Mayra Bueno Silva Recounts Unorthodox Weight Cut in Saudi Arabia Ahead of Bantamweight Return

UFC contender Mayra Bueno Silva has offered a detailed account of the arduous and unconventional measures she undertook to successfully make weight for her flyweight bout earlier this year in Saudi Arabia. The Brazilian fighter, known by her moniker "Sheetara," is preparing to return to the bantamweight division this Saturday, facing Jacqueline Cavalcanti at UFC Vegas 111, an event hosted at the UFC APEX. This upcoming contest marks a crucial juncture in Silva’s career, following a challenging period that included a demanding weight cut and a recent four-fight winless streak, punctuated by an overturned victory.

Silva’s brief venture into the flyweight division (125 pounds) culminated in a unanimous decision loss to Jasmine Jasudavicius at UFC Fight Night 238 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a fight she now believes was heavily impacted by the severity of her weight-cutting process. Prior to that bout, Silva had primarily competed at bantamweight, and her return to the 135-pound category underscores the significant physical toll the lighter division exacted.

"It’s very, really, really hard for me," Silva disclosed in an interview with MMA Fighting, reflecting on her flyweight experience. "The weight cut is brutal for me. Flavio [Alvaro], Gloria [de Paula], Pablo [Sucupira], and I spent 16 hours cutting weight. Sixteen very painful hours. It was really rough to make the weight, but I said, ‘I’m going to make weight because I committed to it.’ I gave everything I had to hit that number. It’s a very painful process for me to get to 125, even though I really enjoy fighting in this division."

The extreme nature of the weight cut became particularly apparent as Silva approached the target. According to her account, her body ceased to sweat when she reached approximately 132 pounds, leaving her and her team in a desperate search for solutions. This physiological roadblock was compounded by logistical and cultural challenges specific to her location in Saudi Arabia.

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"Not a single drop of sweat would come out," Silva explained. "I couldn’t sweat, couldn’t make it happen. I had no energy left. I couldn’t go to the sauna because women can’t enter the same sauna as men in Saudi Arabia, and the hotel only had sauna for men. The bathtub alone wasn’t enough anymore, training wasn’t enough, and I didn’t have a sauna. Nothing I did could make me sweat, so we had no options left."

Faced with the impending weigh-in deadline and the inability to shed the final pounds through conventional methods, Silva’s coaches, Flavio Alvaro and Pablo Sucupira, devised an unorthodox plan. "Then Flavio and Pablo had the brilliant idea to dress me up like a man and sneak me into the sauna," Silva recounted, chuckling as she recalled the extraordinary measure. "That’s when the weight finally started to drop again, and we managed to make weight."

Silva successfully hit the 126-pound mark, taking advantage of the one-pound allowance for non-title fights, the morning before her scheduled contest against Jasudavicius. Despite her commitment and the success in reaching the required weight, Silva maintains that the brutal process undeniably impacted her performance on fight night. "Sheetara" went on to lose a unanimous decision to Jasudavicius.

"That’s not something I really like to talk about," Silva said. "I’d rather just say Jasmine beat ‘Sheetara.’ But I believe it did, yes. I did lose, but it definitely had an influence." The episode underscores the often-unseen struggles fighters endure to meet weight class requirements, particularly in unfamiliar environments with differing cultural norms and limited resources.

The loss to Jasudavicius marked a continuation of a challenging period for Mayra Bueno Silva. Her professional record currently stands at 10 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, with 1 no-contest. Her last victory came against Stephanie Egger in August 2022. Since then, her outings have included a unanimous decision loss to Raquel Pennington in January 2023, followed by a headline bout against former champion Holly Holm in July 2023. Silva initially secured a second-round submission victory over Holm, a significant achievement that propelled her into title contention. However, this victory was later overturned to a no-contest by the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) after Silva tested positive for ritalinic acid, a metabolite of methylphenidate, a substance often used to treat ADHD. While Silva asserted she had a prescription for the medication, the positive test led to a suspension and the nullification of her career-defining win. This sequence of events, including two losses and an overturned victory, places her on a four-fight winless skid, a rare occurrence for a fighter of her caliber.

This recent trajectory has instilled a renewed sense of urgency for Silva. "I feel like I’m back on the Contender Series again," Silva stated, drawing a parallel to the high-stakes environment of Dana White’s Contender Series, where fighters compete for a UFC contract. "It’s either win or lose. I really like that position. It doesn’t bother me at all. I’m very happy with everything I produced in this camp, very happy with what my coaches taught me."

Despite the pressure, Silva projects an air of resilience and optimism. "Those losses don’t weigh on me at all," she continued. "That’s in the past. I’m really happy and satisfied with everything I’ve done. I always say bad things happen to good people, and I’m ready to bounce back and show my best. I’m sure this will be my best performance inside the UFC."

For her upcoming bantamweight clash against Jacqueline Cavalcanti, Silva has recommitted to her jiu-jitsu roots, once again working closely with coach Thiago Gaia. Her recent achievement of a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has provided an additional layer of motivation and confidence. Silva, who has secured several submission victories in the UFC, is now aiming to add a knockout to her highlight reel.

Jacqueline Cavalcanti enters the octagon with an undefeated UFC record of 4-0, with all her victories coming via decision. She has never been finished in her professional mixed martial arts career, a testament to her durability and technical prowess. Silva acknowledges Cavalcanti’s striking ability but expresses unwavering confidence in her own multifaceted skill set.

"I’ve never shown 100% of ‘Sheetara’ inside the UFC," Silva asserted, reflecting on her past performances. "Of course, I’ve already fought for the belt, had a memorable performance against Holly [Holm], and one against Lina Lansberg, and earned several performance bonuses, but no one has ever really seen ‘Sheetara.’ I’ve never been able to show ‘Sheetara’ in the UFC, and now I’m ready to do that."

Silva believes her grappling acumen will serve to open up opportunities for her striking, and vice versa, creating a comprehensive offensive attack. "I have many submissions in the UFC, but I haven’t scored a knockout yet. Earning my black belt doesn’t mean I’ll try to show more submissions – quite the opposite. My jiu-jitsu will open paths for knockouts, just like my striking opens paths for submissions."

Looking ahead to her opponent, Silva articulated a clear vision for the fight. "Jaqueline is an excellent striker, but she’s going to run into a truck," she added, emphasizing her physical and technical advantages. "In what she’s good at, I’m excellent. I see a very tough night for Jaqueline, a really difficult one, and I don’t see her beating me in any area. Not to take anything away from her, she’s coming off a lot of great wins, but I believe I’m superior in everything, and I’ll prove that. I believe this will be my first knockout in the UFC."

The upcoming bout at UFC Vegas 111 represents a critical opportunity for Mayra Bueno Silva to re-establish her presence in the competitive bantamweight division and demonstrate the full extent of her capabilities, free from the extreme demands of a flyweight cut. Her determination to deliver a dominant performance, potentially culminating in her first UFC knockout, highlights her resolve to overcome recent setbacks and reclaim her position among the elite.