Dayana Silva demands respect as she makes her first walk to the cage in a major promotion Friday night in Uncasville, Conn., taking on former Bellator champion Julia Budd at Bellator 257 on April 16.
Silva, who fights out of Rio de Janeiro’s Nova Uniao gym, makes her promotional debut against the top-ranked featherweight in the preliminary portion of the card. Surrounded by proven talent at Nova Uniao and part of Ketlen Vieira’s previous UFC camps, Silva is celebrating a “huge opportunity” in Bellator.
“I hope she doesn’t underestimate me,” Silva said of Budd, who has only lost to MMA legends Cris Cyborg, Amanda Nunes and Ronda Rousey in a stellar career.