Can Ariane Da Silva Regain Her Winning Form In The PFL?

It did not happen. Da Silva was overwhelmed, eventually dropping a lopsided unanimous decision. A loss to Molly McCann in her next fight did not help her case, and she was being written off as a bust.

Da Silva eventually found her footing and won two straight – including a highlight-reel kneebar submission of Luana Carolina. People thought she had regained her confidence – and then Antonina Shevchenko and Montana de la Rosa pounded her out in her next two fights.

After a rebound win against a debuting Mandy Bohm, da Silva hit a new low in her next fight. She struggled to make weight against Priscila Cachoeira, causing their fight to be changed to 135 lbs., and was knocked out in the first round.

Then, something clicked. Da Silva won her next three fights. That stretch was capped off by a bonus-winning armbar submission of Casey O’Neill. Surely, fans thought, this would finally be the moment when she started a run to the title.

It once again did not happen. Karine Silva took a unanimous decision from da Silva, then Jasmine Jasudavicius destroyed her with a brabo choke. Then, there was what tranpired in her last fight.

Against Cong Wang, da Silva missed weight by seven pounds. Come fight time, she looked listless and was swept on the scorecards. It would be the last time she was seen in the Octagon, as she was released four days later.

New Surroundings=Return Of Violence?

In the PFL, da Silva will have to be accustomed with a new format. The knockout tournament, which was introduced this year, is something that she has never experienced before. Its one-and-done nature means that she will have no margin for error, unlike in the previous round-robin format that could have let her rebound after a loss.

A renewed do-or-die mentality may be just what da Silva needs to will herself to a career comeback. She and her compatriot Araujo should be the prohibitive favorites to follow in Liz Carmouche’s footsteps and win next year’s tournament. Awaiting either of them may be the all-conquering dynamo herself: Dakota Ditcheva – the current deadliest woman in mixed martial arts.

End Of My Ariane Da Silva Rant

In some ways, da Silva had a similar unfulfilled promise as Cynthia Calvillo , who was once called “Chick Diaz” and sat with Dana White. The difference is that she did not get off to a good start, but it is not the start that matters.

Rather, what matters is the end, and while da Silva did not have a good one in the UFC, here is hoping that she has one in the PFL…