UFC Vegas 77 headliner Mayra Bueno Silva has been drug-tested by USADA two more times than her upcoming opponent Holly Holm in 2023.
On July 15, the UFC returns to the Apex for UFC Vegas 77. In the main event, Holm and Bueno Silva look to make a statement and potentially earn a shot at the vacant women’s bantamweight title, which became available when Amanda Nunes retired earlier this year.
Holm and Bueno Silva have each fought once in the calendar year. With that said, ‘Sheetara’ has been drug-tested tested four times in 2023, which is double her upcoming opponent’s sample size.
According to the stats available in the USADA database, shared on Twitter by Jed I. Goodman, Holm has been tested 77 times since the program started in 2015. Meanwhile, Bueno Silva joined the UFC in 2018 and has been tested 44 times.
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Holm last fought on March 25, defeating Yana Santos by unanimous decision. The win was much needed after ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ endured a controversial split decision loss against Ketlen Vieira in May 2022. The former UFC women’s bantamweight champion looks to continue building momentum on Saturday night.
Bueno Silva started her UFC tenure with a promotional record of 2-2-1. Since then, the Brazilian has looked phenomenal, leading to three consecutive wins, including two inside the distance. ‘Sheetara’ last fought on February 18, defeating Lina Lansberg by a second-round kneebar submission.
What’s at stake between Holly Holm and Mayra Bueno Silva in the UFC Vegas 77 main event?
Holly Holm and Mayra Bueno Silva will likely be fighting for different stakes at UFC Vegas 77. Holm is the number three-ranked women’s bantamweight, and her superstar tends to provide an advantage when securing a title shot.
On the contrary, Bueno Silva is ranked number ten, and her three-fight win streak doesn’t feature any ranked opponents
The stakes of the UFC Vegas 77 main event are also somewhat unknown due to the unannounced vacant women’s bantamweight title fight. Number one-ranked Julianna Pena and number two-ranked Raquel Pennington have strong arguments for the opportunity.
With that said, the UFC could be waiting to see if Holm seizes the opportunity against Bueno Silva to separate herself from the rest of the division.