The Ultimate Fighting Championship is making a first in Saudi Arabia this February.
According to Canadian outlet Sportsnet and immediately confirmed by the promotion on Monday, Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1, 1 NC) will be returning to flyweight for an encounter on Feb. 1. The Brazilian will come to blows with Jasmine Jasudavicius (12-3) at UFC Saudi Arabia, also known as a currently unnumbered UFC Fight Night event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The venue has not been made official as to whether it will be held at the Kingdom Arena like the past UFC show in the city or at the building named “The Venue.”
The two ladies will serve as the first women’s bout in the Octagon in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is not the first female match for the promotion in the Middle East, with that honor going to Sarah Moras vs. Liana Jojua at UFC 242 in 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. This event will be organization’s second jaunt to Saudi Arabia, with the first UFC on ABC 6 in June, where Robert Whittaker and Ikram Aliskerov headlined.
Silva will be shifting back down to flyweight after a two-fight skid to defending champ Raquel Pennington and Macy Chiasson. The woman known as “Sheetara” debuted with the UFC in 2018 at that weight class, winning twice, losing twice and fighting to a draw with Montana De La Rosa before moving up. The Brazilian last had her hand raised at UFC Fight Night 219 in early 2023, as a subsequent ninja choke of Holly Holm switched to a no contest when she failed a post-fight drug test.
A successful 2024 campaign for the Canadian that saw her win three times while performing two submissions catapults her into this high-stakes affair. Since her decision loss to Tracy Cortez in 2023, Jasudavicius rattled off victories over Priscila Cachoeira, Fatima Kline and Ariane Lipski, the last of which coming with the third brabo choke performed by women in the Octagon.
The currently unnumbered Fight Night event—one that could be listed differently depending on its broadcast plans—will go down on Feb. 1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The fights will take place inside of either Kingdom Arena or The Venue, and no headliner has been attached to the card. Other tilts slated for the billing include a heavyweight clash between Sergei Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, a middleweight scrap when Andre Muniz faces Ikram Aliskerov and a rumored pairing between Michael Page and Sharabutdin Magomedov at 185 pounds.
