The Ultimate Fighting Championship organized UFC 297 on January 20, 2024. The event witnessed multiple exciting fights across different divisions. It was hosted at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario. Raquel Pennington and Mayra Beuno Silva featured in the night's co-main event in a bantamweight showdown for the vacant UFC women's bantamweight title.
Raquel Pennington is a leading professional mixed martial artist in the UFC who has left a mark owing to her impressive in-ring performances. She has been propelling forward gradually and piling up impressive victories to her resume in the promotion. With an eye on a win, Pennington entered the octagon with high hopes.
Raquel Pennington’s opponent at UFC 297, the Brazilian professional mixed martial arts competitor Mayra Bueno Silva, stood just one step behind Pennington. With an impressive record in which she has secured a good number of victories via submissions, Silva entered the fight with high hopes and the intention of winning the belt.
Both fighters fought for the five rounds. The judges decided the winner on their scorecards, which adjudged Raquel Pennington as the winner and the new women's bantamweight champion.
Raquel Pennington vs Mayra Bueno Silva Stats
| Stats | Raquel Pennington | Mayra Bueno Silva |
| Record | 16-8 (1 KOs) | 10-3-1 (1) (1 KOs) |
| Championship | UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion | - |
| Age | 35 | 32 |
| Height | 1.70m | 1.70m |
| Division(s) | Bantamweight | Bantamweight |
| Reach | 67 ½ ” | 66” |
| Win Streak (Active) | 5 | 3 |
| Professional Debut | 2012 | 2015 |
Raquel Pennington Losses
Raquel Pennington has lost eight of her total of 23 professional fights. She was defeated for the first time by Tori Adams at RMBB/TB: A Champion’s Quest by a unanimous decision in the second professional fight of her career. She suffered consecutive losses against Cat Zingano and Leslie Smith at Invicta FC: Penne vs. Sugiyama and Invicta FC: Esparza vs. Hyatt by a second-round submission and unanimous decision, respectively, taking the tally of her losses to three.
Jessica Andrade handed Pennington her fourth professional loss at UFC 171 in a closely contested fight via split decision. She lost her fifth fight against Holly Holm at UFC 184 by a unanimous decision. Pennington recovered from the loss and amassed a four-fight winning streak before suffering consecutive losses against Amanda Nunes and Germaine de Randamie at UFC 224 and UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodriguez, adding seven losses to her record.
At UFC 246, Raquel Pennington again locked horns with Holly Holm. She came up short and ended up losing the eighth fight of her career by a unanimous decision.
Raquel Pennington Record
Raquel Pennington has a professional mixed martial arts record of 16 wins and 8 losses to her credit.
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 16-8 | Mayra Bueno Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 297 | January 20, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Won the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship |
| Win | 15–8 | Ketlen Vieira | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Imavov | January 14, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 14–8 | Aspen Ladd | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 273 | April 9, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Win | 13–8 | Macy Chiasson | Submission (guillotine choke) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Daukaus | December 18, 2021 | 2 | 3:07 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Featherweight debut; Chiasson missed weight (148.5 lb). |
| Win | 12–8 | Pannie Kianzad | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. Spann | September 18, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 11–8 | Marion Reneau | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Volkov | June 20, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 10–8 | Holly Holm | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 246 | January 18, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 10–7 | Irene Aldana | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Edwards | July 20, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | |
| Loss | 9–7 | Germaine de Randamie | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: The Korean Zombie vs. Rodríguez | November 10, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Catchweight (138 lb) bout; Pennington missed weight. |
| Loss | 9–6 | Amanda Nunes | TKO (punches) | UFC 224 | May 12, 2018 | 5 | 2:36 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | For the UFC Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–5 | Miesha Tate | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 205 | November 12, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | New York City, New York, United States | |
| Win | 8–5 | Elizabeth Phillips | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 202 | August 20, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 7–5 | Bethe Correia | Decision (split) | UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans | April 16, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Tampa, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 6–5 | Jéssica Andrade | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 191 | September 5, 2015 | 2 | 4:58 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 5–5 | Holly Holm | Decision (split) | UFC 184 | February 28, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Los Angeles, California, United States | |
| Win | 5–4 | Ashlee Evans-Smith | Technical Submission (bulldog choke) | UFC 181 | December 6, 2014 | 1 | 4:59 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 4–4 | Jéssica Andrade | Decision (split) | UFC 171 | March 15, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 4–3 | Roxanne Modafferi | Decision (unanimous) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rousey vs. Team Tate Finale | November 30, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 3–3 | Leslie Smith | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC: Esparza vs. Hyatt | January 5, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | |
| Loss | 3–2 | Cat Zingano | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Invicta FC: Penne vs. Sugiyama | October 6, 2012 | 2 | 3:32 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | |
| Win | 3–1 | Raquel Pa'aluhi | Submission (guillotine choke) | Destiny MMA: Na Koa 1 | September 8, 2012 | 1 | 3:52 | Honolulu, Hawaii, United States | Won the Destiny MMA World / Hawaiian Islands Bantamweight Championship.[5] |
| Win | 2–1 | Sarah Moras | Decision (unanimous) | Invicta FC: Baszler vs. McMann | July 28, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Kansas City, Kansas, United States | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Tori Adams | Decision (unanimous) | RMBB / TB: A Champion's Quest | June 22, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | Sheridan, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Kim Couture | TKO (knees to the body) | MFP: Vengeance | March 13, 2012 | 2 | 2:25 | Casper, Wyoming, United States |
Mayra Bueno Silva Record
Mayra Bueno Silva has a professional record of 10 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no-contest under her name. Her fight against Holly Holm at the UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Beuno Silva was ruled a no-contest. Silva originally won the fight by second-round submission; however, after testing positive for ritalinic acid, her win was overturned and the bout was ruled a no-contest.
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 10-3-1 (1) | Raquel Pennington | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 297 | January 20, 2024 | 5 | 5:00 | Totonto, Ontario, Canada | For the vacant UFC Bantamweight Championship |
| NC | 10–2–1 (1) | Holly Holm | NC (overturned) | UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Bueno Silva | July 15, 2023 | 2 | 0:38 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. Originally a submission (ninja choke) win for Bueno Silva; overturned after she tested positive for ritalinic acid. |
| Win | 10–2–1 | Lina Länsberg | Submission (kneebar) | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs. Blanchfield | February 18, 2023 | 2 | 4:45 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 9–2–1 | Stephanie Egger | Submission (armbar) | UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Hill | August 6, 2022 | 1 | 1:17 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–2–1 | Wu Yanan | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. Muhammad 2 | April 16, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Bantamweight. Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 7–2–1 | Manon Fiorot | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Ladd vs. Dumont | October 16, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Draw | 7–1–1 | Montana De La Rosa | Draw (majority) | UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gane | February 27, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Silva was deducted one point in round 1 for grabbing the fence. |
| Win | 7–1 | Mara Romero Borella | Submission (armbar) | UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley | September 19, 2020 | 1 | 2:29 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 6–1 | Maryna Moroz | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. Oliveira | March 14, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Brasília, Brazil | Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 6–0 | Gillian Robertson | Submission (armbar) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Anders | September 22, 2018 | 1 | 4:55 | São Paulo, Brazil | Return to Flyweight. |
| Win | 5–0 | Mayana Souza | Technical Submission (ninja choke) | Dana White's Contender Series Brazil 1 | August 10, 2018 | 1 | 1:02 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Daiane Firmino | Decision (split) | Batalha MMA 5 | March 11, 2017 | 5 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Won the vacant BMMA Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–0 | Taynna Taygma | Submission (armbar) | Premium Fight Championship 7 | September 21, 2016 | 1 | 1:20 | São Paulo, Brazil | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Win | 2–0 | Marilia Santos | TKO (retirement) | Sidney Sibamba Fight 4 | April 30, 2016 | 1 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Flyweight debut. |
| Win | 1–0 | Shun Lee | Submission (armbar) | Delta Fight Club | March 7, 2015 | 1 | 0:58 | Minas Gerais, Brazil | Bantamweight debut. |
FAQs
A. She has a professional record of 16 wins and 8 losses.
A. Her next fight is yet to be decided.
A. The professional MMA record of Mayra Bueno Silva is 10 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no-contest.
A. She is ranked No.3 in the UFC women’s bantamweight rankings.
A. Raquel Pennington is the UFC women’s bantamweight champion.
A. She has an active winning streak of six fights.
