After securing a victory over former flyweight champion Alexa Grasso at UFC 315, just hours before Valentina Shevchenko successfully defended her 125-pound belt against Manon Fiorot, Natalia Silva is positioning herself as the next rightful contender for the title.
Silva`s win marked her seventh consecutive triumph inside the octagon and extended her overall winning streak to an impressive 13 fights. She firmly believes this sustained success has earned her a championship opportunity.
“My focus is on the title,” Silva declared following her fight. “I came to the UFC to become champion, my eyes are set on the title. I feel I have a compelling story against either of them [Shevchenko or Fiorot]. Valentina once said she didn’t know me, and I think now is the perfect time for her to find out.”
The 28-year-old prospect has built significant momentum by defeating two former UFC champions in rapid succession, overcoming Jessica Andrade and Alexa Grasso within a mere eight-month span. She suggested that fan support on social media could play a role in helping her secure the coveted title shot.
“I think fans asking for this makes sense for me,” Silva stated. “It’s the fight that I want. Every time the UFC offers me an opponent, I always respond, ‘Let’s go, I’m ready.’ The UFC knows this about me. They see that I possess the potential to become champion. I’ve said from the moment I arrived in the UFC that my goal is to be champion. And I don’t just want to be another champion; I want to leave a lasting legacy and have people know my story.”
Following her main event victory at UFC 315, Shevchenko was questioned about potential next opponents, with Natalia Silva and reigning strawweight champion Zhang Weili being mentioned. Shevchenko indicated she would defer the decision regarding her next challenger to the fans.
“Everyone was saying Weili or Natalia?” Shevchenko reportedly commented. “So I don’t know, perhaps fans can influence that, and if they want to join my OnlyFans page and send messages about who they want to see me fight next, we can determine the next opponent based on that.”
