Ariane da Silva faced a significant challenge in her most recent UFC fight, a defeat to Jasmine Jasudavicius that highlighted a weakness in her technical game. This eye-opening loss prompted a dedicated training change leading up to her next bout against Wang Cong on the preliminary card of UFC 316 in Newark.
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Da Silva shared that she left Florida for three weeks to fully immerse herself in wrestling training in Arizona. She worked intensely with Angel Cejudo, brother of former UFC champion Henry Cejudo, specifically targeting the exposed gaps in her skill set. Her daily routine was heavily focused on no-gi grappling and wrestling, with occasional sessions alongside Henry and Tracy Cortez.
“Last year was a bit complicated,” da Silva explained. “I did have a few wrestling partners, but my coach opened a new gym, and our schedules haven`t aligned since the Casey O’Neill fight, so I couldn`t train with him. Ultimately, the only wrestling practice I got was integrated into my general MMA training.”
Initially, after her fight with Karine Silva, the former KSW flyweight champion believed her performance issues were more mental than technical. However, the subsequent fight against Jasudavicius changed her perspective. “Then came the Jasmine fight, and I realized, `No, these aren`t positions I`m unfamiliar with. It`s not that I don`t know how to defend a single or double leg. My body simply didn`t react effectively when needed; it didn`t execute the correct technique. It didn`t do what was necessary to defend the takedown.`”
Breaking a three-fight winning streak with losses to Karine Silva and Jasudavicius made it clear that this change was essential.
“We saw that I truly needed specific training,” da Silva stated. “Every athlete learns and trains differently. How do I learn? Through repetition. I need to train extensively, repeating techniques countless times so my body reacts correctly in the fight. And that`s precisely what we focused on recently. We did a wrestling crash course without even knowing who my next opponent would be.”
Da Silva had anticipated facing Miranda Maverick next. Instead, she will take on a promising Chinese fighter, Wang Cong, who recently bounced back from a surprising loss to Gabriella Fernandes with a decision win over Bruna Brasil.
“I believe she might even consider a grappling strategy against me, given that it`s a vulnerability I`ve shown in my recent fights,” da Silva speculated. “Therefore, I must be prepared for anything. I`ve trained everything as hard as possible so my body is ready to react and provide the correct response to whatever the fight demands.”
Despite her two consecutive losses in the UFC, Da Silva remains confident. She anticipates the same level of confidence from Cong, even though Cong`s momentum was slightly impacted by her loss to Fernandes and a decision win against a natural strawweight.
“I believe every fighter steps into a fight with confidence, regardless of their recent results,” said da Silva, who holds six victories in her thirteen Octagon appearances. “I can speak for myself – I`m coming off two losses and still feel confident. I can`t dwell on her past performances and wonder about her mindset. But I can analyze her technically. I believe it will be a very good fight because we are both primarily strikers.”
“She`s very technical on her feet and avoids reckless actions,” she continued. “So, I expect this fight to predominantly take place standing, making it an exciting match for the fans. It`s an opportunity for me to showcase my overall evolution in MMA, but more importantly, to enjoy the process. I`m fighting a striker, and I`m confident I can go out there, have fun, display my technique, utilize everything I know, and unleash my full striking arsenal.”
