Toronto – UFC bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva has said her title fight with Raquel Pennington at UFC 297 may not be the best matchup on paper, and she explained why she says that.
“Everybody ready for me and Julianna Pennington, Julianna Peña, sorry this girl has (drove) me crazy,” Silva told reporters including Cageside Press on Wednesday.
She isn’t worried about overlooking Pennington in favor of a fight with Peña because Rocky brings a very tough challenge.
“It’s easy (to) focus on Raquel because Raquel is very tough. (She’s) more tough than Julianna. Julianna easy money. Raquel is tough,” she said.
One fighter who criticized the fight is current middleweight champion and UFC 297 headliner Sean Strickland. Strickland took to Instagram in a post that said, in part, “Didn’t want to fight in Jan or in Canada but was asked to help a couple of ladies do their job…and they call me sexist.”
Silva had a very classy response, and a bit of a jab.
“I love you, Sean. He’s very funny. Maybe my fight is not good fight on paper, but I believe Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis is not great fight on paper,” said Silva.
UFC bantamweight Mayra Bueno Silva had to overcome a positive USADA test due to her ADHD medication, but she’s made it to UFC 297 for her title fight against Raquel Pennington.
“UFC helped did everything for me. This is a big bullsh*t. Everybody know. Thanks UFC for (helping) me and waiting for me,” Silva told Cageside Press.
Ultimately the goal is to win the title and take it home back to Brazil in the same place where UFC legend and former champion Amanda Nunes did.
“Man I don’t think about this, but yeah I believe too much in God. I think this is my time. Amanda (doesn’t) fight no more now it’s my time,” she said.
“I (hadn’t thought) about this. Thank you for this observation.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Mayra Bueno Silva above. She takes on Raquel Pennington at UFC 297.
