Athletes
Fighters On The Rise | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield
See Which Athletes Are On The Rise Heading Into A Stacked Night Of Fights At The UFC APEX.
After venturing to Perth, Australia for UFC 284 last weekend, the action returns home to the UFC APEX on Saturday night for a fight card loaded with Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) alums and capped by a massive battle in the flyweight division.
Before Jessica Andrade and Erin Blanchfield close out the night, a handful of interesting ascending competitors and promising newcomers will make the walk to the Octagon, including the three below that you should keep a close on eye this weekend and going forward.
Mayra Bueno Silva
Bueno Silva began her UFC tenure in the flyweight division after earning a contract in the summer of 2018 through the All-Brazilian run of Dana White’s Contender Series events. She struggled to find consistent success, posting a 2-2-1 record over five bouts, with submission finishes over Gillian Robertson and Mara Romero Borella, losses to Maryna Moroz and Manon Fiorot, and a draw against Montana De La Rosa.
Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield
The 31-year-old made the decision to relocate to the bantamweight ranks last year, debuting with a unanimous decision win over Wu Yanan in a Fight of the Night-winning battle in mid-April before following it up with a rapid first-round submission win over Stephanie Egger in August.
Entering 2023 with her sights set on the Top 10, Bueno Silva kicks off her year this weekend opposite Swedish veteran Lina Lansberg.
Mayra Bueno Silva Submits Stephanie Egger In 77 Seconds | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Hill
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Mayra Bueno Silva Submits Stephanie Egger In 77 Seconds | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Hill
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The 40-year-old “Elbow Queen” made her return to the Octagon last year after more than two years away following the birth of her daughter. She dropped a pair of competitive decisions against Top 15 fighters Pannie Kianzad and Karol Rosa, displaying the toughness, grit, and tenacity that have been hallmarks of her game throughout her career, and stands as the toughest test to date for Bueno Silva as she looks to work her way further up the divisional rankings.
This is the exact right type of matchup the Brazilian needs to take another step forward and the mid-February date creates a possibility for her to compete three times this year barring injury. She’s been impressive through her first two starts in the 135-pound weight class and if she can keep rolling through her bout with Lansberg on Saturday, “Sheetara” should find herself stationed across from a Top 10 fighter next time out.
Khusein Askhabov
One of the reasons I love putting together this series and paying attention to incoming talent is because I find fighters like Askhabov to be absolutely fascinating.
The newcomer touches down in the UFC sporting a 23-0 record and finishes in each of his last five appearances as he readies to take on Jamall Emmers on Saturday. Visa issues prevented him from competing on Season 5 of Dana White’s Contender Series, and he withdrew from a proposed date opposite Herbert Burns last summer, which means it has been nearly three years since the 27-year-old from Grozny has actually fought, but he was part of Alexander Volkanovski’s training camp for his clash with Islam Makhachev last week at UFC 284 and should be more than ready to go this weekend.
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It’s always difficult to know what to expect from fighters like Askhabov that arrive with unblemished records forged against mostly inexperienced or overmatched competition that still profile as the genuine article, which is why a clash with someone like Emmers is a good starting point.
While he’s been limited to just three appearances inside the Octagon over the last couple years, the 33-year-old “Pretty Boy” fought good competition throughout his time on the regional circuit and has proven he belongs in tough losses to Giga Chikadze and Pat Sabatini, as well as a victory over Vince Cachero. He’s the kind of well-rounded, capable veteran that will serve as an immediate litmus test for Askhabov this weekend, and how things play out should provide a greater understanding of where the UFC rookie stands in the featherweight division.
He’s trained with quality fighters and good teams throughout his career and has the markings of someone that could be an impact addition to the 145-pound weight class, which makes his debut this weekend a must-watch contest for those curious to see if Askhabov is someone that we will be hearing more from in the not too distant future.
Clayton Carpenter
Through the early stages of his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series last fall, it looked like Carpenter was going to get bounced from the ranks of the unbeaten by Mexican veteran Edgar Chairez. But the self-assured Carpenter steadied himself and rallied, taking control of the contest as Chairez faded, earning a unanimous decision win and a UFC contract in the process, and this weekend, he makes the walk for the first time opposite the returning Juancamilo Ronderos.
Carpenter is the latest in a long line of talents to progress through the developmental ranks at The MMA Lab in Glendale, Arizona, learning under the tutelage of head coach John Crouch, former UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson, and surrounded by quality coaches and training partners. He went 6-1 in his amateur career, losing only to fellow Arizona product and DWCS alum Junior Cortez, and has now posted six straight victories to begin his time in the professional ranks.
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Like so many of the fighters to come through the MMA Lab, the 26-year-old UFC newcomer is fundamentally sound and technically sharp, and exhibited plenty of toughness and resolve in his battle with Chairez. It was the kind of bout where a young fighter that had never faced much adversity could have looked for an exit, but instead, Carpenter kept pressing forward and secured a victory.
Saturday’s pairing with Ronderos is a solid first test for the DWCS grad — a matchup with a fighter from a good gym that has already competed on this stage and holds a good win over former UFC competitor Eric Shelton.
The flyweight division continues to get deeper with each passing month, and it will be interesting to see where Carpenter fits in as he continues to develop and progress.
UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs Blanchfield took place live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 18, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
