5 Things You Might Not Know About Natalia Silva

A sink-or-swim moment has arrived for Natalia Silva.

The promising Brazilian will look to accelerate her rise through the Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s flyweight division when she takes on Jessica Andrade—one of the sport’s most decorated and respected female competitors—in the UFC Fight Night 242 co-main event on Sept. 7 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Silva enters the 125-pound showcase on the strength of an 11-fight winning streak. She last appeared at UFC Fight Night 235, where she outpointed Viviane Araujo to a three-round unanimous decision on Feb. 3.

As Silva approaches her high-stakes showdown with the former UFC women’s strawweight champion, here are five things you might not know about her:

1. Her beginnings could not have been more modest.

Silva was born on Feb. 3, 1997 in Pingo-d’Agua, Brazil—a city of fewer than 5,000 people situated in the southeastern quadrant of the South American country. The Minas Gerais capital of Belo Horizonte stands roughly 150 miles to the west, with its two million-plus residents.

2. Resilience was never an issue.

The 27-year-old Brazilian suffered stoppage losses in three of her first four pro bouts, including her April 2015 debut. However, Silva has not been finished in 19 appearances since, going 16-2-1 with a draw against Cris Macfer Ferreira Macedo and decision losses to Daiane Firmino and Marina Rodriguez serving as the only blemishes on her resume.

3. She was worth her weight in gold on the regional scene.

Silva captured the Jungle Fight women’s flyweight championship when she submitted Gabriela Reis Marcal with a first-round armbar in the JF 96 main event on Oct. 19, 2019. She successfully defended it on one occasion—she disposed of Joice Mara da Silva with an armbar at Jungle Fight 100—before surrendering the title to sign with the UFC.

4. She leans on a small inner circle.

Having climbed into the Top 10 rankings in the UFC women’s flyweight division, Silva operates out of Team Borracha in Contagem, Brazil. There, coaches Carlos Borracha, Felipe Reis, Edvaldo Badola and Lucas Wallace oversee her fight preparation.

5. Effective standup has been her calling card.

Silva has outpaced all five of her UFC opponents by double figures in the significant strikes landed department. She piled up a 296-125 advantage in victories over Araujo, Andrea Lee, Victoria Leonardo, Tereze Bleda and Jasmine Jasudavicius.