Holly Holm vs. Mayra Bueno Silva Set to Headline UFC Event on July 15

The women's bantamweight fight could potentially set the winner up for a shot at the division's title.

A women’s bantamweight bout between Holly Holm and Mayra Bueno Silva will reportedly serve as the main event of UFC Fight Night 226 on July 15.

The fight was announced by Ariel Helwani at the end of Wednesday’s edition of The MMA Hour, and the matchup could have significant implications for the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division with Holm currently ranked #3 and Silva looking to make a massive jump from her #10 spot.

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A former UFC women’s bantamweight champion, Holm briefly moved up to featherweight for a pair of bouts that included a failed bid to win the division’s title against then-champion Cris Cyborg at UFC 219. “The Preacher’s Daughter” rebounded by defeating Megan Anderson before returning to bantamweight for another failed title challenge against Amanda Nunes.

Holm has gone 3-1 since losing to Nunes at UFC 239, with her most recent fight being a unanimous decision win over Yana Santos to rebound from her controversial split decision loss to Ketlen Viera. 

Silva was originally expected to face another former UFC champion in Miesha Tate on June 3, but this main event slot against Holm provides a much more significant opportunity for the Brazilian to rise through the rankings.

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“Sheetara” initially had an up-and-down run in the UFC after earning a contract on Contender Series 2018, but following a unanimous decision loss to Manon Fiorot she moved back up to the bantamweight division and is now on a three-fight win streak. That run includes a first-round armbar against Stephanie Egger last August, and earlier this year the Brazilian also submitted Lina Länsberg with a kneebar.

The women’s bantamweight fight is a welcome addition to a UFC Fight Night 226 card that still only has a few confirmed fights, the most notable among them being a welterweight matchup between Rafael dos Anjos and Vicente Luque.

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