Karine Silva is becoming well-known for her fighting acumen. The Brazilian flyweight (18-4) made her first four opponents in her UFC career. As a result, she’s become one of the promotion’s most dangerous fighters.
Take her fight against Ariane da Silva (17-9) on Saturday as an example. She defeated da Silva via unanimous decision, pushing her up the women’s flyweight division. By taking her opponent down five times, she showed why her ground game is dangerous. It also showed what happens if Silva doesn’t go for the submission.
So where is the 30-year-old headed? What trajectory does she have in the UFC and the flyweight division? Most of all, can she take down the current champion, Alexa Grasso? Here’s a look at what Karine Silva can do for the Las Vegas-based promotion.
The Profile of Karine Silva
One thing that sticks out for Silva is her ability to submit her opponents. The Brazilian fighter averages 2.2 submissions per fight, making her a threat to end things quickly. Whether it’s by D’Arce choke or a guillotine choke, Silva knows how to break her opponents.
In fact, her fight on Saturday was the first fight where she didn’t perform a submission at all. Da Silva did everything she could to avoid letting a submission in, striking her at every turn. Consequentially, that led to Lipski leading the fight in strikes (42-27).
But Silva’s main calling card comes from the ground, where she likes to take her opponents down. She’ll work her opponents and break them down, leaving them open for submission. That’s what has worked so far and will continue to work for the 30-year-old.
What Is Her Trajectory?
Currently, Karine Silva is ranked 13th in the flyweight rankings. That means she needs to win a few more fights before going up against the UFC Women’s Flyweight Champion, Alexa Grasso (16-3-1). However, it’s a fight that the Brazilian flyweight can easily take on.
One thing that stands out about Grasso is her aggressive stance. The champion is constantly moving, making the middle of the ring her territory. Grasso will also kick to set up her offense. It leads to her opening up her own submission maneuver, as proven by beating Valentina Shevchenko on March 4, 2023.
For Silva, she can become a No. 1 contender for the UFC Women’s Flyweight Championship. However, she must keep in mind that Grasso neutralized a versatile Shevchenko with a rear-naked choke.
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