Natália Silva Record: 21-5-1

UFC contender

Once she reached the Octagon, Silva became one of the most consistent winners in women's MMA. She debuted in June 2022 with a decision over Jasmine Jasudavicius, then served notice with a spinning-back-kick TKO of the previously unbeaten Tereza Bledá in November 2022. She followed with a first-round stoppage of Victoria Leonardo in May 2023 and a clear decision over veteran Andrea Lee at UFC 292. From there she stacked marquee wins: decisions over Viviane Araujo in early 2024 and former strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade later that year. She then beat former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso by unanimous decision at UFC 315 in May 2025, and topped former two-division titleholder Rose Namajunas at UFC 324 in January 2026 to cement her status as the No. 1 contender in line for a title shot.

Fighting style

Silva is a striking specialist whose taekwondo base gives her unusual range, timing and angular footwork, and she mixes flashy kicks — spinning back kicks, head kicks and the spinning attacks that have produced finishes — with disciplined boxing. Her overall record reflects a balanced finisher, with seven submissions, five knockouts and seven decisions, but her UFC run has leaned increasingly on decision-round control as the competition stiffened. Her early-career losses came against more experienced grapplers, and while her ground game has improved markedly under Team Borracha, her path to a championship will test whether her elite striking can carry her against the division's best wrestlers.

Career highlights

• No. 1 flyweight contender — her unbeaten UFC streak and win over Rose Namajunas at UFC 324 positioned her at the front of the title line in a stacked division.
• Beat two former champions — decisions over Alexa Grasso and Jéssica Andrade established her as the division's most dangerous riser.
• Highlight-reel striker — her taekwondo-fueled spinning attacks, including the back-kick TKO of unbeaten Tereza Bledá, set her apart stylistically at 125 pounds.