TLDR
- Melissa Amaya (8-0) faces Valesca Machado (16-4) in the TUF 34 finale strawweight championship at UFC Vegas 121
- Amaya enters with a perfect record and five straight finishes, including dominant TUF 34 performances
- Machado brings 19 professional fights of experience and rides a four-fight winning streak
- Amaya works full-time as a dental clinic nurse while pursuing her MMA career
- Oddsmakers favor Machado at -230 with Amaya as the +190 underdog
Sources: sports.betmgm.com | clutchpoints.com | mmasucka.com
Melissa Amaya will put her perfect professional record on the line Saturday when she faces Valesca Machado in The Ultimate Fighter 34 strawweight finale at UFC Vegas 121. The bout represents Amaya’s chance to secure a UFC contract while Machado looks to claim the TUF title.
Amaya enters the fight with an unblemished 8-0 record, having finished five consecutive opponents. Her most recent victory came in June 2025 when she stopped Megumi Sugimoto with a first-round TKO for Combate Global.
During her TUF 34 run, Amaya demonstrated versatility by submitting Anna Melisano and scoring a TKO victory over Giovanna Canuto. The performances surprised observers who initially viewed her primarily as a grappler.
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Experience Gap Defines Matchup
Machado brings considerably more professional experience to the cage with 19 total fights compared to Amaya’s eight. The Brazilian veteran currently rides a four-fight winning streak that includes unanimous decision wins over Yasmin Castanho in December 2024 and Yulia Ostroverkhova in August 2024.
Before that stretch, Machado captured A1 Combat gold with a 49-second knockout of Taylor Mauldin. Her 16-4 record demonstrates both finishing ability and the durability to compete at high levels.
DraftKings lists Machado as the -230 favorite while Amaya enters as a +190 underdog. The over/under for 2.5 rounds sits at -298, suggesting oddsmakers expect the fight to reach the judges’ scorecards.
Amaya acknowledged her opponent’s credentials during media day earlier this week. “Tina Black has been training and fighting since before MMA was even a thought in my head,” she said, using Machado’s fighting name. “She is dangerous everywhere. She’s a veteran of the sport.”
Despite the challenge, Amaya expressed confidence in her preparation. “It’s going to be a tough fight, but I am excited to test myself against her,” she stated.
Balancing Two Careers
Outside the cage, Amaya works full-time as a nurse at a dental clinic. She revealed that her employer has shown flexibility with her fighting schedule, allowing her to take time off for training camps and competitions.
“They’ve been extremely flexible with this,” Amaya said. She disclosed that during her job interview, she explicitly mentioned needing “a random week off three times a year” for fights, despite not having competed professionally at that point.
The clinic’s surgeon plans to attend Saturday’s fight to support Amaya. When asked about continuing nursing after potentially joining the UFC roster, she was clear about her intentions.
“I absolutely love nursing. It is my way of being of service in this world,” Amaya explained. “If I can do that together, that will be great. But I am willing to put it on the back burner for a second, but I’ll definitely always be nursing.”
Amaya hinted at potential surprises for Saturday’s bout. “Hopefully I get to surprise people too. I’ve surprised people since the first fight on The Ultimate Fighter,” she said. “Everybody thought I was just a grappler, and I out-striked a striker. Hopefully I can come with some surprises.”
The TUF 34 finale takes place Saturday as part of UFC Vegas 121, headlined by Rosas Jr. versus Barcelos. The strawweight championship bout between Amaya and Machado appears on the main card.
