Natalia Silva Bio
Natália Miranda Cristina da Silva, known professionally as Natalia Silva, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women’s Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of October 21, 2025, she is ranked number two in the UFC women’s flyweight rankings and number four in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. She is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous strikers in the 125-pound division and continues to build a strong case for a future title shot.
Early Life and Background
Natália Silva was born on February 3, 1997, in Pingo-d’Água, a small town in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. She grew up in the nearby city of Ipatinga, where she still resides and trains. Coming from a modest community in southeastern Brazil, she discovered martial arts through a voluntary social project that introduced local youth to taekwondo.
Silva began training taekwondo at the age of 16, and she would later earn a purple belt in the discipline. Her early exposure to combat sports gave her a foundation in striking, balance, and competitive discipline. The social project that introduced her to martial arts played a formative role in shaping her future path as a fighter.
Path to MMA
Silva’s transition into mixed martial arts came at the age of 18, when friends invited her to take her first fight. Having trained primarily in taekwondo, she had limited grappling experience and lost a couple of her early bouts while learning the broader demands of MMA. These early setbacks motivated her to round out her skill set, and she later added Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to her training, where she currently holds a blue belt.
Her competitive journey led her to Jungle Fight, one of Brazil’s prominent MMA promotions. In 2017, Carlos Borracha invited her to fight for Jungle Fight and offered her both a gym to train in and a place to live, a turning point that helped stabilize her young career. By 2019, Silva had earned her first opportunity to compete for a flyweight championship within the organization, marking her arrival as a serious title contender in the regional circuit.
Natalia Silva Career
Early Career (2015–2019)
Natália Silva began her professional MMA career in 2015, initially competing at strawweight before moving to the flyweight division in 2016. Her early years were a steep learning curve, as she adjusted to the grappling-heavy aspects of MMA after a striking background in taekwondo. Despite a rocky start, her dedication to improvement quickly showed in her results.
In 2019, Silva captured the Jungle Fight flyweight championship by submitting Gabi Marçal in the opening round with a seamless transition from a striking exchange into an arm lock on the ground. She successfully defended the title against Joice Mara, locking in another arm lock submission with only seconds remaining in the fourth round. These performances established her as a finishing threat and a champion on the Brazilian regional scene.
UFC Breakthrough (2022–2023)
Silva signed with the UFC in 2020, though a broken arm and several complications delayed her promotional debut until June 18, 2022, at UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Emmett. She made an immediate impact, defeating Jasmine Jasudavicius via unanimous decision in her first Octagon appearance. In her sophomore performance at UFC Fight Night: Nzechukwu vs. Cuțelaba, she stopped Tereza Bledá with a third-round TKO powered by a spinning back kick and ground-and-pound strikes, earning her first Performance of the Night bonus.
Continuing her climb, Silva finished Victoria Leonardo via first-round technical knockout at UFC Fight Night 223 in May 2023. She then faced her first ranked opponent, Andrea Lee, at UFC 292 on August 19, 2023, and earned a unanimous decision victory. By the end of 2023, Silva had positioned herself as a fast-rising contender in the UFC women’s flyweight division.
Top-Five Contention Era (2024–Present)
On February 3, 2024, her birthday, Silva faced Viviane Araújo at UFC Fight Night 235 and earned a unanimous decision win. She followed that up with a high-profile unanimous decision victory over former UFC Women’s Strawweight Champion Jéssica Andrade at UFC Fight Night 242 on September 7, 2024, a performance that earned her a Fight of the Night award. These wins pushed her deeper into the top tier of the division.
On May 10, 2025, Silva faced former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and once again took home a unanimous decision. The win over Grasso cemented her status as a top contender and elevated her to the number two spot in the official UFC women’s flyweight rankings. She now trains out of Team Borracha in Ipatinga, Minas Gerais, and continues to represent Brazil on the global MMA stage.
Driving Style and Strengths
Silva is best known for her sharp striking, much of it rooted in her taekwondo base, and she frequently uses dynamic kicks such as the spinning back kick that has already produced highlight-reel finishes. Her ability to mix unorthodox strikes with pressure makes her especially dangerous on the feet, while her growing submission game, highlighted by her arm lock finishes in Jungle Fight, has added another layer to her offensive arsenal. Competing out of Team Borracha has helped her refine her strategy and conditioning for the highest level of competition.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among her signature moments are her back-to-back Jungle Fight title fights, where she secured arm lock submissions in the closing moments of both bouts. In the UFC, her Performance of the Night bonus against Tereza Bledá and her Fight of the Night award against Jéssica Andrade stand out as career milestones. Her unanimous decision win over former champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315 is widely viewed as the victory that put her on the doorstep of a world title opportunity.
Natalia Silva Career Wins
Natália Silva has compiled a strong and steadily growing record on her way to a top ranking in the UFC women’s flyweight division. Her career includes a regional championship, multiple UFC bonuses, and victories over several former champions and ranked opponents. She continues to add to her win total with each appearance inside the Octagon.
UFC Highlights
Silva made her UFC debut in June 2022 and has since put together a string of decision wins and finishes against increasingly difficult opposition. Her first UFC finish came against Tereza Bledá via third-round TKO, which also brought her first Performance of the Night bonus. Her unanimous decision victory over former champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315 in May 2025 marked her most significant win to date and pushed her into the number two spot in the division.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the UFC, Silva captured the Jungle Fight flyweight title in 2019 by submitting Gabi Marçal in the opening round and successfully defended it against Joice Mara. She has also competed at strawweight earlier in her career, giving her experience across two weight classes. Her Brazilian regional run provided the foundation that allowed her to eventually sign with the UFC.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| UFC Women’s Flyweight | Multiple verified | Multiple verified | Not verified |
| Jungle Fight Flyweight | Multiple verified | Not verified | Not verified |
Natalia Silva Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Natália Silva was raised in Pingo-d’Água, a small town in Minas Gerais, Brazil, before settling in the nearby city of Ipatinga. Her entry into martial arts came through a community social project, suggesting a family environment that valued accessible youth programs and personal development. She now trains out of Team Borracha, the gym led by Carlos Borracha, who played a key role in her development as a fighter.
Personal Life
Silva continues to reside in Ipatinga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, where she trains at Team Borracha. She is known for keeping her personal life private, and details about her spouse and children are not publicly confirmed. Outside of training, she is recognized for her dedication to her community roots and her ongoing connection to the social project that first introduced her to martial arts.
2025 Season Performance
Natália Silva’s 2025 campaign has been the most significant of her career. On May 10, 2025, she earned the biggest win of her run in the UFC by outpointing former flyweight champion Alexa Graso at UFC 315 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The victory cemented her place among the top contenders at 125 pounds.
As of October 21, 2025, Silva holds the number two spot in the UFC women’s flyweight rankings and is ranked number four in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. Training out of Team Borracha in Ipatinga, she has continued to refine her striking-heavy style and her submission defense, both of which have been central to her rise. With momentum on her side and a clear claim to a title shot, Silva’s 2025 season has positioned her as the next likely challenger for the UFC women’s flyweight championship.