TLDR
- Natalia Silva claims Valentina Shevchenko won’t defeat her in a future title fight
- Silva faces Rose Namajunas at UFC 324 in a title elimination bout in Las Vegas
- Silva has won 13 consecutive fights including all seven of her UFC appearances
- The UFC confirmed the winner will fight Shevchenko for the flyweight championship next
- Silva originally wanted an immediate title shot but accepted the Namajunas fight when Shevchenko was unavailable
Sources: BJPenn | MMA Fighting | Empire Sports Media
UFC flyweight contender Natalia Silva has made a strong statement about her chances against champion Valentina Shevchenko, declaring that the titleholder won’t be able to defeat her when they eventually meet in the octagon.
Silva will face former strawweight champion Rose Namajunas at UFC 324 in Las Vegas in what the UFC has described as a title elimination bout. The winner is expected to earn a shot at Shevchenko’s flyweight championship.
Silva’s Path to a Title Shot
Speaking through an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 324 pre-fight news conference, Silva explained that she originally wanted an immediate title shot. “I wanted to get a shot at the title before, but the UFC said Valentina was not going to be available to fight so soon,” Silva told MMA Junkie and other reporters.
The Brazilian accepted the fight against Namajunas after Alexa Grasso withdrew from the original matchup. Silva enters the bout with an impressive 19-5-1 overall record.
Silva has won 13 consecutive fights in mixed martial arts, including all seven of her appearances inside the UFC octagon. She started her professional career 6-5-1 before embarking on her current winning streak.
“I’m the person that had done the most in the organization and the person that was ready for this was me,” Silva said. She added that “a win against Rose already gives me the credentials to actually fight for the title.”
Confident Words for the Champion
When asked about a potential matchup with Shevchenko, Silva left no doubt about her expectations. “Valentina is not going to beat me, and I’m going to be a champion and beat her,” the contender stated.
Silva explained her preparation has covered all aspects of mixed martial arts. “I worked every day in every single area possible. Whether it’s going to be striking or grappling, I’m going to beat her and I’m going to be a champion,” she said.
Her opponent Namajunas presents a different challenge as a former two-time strawweight champion. Namajunas holds a 14-7 record and has gone 3-2 since moving up to the flyweight division.
Namajunas lost her strawweight title to Carla Esparza in 2022 and took time away from the sport before returning to compete at 125 pounds. In her most recent bout, she earned a decision victory over Miranda Maverick.
The fight between Silva and Namajunas has generated excitement because of Namajunas’ popularity and championship pedigree. However, Silva has already defeated two former champions during her current winning streak.
Analysts expect Silva to have advantages in speed and elusiveness, while Namajunas is known for her technical striking and wrestling abilities. Namajunas famously knocked out Zhang Weili with a head kick during her strawweight title reign.
Shevchenko currently holds the UFC women’s flyweight championship and is considered one of the most dominant champions in the division’s history. The UFC confirmed that the Silva-Namajunas bout serves as a title eliminator, with the next fight being for the championship.
Silva has established herself as a top contender in the 125-pound division through her seven-fight winning streak in the UFC. The organization offered her the Namajunas fight when Shevchenko was unavailable for an immediate title defense.
