Mayra Bueno Silva Bio
Mayra Bueno Silva (born August 22, 1991) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). She is best known for her work in the women’s bantamweight division, where she has built a reputation as a dangerous submission grappler and an entertaining finisher. Since debuting professionally in 2016, Bueno Silva has competed against some of the top names in the sport and continues to be a respected presence in the women’s bantamweight division. As of November 2025, she is ranked #11 in the official UFC women’s bantamweight rankings.
Early Life and Background
Mayra Bueno Silva was born on August 22, 1991, in Uberlândia, a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. She grew up in her home country and developed an early interest in martial arts, eventually finding her calling in mixed martial arts. In January 2015, ahead of her professional debut, she relocated to begin training at established gyms in Campinas and São Paulo, two of Brazil’s most important cities for combat sports. Her move to these major training hubs helped her sharpen her skills and prepare for the next stage of her fighting career.
Bueno Silva currently resides in São Paulo, Brazil, and represents a strong Brazilian tradition in combat sports. Standing 170 centimeters tall with a 169-centimeter reach, she possesses the physical tools needed to compete at a high level. Her Brazilian nationality and training background have shaped her approach to the sport, particularly her ground game.
Path to MMA
Mayra Bueno Silva launched her professional mixed martial arts career in 2016. She needed only three fights on the regional Brazilian circuit to catch the attention of major promotions, winning all three bouts and capturing the Batalha MMA Bantamweight title along the way. Her early dominance in the regional scene quickly set her apart from other prospects in the country.
Her strong performances earned her an invitation to Dana White’s Contender Series Brazil 1, a well-known platform that introduces top unsigned talent to the UFC. Bueno Silva made quick work of her opponent, Mayana Souza dos Santos, finishing the fight in the first round with a ninja choke. The performance was enough to earn her a UFC contract and a path to the biggest stage in mixed martial arts.
Mayra Bueno Silva Career
Early Career (2016–2018)
After turning professional in 2016, Mayra Bueno Silva trained with Chute Boxe Diego Lima, where she built the foundation of her fighting style. Between 2016 and 2018, she racked up wins on the Brazilian regional circuit, developing a reputation as a dangerous finisher on the ground. Her combination of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expertise and improving striking made her a desirable addition to any major promotion.
In 2018, Bueno Silva signed with the UFC and made her promotional debut on September 22, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 137, where she faced Gillian Robertson. She won the fight via first-round submission, marking a successful start to her UFC career. By the end of 2018, she had already shown the kind of finishing ability that would become a hallmark of her tenure in the promotion.
UFC Breakthrough (2018–2022)
Following her debut win, Bueno Silva continued to face high-level opposition in the UFC. She earned a Fight of the Night bonus for her bout against Maryna Moroz at UFC Fight Night 170 in March 2020, although she lost the fight by unanimous decision. Later that year, she bounced back with a first-round submission victory over Mara Romero Borella at UFC Fight Night 178, reaffirming her finishing ability.
After a period of mixed results and a 2021 back injury that forced her out of a scheduled bout with Poliana Botelho, Bueno Silva returned to the bantamweight division in 2022 with renewed focus. She picked up a unanimous decision win over Wu Yanan at UFC on ESPN 34, earning another Fight of the Night bonus, and followed it up with a first-round armbar submission of Stephanie Egger at UFC on ESPN 40. By the end of 2022, she had reestablished herself as a rising contender in the division.
In February 2023, Bueno Silva submitted Lina Länsberg with a kneebar in the second round at UFC Fight Night 219, earning a Performance of the Night bonus. Her momentum peaked later that year when she stepped in on short notice to headline UFC on ESPN 49 against former bantamweight champion Holly Holm. Bueno Silva won the fight via a second-round ninja choke, earning her second consecutive Performance of the Night bonus. The bout was later overturned to a No Contest after a flagged doping violation, and she was suspended, becoming eligible to compete again in late November 2023.
American Top Team Era (2021–Present)
In 2021, Mayra Bueno Silva left Chute Boxe Diego Lima and began training with American Top Team, one of the most respected MMA gyms in the world. The move helped elevate her game to another level, as she began working with world-class coaches and training partners. Her performances in 2022 and 2023 reflected the progress she had made with the new team.
More recently, Bueno Silva challenged for the vacant UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship against Raquel Pennington at UFC 297 in January 2024, losing by unanimous decision. She faced setbacks in 2024 and 2025, including losses to Macy Chiasson and Jasmine Jasudavicius. On November 8, 2025, she faced Jacqueline Cavalcanti at UFC Fight Night 264, losing by unanimous decision. Despite the recent results, she remains a top-15 contender in the bantamweight division.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mayra Bueno Silva is a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and her grappling is widely considered her biggest strength. She has finished multiple opponents with submissions, including ninja chokes, armbars, and kneebars. Her ground game is complemented by improving striking and a willingness to engage in entertaining fights, which has earned her multiple post-fight bonus awards inside the UFC octagon.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her most memorable moments are her UFC debut submission win over Gillian Robertson, her short-notice victory over Holly Holm in 2023, and her Performance of the Night bonuses against Lina Länsberg and Holm. She also challenged for the vacant UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship at UFC 297, marking the first world title opportunity of her professional career.
Mayra Bueno Silva Career Wins
Across her professional career, Mayra Bueno Silva has compiled 10 wins in 18 total bouts, with 7 of those victories coming by submission and 1 by knockout, demonstrating her finishing ability. She has earned multiple post-fight bonuses inside the UFC, including Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night awards. Her blend of grappling skill and finishing instinct has made her one of the more exciting fighters in the women’s bantamweight division.
UFC Highlights
Since joining the UFC in 2018, Bueno Silva has earned several notable victories. Her debut submission of Gillian Robertson announced her arrival in the promotion, and she later added wins over Mara Romero Borella, Wu Yanan, Stephanie Egger, Lina Länsberg, and Holly Holm. Many of these wins came with post-fight bonus awards, reflecting her status as a fan-friendly fighter who delivers finishes.
Other Wins and Performances
Before joining the UFC, Bueno Silva captured the Batalha MMA Bantamweight title on the Brazilian regional scene. She has remained active in the bantamweight division for most of her career and also competed in the flyweight division between 2016 and 2025, showing her versatility across multiple weight classes.
Mayra Bueno Silva Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Mayra Bueno Silva was born and raised in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, in Brazil. She comes from a Brazilian background and has spent much of her adult life training and living in the cities of Campinas and São Paulo.
Personal Life
Bueno Silva’s longtime partner is fellow UFC alumna Gloria de Paula. The two met in 2016 and have been together since. She currently resides in São Paulo, Brazil, where she continues to train and compete at the highest level of mixed martial arts.
2025 Season Performance
Mayra Bueno Silva’s 2025 campaign has been a challenging one inside the UFC bantamweight division. She opened the year with a flyweight bout against Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Fight Night 250 in February, losing the fight by unanimous decision. A scheduled August matchup with Joselyne Edwards at UFC on ESPN 72 fell through when Bueno Silva was forced to withdraw for undisclosed reasons.
Despite the setbacks, Bueno Silva remained ranked among the top bantamweights in the world. She returned to action on November 8, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 264, where she faced Jacqueline Cavalcanti but lost by unanimous decision. As of November 2025, she sits at #11 in the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings and continues to be a respected name in the division.
Looking ahead, Bueno Silva will look to bounce back and work her way back up the rankings. With her finishing ability, grappling pedigree, and experience inside the octagon, she remains a dangerous opponent for any fighter in the bantamweight division. Her next steps will be closely watched by fans and analysts alike.