10 of 80 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Zarah Fairn | 0 | 46 of 81 | 56% | 46 of 81 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 0 | 24 of 93 | 25% | 24 of 93 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| Zarah Fairn | 0 | 44 of 78 | 56% | 45 of 79 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 39 of 259 | 15% | 25 of 241 | 8 of 12 | 6 of 6 | 39 of 258 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Zarah Fairn | 126 of 221 | 57% | 43 of 127 | 20 of 22 | 63 of 72 | 116 of 209 | 10 of 12 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 5 of 86 | 5% | 2 of 82 | 2 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 86 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Zarah Fairn | 36 of 62 | 58% | 4 of 26 | 8 of 8 | 24 of 28 | 36 of 62 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 10 of 80 | 12% | 6 of 74 | 2 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 80 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Zarah Fairn | 46 of 81 | 56% | 19 of 48 | 4 of 6 | 23 of 27 | 41 of 74 | 5 of 7 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Jacqueline Cavalcanti | 24 of 93 | 25% | 17 of 85 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 3 | 24 of 92 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Zarah Fairn | 44 of 78 | 56% | 20 of 53 | 8 of 8 | 16 of 17 | 39 of 73 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Cavalcanti (-375), Fairn dos Santos (+295)
Round 1
Come l’enfer ou hautes eaux, the promotion was going to put on more than 10 fights on this card, no matter what it had to do with the matchups already on the table. With eight of the 11 pairings on the billing containing at least one French fighter, the deck is stacked for local fight fans to get their money’s worth. We begin with a catchweight contest of 140 pounds, between two women who could not safely reach the bantamweight limit in time. After a bit of struggle, Paris-based Fairn (6-5, 0-3 UFC) managed to make the 140-pound cap, while her debuting Portuguese opponent Cavalcanti (5-1, 0-0 UFC) was all smiles on the scales. Someone here has to earn their first UFC victory, and referee Rich Mitchell will be there every step of the way. The first fight of the early afternoon card – for stateside audiences on the east coast – kicks off with a touch of gloves. Fairn takes to the center of the cage, where she paws out jabs and a right hand to follow one in order to find her range. The newcomer skirts along the outside, and she slaps a few leg kicks out while also swiping with a jab or two. The crowd booms in favor of Fairn, making sure to voice support for the French woman, and she continues moving forward aggressively. Cavalcanti chops at her from the outer edge of the cage, and she swats away the two-punch combos that aim her way. Neither woman engages with much of note, as they are tossing out pitter-patter strikes with very little on them. Fairn continues to plod forward, and Cavalcanti stays on her bike, poking out with low kicks here and there. Fairn follows her and swings, but she cannot find her target cleanly. Cavalcanti parries the punches and kicks the lead leg, and she mixes things up with a front kick. Fairn struggles to reach her foe with her fists, and Cavalcanti hand-fights to defend the majority of the punches that come her way. The Portuguese fighter turns her hips into a few heavier leg kicks, and the former kickboxer Fairn is doing nothing to check or counter them. Cavalcanti connects with a pair of punches, and Fairn pushes off to break up the combination and her fingers jam into both eye sockets of Cavalcanti at the same time. Mitchell calls time to allow Cavalcanti to recover from the Three Stooges-esque double eye poke, and he calls in the doctor to bring in a towel to allow her to wipe her eyes out. Cavalcanti is taking the time she needs to recover instead of rushing things, ignoring the jeers and whistles from the partisan crowd. After about half the time of the five-minute recovery period elapses, the doctor clears her to continue, and Cavalcanti is good to go. There is no apology glove touch offered from the French woman, who instead engages out of the gate by putting her foot on the gas. Mitchell warns Fairn again for her outstretched fingers, and Cavalcanti darts away from the flurries and largely avoids them until the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
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Round 2
The second round opens with a more aggressive Fairn, who keeps busy with jabs and reaching push kicks. Mitchell informs the Portuguese fighter to close her fists now, as both women are leading with their fingers pointed at their targets. Fairn catches her foe at the end of a right hand, countering a low kick. Fairn does not change her approach much, with the same patterns and movements that Cavalcanti has picked up on already. Cavalcanti continues to pepper her with frustrating leg kicks, and she strafes to the side to evade the lion’s share of what “Infinite” slings her way. Fairn walks forward swinging a right hand, and Cavalcanti responds with a slapping left hand. The most effective strikes of the fight so far are Cavalcanti’s kicks, as neither land with anything noteworthy with their fists. Cavalcanti closes the distance and suddenly tags Fairn with a crisp combination, and Fairn looks to bully her back but hits nothing but air. Cavalcanti pops the Frenchwoman with another few kicks, and Fairn’s methodical jab is not able to get any respect. Cavalcanti loops a right hand over the guard, and she stings Fairn and throws the same strike two more times. Fairn shakes it off and gets back into her slow, inaccurate groove, seemingly stuck in first gear. Cavalcanti strings a few punches into a leg kick, and Fairn grabs hold of her to set up a clinch or potential takedown. Cavalcanti shrugs it off and resets, and she chops down the lead leg of her opponent from both sides. The kicks force Fairn to preemptively raise her lead leg, and the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti
Round 3
Cavalcanti leads the dance in the third round, moving right to the middle of the Octagon to strike with jabs and leg kicks. Fairn flails back with impunity, and she ends up walking into the chopping kicks that continue to work on her lead wheel. As the commentary booth loses interest in the matchup, the three men of John Gooden, Michael Bisping and Paul Felder begin to discuss their favorite sandwich – ending up settling on breakfast sandwiches with bacon and chipotle sauce as their top idea. All the while, the 140-pound ladies continue their slow, unhazardous kickboxing match, where there seems to be very little zip on any strikes. Fairn does not change her strategy, allowing Cavalcanti to pick away at her and counter her with small but scoring strikes. When Fairn lunges with a jab, Cavalcanti has a right hand read to smack her in the cheek. Cavalcanti uses head movement to make Fairn miss, and the accuracy rate of the Frenchwoman is likely very low in this contest. Fairn, with little options, moves forward into a clinch. Cavalcanti allows her to do this so that she can bust Fairn in the chops with several clean uppercuts. Fairn lets go of the grip and rebounds off the cage wall, and she is stuck eating shots while Cavalcanti slips the responses. Fairn reaches her with a right hand, and Cavalcanti keeps her guard high as the crowd gives it up for the briefly aggressive Fairn. This surge slows, as Fairn’s left eye begins to swell from the constant right hands she eats. Fairn shoots in for an ill-advised takedown, and Cavalcanti stuffs it with ease and moves around to take her back standing. Fairn shucks her way out of the body control, and Cavalcanti lays into her with a few more punches. The fight ends, and barring an extreme miscarriage of justice, France will be down 0-1 against the world today.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cavalcanti (30-27 Cavalcanti)
The Official Result
Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. Zarah Fairn via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Angelo picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti because Zarah Fairn is pushing 40 and fades as fights go on. He notes Fairn's striking is technical but age and cardio are issues. Cavalcanti can push pace and stay in Fairn's face, and even if Fairn has early success, she will tire. Angelo acknowledges Fairn would have been his pick a few years ago.
Big Brady is confident in Cavalcanti, citing her youth, size, and superior skills everywhere. He notes Fairn's age (36 or 39) and questionable UFC caliber, and expects Cavalcanti to dominate on the ground or on the feet. He predicts a finish within the first two rounds, specifically a second-round TKO. He also mentions Fairn's history of missing weight, casting doubt on the fight happening.
Cody picks Cavalcanti, citing her youth (26), improvements, and win over Melissa Croden. He notes Fairn is 40, has missed weight badly, and has poor striking and grappling. Cavalcanti has a striking advantage and can grapple if needed. However, he warns that betting heavy favorites on debut fighters is risky, comparing the card to Minesweeper.
Daniel Levi picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, citing her physicality, power, and well-rounded skills. He notes that Fairn is 39 years old and has a history of slowing down, while Cavalcanti is younger and more athletic. Levi acknowledges the risk of a debutant stun but believes Cavalcanti should win if she doesn't suffer from stage fright. He is not laying chalk at this price.
I'm going with Fairn as a big underdog. She has better experience and can outwork Cavalcanti if the fight stays at range. Cavalcanti is a low-volume striker and may be too patient. Fairn has shown she can put up numbers even in losses. I only take a half unit shot because it's low-level women's MMA and Fairn has weight issues, but I think she wins by decision.
Paul picks Fairn as a contrarian underdog, noting that Fairn outstruck Josiane Nunes 117-102 in her last fight and is a boxer who can stand and trade. He thinks Cavalcanti's loss to Gendrova (who lost to Liv Rock) is concerning. He also mentions the French crowd could influence judges. He takes a three-to-one chewy bet challenge from Cody, betting Fairn.
The MMA Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti, noting she looks decent as a prospect with a good record, while Zarah Fairn lacks technique and has been dominated. He acknowledges uncertainty with women's MMA prospects but believes Cavalcanti will win by decision.
Expert Picks (7)
Angelo picks Joselyne Edwards because she is the much better striker and can piece up Mayra Bueno Silva on the feet. He notes that Mayra is on a three-fight skid and may be desperate for takedowns, but Joselyne's takedown defense should hold up if she avoids naked kicks. He prefers Joselyne to box rather than kick to avoid getting taken down.
Big Brady is not high on Cavalcanti, noting her underwhelming wins and split decisions against lower-level opponents. He acknowledges Bueno Silva's dangerous guard but criticizes her refusal to wrestle offensively. He thinks Cavalcanti will pick apart Bueno Silva at range for 15 minutes, winning a decision, but notes Bueno Silva has a path if she takes the fight to the ground.
Cody picks Silva as a dog, citing her superior grappling and competition level. He thinks Cavalcanti's wins are over low-level opponents and that Silva can take her down and submit her.
Lucrative James confidently picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti. He notes her cleaner striking, volume, and defensive skills, while Mayra Bueno Silva is on a downslide and has bounced between weight classes. He acknowledges Silva's submission threat but believes Cavalcanti can avoid it and win a decision. He also mentions Silva's recent black belt but doubts it will change the outcome.
The host believes Cavalcanti's striking edge will allow her to pick Silva apart from distance, though Silva's aggression could make it close. Ultimately, Cavalcanti should land better shots and win on the scorecards.
Paul is torn, leaning pass. He notes Silva's inconsistency and Cavalcanti's lack of impressive wins, but can't back Cavalcanti at minus 260.
The Guru picks Jacqueline Cavalcanti over Mayra Bueno Silva. He cites Silva's recent losses and inability to bully opponents, while Cavalcanti has shown good striking and range management. He expects a competitive decision, with Cavalcanti outlanding Silva to a 29-28 win.
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