UFC Veteran Unexpectedly Announces Retirement After Nearly 13-Year MMA Career

A veteran of 30 professional MMA fights that had a lengthy run with the UFC has officially retired from fighting following a loss last weekend.

Highlighted by a UFC Baku event that saw Rafael Fiziev score a massive knockout win over Manuel Torres in the card’s headlining bout, last weekend featured a loaded slate of MMA action that included events from the LFA, ONE Championship, Cage Warriors, and the PFL, among others.

The PFL show took place in San Diego, CA and closed out with a unanimous decision win from AJ McKee over the formerly-undefeated Salamat Isbulaev.

Several UFC veterans were in action at UFC San Diego, including former women’s flyweight contender Ariane Lipski da Silva.

Ariane Lipski da Silva Announces Retirement After PFL San Diego

After leaving the UFC on three-straight losses last year, da Silva signed on with the PFL and won her promotional debut at PFL Pittsburgh in March when she took a unanimous decision over former Bellator standout Sumiko Inaba.

“Queen of Violence” was matched with last year’s women’s flyweight tournament runner-up Jena Bishop for her sophomore PFL outing in San Diego, where the 32-year-old found herself caught in an armbar with just under a minute remaining in the first round.

JENA BISHOP HOME CROWD ROUND 1 ARM BAR FINISH#PFLSanDiego | Prelims LIVE NOW on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN 2 for PRELIMS pic.twitter.com/fABGs2hWEb
— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 28, 2026

The day after the event, da Silva took to Instagram to announce that she’s decided to retire after 30 professional MMA fights and more than 12 years in the sport.

"Queen of Violence" Was KSW Champion Before Joining the UFC

Da Silva won her professional MMA debut in late 2013, but her career got off to a rather inauspicious start after she dropped her next fight and ended up going 2-3 overall over her first five outings.

Beginning with a 35-second finish in 2015, the Brazilian put together what eventually turned into a nine-fight win streak that included seven victories via finish.

She claimed the inaugural KSW women’s flyweight belt with a first-round armbar against future UFC veteran Diana Belbiţă in 2017 before defending it with a 58-second rear naked choke later that year, and she went on to defend her KSW belt once more before signing with the UFC.

Ariane Lipski (red gloves) reacts after defeating JJ Aldrich (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Virgin Hotel. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“Queen of Violence” dropped her first two UFC outings to Joanne Wood and Molly McCann, but she rebounded from that difficult start and evened out her promotional record with a unanimous decision over Isabela de Padua and “Performance of the Night”-winning kneebar against Luana Carolina in 2020.

Ariane Lipski secures a kneebar against Luana Carolina of Brazil in their flyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at the Flash Forum. | Handout Photo-Imagn Images

Her best run with the UFC came when she won three-straight fights in 2023, but that was followed by the three-fight skid that led to her exit from the promotion and subsequent move to the PFL for the final two fights of her career.

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