Ariane da Silva Aims to Prove Herself Against Karine Silva at UFC Vegas 91
Kosport Magazine – April 25, 2024
Ariane da Silva, formerly known as Ariane Lipski, is on a roll in the UFC. With a three-fight win streak and a spot in the top 15 of the flyweight rankings, she is ready to take on her next challenge at UFC Vegas 91. Her opponent, Karine Silva, is undefeated in the UFC and presents a tough test for da Silva.
“I believe that I can enter the top 10 with a win in this fight,” da Silva told Kosport Magazine. “I’ve trained hard to show I’m ready to go to the top of the division. I want to put on a great performance and show how much I’ve evolved and how mature I am as an athlete, to show that I’m ready to go to the top.”
Da Silva is determined to continue her successful 2023 and score a trio of UFC victories this year. With the title picture moving slowly, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to make her mark in the division.
“I think three fights are the right number to go where I want to go,” da Silva said. “I want to go faster because things are quite slow up there in the top five. My focus is to fight and win this fight, then it’s all in God’s hands. It will happen when the time is right, but I will be ready for the opportunities that present themselves.”
After leaving American Top Team to train at Amanda Nunes’ private gym, da Silva is now training at the UFC Gym in Miami. She credits her success to her dedicated coaches and is always looking to improve and face the best in the world.
“The goal is always the same since I entered the UFC,” da Silva said. “Every time I fight is another step to climb the division. The goal and focus are always the same. Winning three fights last year obviously gives me more confidence, entering the ranking the way I did also gives me more confidence, but the mindset is always the same. I’m always training to evolve and fight the best in the world.”
While da Silva is known for her striking, she is prepared for anything in the octagon. Her opponent, Karine Silva, is a skilled grappler with four submissions under the Zuffa umbrella. But da Silva is confident in her abilities and is ready to showcase her skills.
“I almost got my first knockout in the UFC [against O’Neill], but the submission was good, it got me a [performance] bonus, and the focus now is on the April 27 fight,” da Silva said. “We always focus on standing and striking, but not because of my opponents, but for my game, to impose what we do. My goal is to become a well-rounded MMA athlete and I’m always prepared for everything. I’m always going for the finish, for a knockout or a submission, but winning if the ultimate goal.
“I have a strategy to follow and I’m trained for whatever happens, on the feet or on the ground, but I definitely want to keep it standing. That’s my zone. I want to go there and show all the techniques I’ve learned from my coach Renato [Silva]. I have so much to show, and I want to do that. Karine is a grappler with good attacks, but I’ve fought grapplers and strikers before. I’m one of the most experienced fighters in the division so I feel prepared.”
With her sights set on the top of the division, da Silva is determined to prove herself against Karine Silva at UFC Vegas 91. Don’t miss this exciting matchup on April 27, only on Kosport Magazine.
