Mayra Bueno Silva Submits Ex-Champ Holly Holm in UFC on ESPN 49 Headliner

Mayra Bueno Silva is officially a title contender in the women’s bantamweight division.

The Brazilian earned the most significant victory of her career to date, as she submitted former 135-pound champ Holly Holm with a modified standing guillotine choke -- also known as a ninja choke -- in the second round of the UFC on ESPN 49 headliner on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The end came 38 seconds into the period, giving Silva her third straight victory via submission. After the victory, the American Top Team member called for a showdown with Julianna Pena for the title that has been vacant since Amanda Nunes retired in June.

“I do what said (I’d do). Now I want a belt,” Silva said. “Nobody finishes like me. I am a new face. I finish my fights.”

Holm (15-7, 8-7 UFC) began with a familiar game plan, blending combination punching and the occasional kick with plenty of control time against the fence. While that may have banked the first round for the Jackson-Wink MMA standout, Silva flashed dangerous power when the combatants were at range.

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Silva (11-2-1, 6-2-1 UFC) made Holm pay for her approach early in Round 2. “The Preacher’s Daughter” entered the clinch but left her neck exposed against the fence. When she did, Silva seized the opportunity to secure the choke. Once it was locked in, Holm struggled frantically to escape but had no other recourse but to tap.

It was Holm’s first submission since she relinquished the title to Miesha Tate at UFC 196 on March 5, 2016.

Maddalena Holds Off Upset-Minded Hafez

Jack Della Maddalena dodged a bullet.

The Australian prospect entered the UFC on ESPN 49 co-main event as the biggest favorite on the card, but short-notice opponent Bassil Hafez gave him all he could handle in a competitive three-round battle. Ultimately, Maddalena emerged with a split decision victory — the first time he has been out of the first round in the Octagon. Judges Junichiro Kamijo and Chris Lee scored it 29-28 for Della Maddalena (15-2, 5-0 UFC), while while Sal D’Amato saw it 29-28 in favor of Hafez (8-4-1, 0-1 UFC).

Hafez shot for takedowns early and often, and the Elevation Fight Team product was clearly the more powerful fighter in grappling exchanges. Della Maddalena didn’t help his cause by hunting for ill-advised guillotines on multiple occasions, which allowed Hafez to assume top position.

As the bout progressed, Della Maddalena was able to impose his will on the feet with multi-punch volleys to the head and body. He wobbled Hafez in the final stanza and teed off with a flurry of punches before sprawling on a takedown and transitioning into back mount. The finish never arrived, and Hafez showed resolve by reversing into top position before the final horn. Though it was a victory for Della Maddalena, Hafez undoubtedly raised his profile in defeat.

Prado Batters Azaitar

Francisco Prado made Ottman Azaitar part of his personal highlight reel with a first-round technical knockout victory in a lighweight bout. The 21-year-old Argentina native ended the contest with a barrage of heavy ground-and-pound at the 4:05 mark of the opening stanza. All 12 of Prado’s professional triumphs have ended inside the distance.

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Azaitar (13-2, 2-2 UFC) found success rifling uppercuts through his opponent’s guard during early exchanges, but Prado (12-1, 1-1 UFC) was simply waiting for the right opening. The Parana Vale Tudo representative found it when he faked going low before launching a spinning back elbow that landed flush to the side of Azaitar’s head, allowing Prado to power his way into top position in one smooth motion. From there, Prado unloaded with hammerfists on his bloodied adversary until referee Chris Tognoni stepped in the wave off the bout . Azaitar protested the stoppage in the aftermath, but his fate had already been sealed.

Park Wears Down, Submits Duraev

World Top Team export Jun Yong Park continued his upward climb with a second-round submission of Xtreme Couture-based Russian Albert Duraev in a middleweight encounter. “The Iron Turtle” ended the contest with a rear-naked choke at the 4:45 mark of Round 2. Park (17-5, 8-2 UFC) has quietly won seven of his last eight UFC appearances.

Duraev landed some heavy punches over his opponent’s jab, but he was gradually worn down by Park’s unrelenting pressure and pace. Momentum shifted at the end of Round 1, when Park caught a kick and jumped guard to lock in a tight guillotine. Duraev (16-5, 2-2 UFC) made it to horn, but his time was limited. The South Korean continued to pour it on in the second stanza, as he backed his foe up with a volley of punches and folded him with a left hook to the chin. Park then battered Duraev with punches on the canvas, assumed back mount and after some adjustments, eventually found the ideal opening to put his man away.

Dumont Shuts Down Chandler

After some bad blood at weigh-ins, Norma Dumont scored a relatively drama-free unanimous decision triumph against Chelsea Chandler in a featherweight matchup. All three judges saw the fight 30-27 for the Brazilian, who has won her last four outings within the Las Vegas-based promotion.

It was an inauspicious beginning for Chandler (5-2, 1-1 UFC), to say the least. After being rocked by a clean right hand from Dumont (10-2, 6-2 UFC) during an exchange in the opening round, the Stockon, Calif., native turned the other direction and ran clear across the Octagon. While Chandler fought somewhat better from that point forward, her forward first style often led to her eating more counters and succumbing to trip takedowns in the clinch. While Dumont set the tone with her striking early, she relied more on takedowns, control and ground-and-pound to impose her will as the fight progressed.

Sadykhov Chokes Out McKinney

Nazim Sadykhov turned the tables on Terrance McKinney with a second-round submission triumph in a lightweight clash. The Serra-Longo Fight Team product used a rear-naked choke to elicit a tapout from his opponent 1:07 into Round 2. Sadykhov (9-1, 2-0 UFC) has now won nine consecutive starts since dropping his professional debut in November 2018.

McKinney (13-6, 3-3 UFC) took Sadykhov down early in the opening stanza and spent the majority of the period attached to the back with a body-triangle secured. “T. Wrecks” attempted to repeat that success in Round 2, but Sadykhov defended the shot and scrambled into top position. From there, he took McKinney’s back while trapping his left arm behind him, which created an easy opportunity to lock in the fight-ending maneuver.



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