Natalia Silva expects her teammate Paulo Costa to attain a press release win in his return battle towards Robert Whittaker. “Borrachinha” meets the previous champion on Feb. 17 within the co-main occasion of UFC 298 in Anaheim, Calif., and Silva sees Costa scoring his first knockout end since a 2018 drubbing of Uriah Corridor.
“If I had been going to place my cash on it,” Silva stated on MMA Combating’s Trocação Franca podcast, “I imagine in a victory by knockout.”
Silva, who competes this Saturday reverse fellow Brazilian flyweight Viviane Araujo at UFC Vegas 85, is wanting ahead to Costa’s return after a number of battle cancellations.
Costa has solely competed twice within the UFC since difficult Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title in Abu Dhabi again in September 2020, shedding to Marvin Vettori in a catchweight contest earlier than rebounding with a choice win over Luke Rockhold, the latter of which came about greater than 17 months in the past.
“All people is anxious to see him again,” Silva stated. “Paulo is a really robust athlete and at all times places on good fights, so we’re at all times anticipating the most effective. I’m rooting for him, and looking out ahead to seeing him again. Sadly, he suffered an damage final time and couldn’t battle.”
Costa was slated to face bitter rival Khamzat Chimaev in October 2023 however needed to withdraw from UFC 294 simply days earlier than the Abu Dhabi occasion attributable to an elbow an infection.
“He was tremendous excited for that battle so it was a really troublesome second for him,” Silva stated. “He actually needed that battle. In actual fact, he was nonetheless prepared to battle [despite the injury], however now he’s one hundred pc once more. I imagine it’s going to be an unbelievable battle.”
In the meantime, Silva appears for her fifth octagon victory when she meets Araujo on Saturday. Silva has received 4 straight over a span of 14 months, with finishes of Tereza Bleda and Victoria Leonardo, and defeated Andrea Lee by way of resolution in her most up-to-date look.
“[This fight] symbolizes one other step towards my objective of changing into champion,” Silva stated. “Viviane is an excellent robust athlete and I’m glad to have the ability to do that battle. I’ve educated so arduous as a result of I do know it’s going to be a troublesome battle. This victory will get me nearer to my objective, so it’s one other step for me. I do know it’s going to be a troublesome battle, however I’m ready for it.”
Silva declined to foretell how she will get the job completed, however isn’t taking something with no consideration towards an opponent like Araujo, who has misplaced three of her previous 5 UFC bouts.
“After we go to a battle, every part we’ve completed stays prior to now,” Silva stated. “All of your wins, all of your losses. We’re 0-0 in there, it’s a brand new recreation. I’ve educated and gave my all to win. If she’s beneath strain or not, I’m not fascinated with that. I’m going there to battle, to point out the identical Natalia Silva that fights with all her coronary heart for the victory.”
