Preview: UFC on ESPN 34 ‘Luque vs. Muhammad 2’

Women’s Bantamweights

NR | Mayra Bueno Silva (7-2-1, 2-2-1 UFC) vs. NR | Yanan Wu (12-4, 1-3 UFC)

BETUS ODDS: Silva (-500), Wu (+350)

In terms of success, Silva was in the middle of the pack as a flyweight, but she has consistently brought the action with a style built mostly around pressure and aggression. Even though she is not a knockout artist, “Sheetara” throws power. Add in that she has a potent submission game, and that is usually enough for her to keep her opponents on their toes, even in her losses. After an October defeat to Manon Fiorot in which Silva once again acquitted herself well, it is a mild surprise to see the Brazilian move up to bantamweight, though she did compete at 135 pounds prior to the UFC and may make some more headway in a thinner division. For her first challenge in her new weight class, Silva takes on Wu, who has struggled to put much momentum together during her time on the UFC roster. There is a lot that should be working for China’s “Mulan,” as she has a solid frame and some athleticism to go with some decently well-rounded skills. However, the overall package just has not amounted to much, mostly thanks to Wu’s typically aimless approach. She does not do much to control her fights, and it seems like most of her time would rather be spent striking from range, despite her lone UFC win coming via armbar against Lauren Mueller. Silva should be able to take over the initiative early and handle things from there, with the main question being whether or not Wu is skilled enough on the mat to survive all three rounds. The pick is Silva via third-round submission.

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