Mayra Bueno Silva: Preparing for Takeoff

The bipolar nature of mixed martial arts breaks many aspiring prizefighters. Not Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s bantamweight contender Mayra Bueno Silva.

“I’ve had wins and losses in the UFC, but they were not highs and lows,” she told Sherdog.com. “They were simply part of building the person I am today. Everything I went through contributed to where I am now.”

Silva will draw the most significant assignment of her career when she meets former champion Holly Holm in the UFC on ESPN 49 headliner this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The 31-year-old Brazilian enters the Octagon on the heels of a three-fight winning streak, two of them finishes. Silva last competed in February, when she submitted Lina Lansberg with a second-round kneebar at UFC Fight Night 219.

“I always show up and entertain the fans,” Silva said. “It’s who I am and who I’ll always be, regardless of the results.”

Now operating out of American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, Silva has no plans to approach Holm any differently than other opponents.

“I’m training hard as always while still enjoying myself,” she said. “There’s no extra pressure, and rankings don’t matter that much to me. I think rankings only exist so there’s a semblance of order. Regardless of how low or high my opponent is ranked, we always work just as hard to put on a great show.”

Even so, a victory over someone with Holm’s history and pedigree would undoubtedly unlock more lucrative opportunities for Silva. “Sheetara” and her handlers are doing all they can to keep everything in proper perspective. Silva must run before she flies at 135 pounds.

“I’m 100% focused on Holly, but we expect that I’ll be among the top fighters with a win,” she said. “I truly believe that with a great win over Holly we can secure a title shot, but before I even think about that, I have to deal with her first. Holly has been beating everyone with title ambitions. That’s why my total focus is on her.”

Silva, who has never before appeared in a UFC headliner, scoffed at the idea that her bout with Holm did not warrant being a marquee attraction for organization.

“I know some people don’t want to see women fight in the main event, but give us a chance,” she said. “Holly and I are athletes who work hard and give everything we have.”