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Karine Silva Is All-Business, All-Action
Brazilian Flyweight Karine Silva Hopes To Make The Most Of Her Biggest Opportunity To Date When She Fights At UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez
If you take a look at Karine Silva’s record, it’s hard to come away as anything but impressed and excited as she prepares for her fourth jaunt to the Octagon at UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez. The 30-year-old Brazilian sits at an impressive 17-4 with all her wins coming before the final horn (nine knockouts, eight submissions), 13 of which coming inside the first round.
Of course, myriad prospects come into the promotion boasting dominant resumes, but once they reach the mixed martial arts leader, things might slow down a little for them.
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Not the case for Silva. In three appearances, she racked up three first-round submissions in her first 14 months of the roster, most recently submitting Maryna Moroz at UFC 292 and avenging a loss from 2014.
Her third UFC finish came right before the conclusion of the first frame, and it was enough to push her into the Top 15, quite the feat in three fights. In a division on the rise, Silva is a one of the big reasons the women’s flyweight class is as exciting as ever, and she is hoping to keep the momentum rolling into April 27 when she faces Ariane Lipski.
Although Lipski is her toughest and most seasoned opponent to date, with 11 UFC bouts under her belt, “Killer” is always in the business of pushing herself harder for each camp.
“We always try to level up the training to have the best outcome in the fight,” Silva told UFC Brazil’s Evelyn Rodrigues in her media day interview.
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Silva actually has crossed paths with Lipski before, spending time in the same gym many years ago, something Silva plays down quite a bit. Silva calls the present “a new time” and is excited to see the ways their styles clash in the Octagon.
With her coaches, Silva studied “The Queen” thoroughly and believes she comes into the fight with a quality plan of attack.
“She is a striker, but this is MMA,” Silva said. “So, let's work to present the best game possible, so I can be victorious on Saturday.”
Wherever the fight plays out, both women have more than enough in their locker to end the fight early. Although Lipski’s reputation is as more of a striker, both her UFC finishes have come via submission, and so she and Silva could both be looking for their first knockout win in the Octagon to conclude April.
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Silva, not too much for words, still gives off an enthusiasm as her fight nears. She views MMA as her “job” but one that makes her “very happy.” A win on Saturday puts her even closer to the Top 10, but that’s not her priority. All that matters, for now, is doing her job well and getting her hand raised.
“As I always say, my goal now is this Saturday, this victory,” she said. “After that, we can talk about (rankings).”
UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 27, 2024. See the final Prelims and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
