UFC 297 is going to be the first PPV event of the year for the world’s biggest MMA promotion. Initially, there were rumors that top contenders Raquel Pennington (15-9 IN MMA) and Mayra Bueno Silva (10-2 in MMA) were set to compete for the UFC women’s bantamweight championship and would headline the event.
However, UFC boss Dana White has finally announced that a middleweight title fight between the new champion Sean Strickland and no. 2 ranked contender Dricus du Plessis will be the main event. This means that the fight between Pennington and Silva may as well be set as the co-main event for the night.
The UFC women’s bantamweight title became vacant after Amanda Nunes, widely considered the greatest female MMA fighter in history, retired in June after her victory over Irene Aldana at UFC 289. The fight between the two veterans will give the division a new champion, which was long overdue.
❌ Fighter removed: Mayra Bueno Silva
— UFC Roster Watch (@UFCRosterWatch) November 7, 2023
However, currently, there are rumors going on about the fight being canceled. This is because the UFC official website has recently made updates to its female bantamweight rankings, and these changes garnered considerable attention because Mayra Bueno Silva, who had previously been ranked, was all of a sudden absent from the top 15.
This omission led to widespread speculation regarding the 32-year-old fighter’s removal from the rankings. However, ‘Sheetara’ has now shed light on the matter. According to a tweet from ‘Women’s MMA Rankings,’ Silva clarified that the UFC excluded her from the rankings due to an ongoing suspension imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
This has absolutely nothing to do with her title fight with Pennington, which is set to happen on January 20 next year and is not canceled as of now.
Is Mayra Bueno Silva cut from the UFC?
Mayra Bueno Silva has established a fairly strong track record in her MMA journey, boasting a total of 10 victories, 2 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no-contest. Within the UFC, she holds a record of 6 wins, 2 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no-contest. Nonetheless, her recent exclusion from the UFC rankings has become a popular topic among the MMA community.
Mayra stating herself it’s ‘Bullshit’ that anyone is saying she got cut. With a cat filter, for some reason.#UFC pic.twitter.com/krmmdCj8Tk
— TKO Talk (@TalkTKO) November 7, 2023
So, the Brazilian fighter has now come forward to provide an update on her current status as a fighter under the UFC’s banner. The bantamweight fighter posted an Instagram story on November 7 to clarify that she is not removed from the UFC roster. She further expressed that the news about her being cut from the UFC is “bullsh*t.”
The up-and-coming fighter in the 135-pound division currently boasts a three-fight winning streak. She fought Holly Holm last, but her win was invalidated and was reclassified as a no-contest due to a positive drug test for Silva.