Natalia Silva Went From Sleeping on a Gym PT Bed to Fighting for UFC Gold
The Brazilian contender once slept in her gym's physical therapy room. Saturday she fights Cong Wang for the vacant flyweight belt.
Natalia Silva's path to a UFC title fight runs through a physical therapy room where she used to sleep.
The Brazilian flyweight, now 20-5 and undefeated in eight UFC appearances, has detailed the financial hardship that nearly ended her career before it started. Early on, Silva had nowhere to live and made do with a PT bed inside her gym's therapy room. She thought about quitting more than once, per Sherdog.
"I think what brought me here was believing in myself and never quitting and continuing regardless of what happens," Silva said.
Her recent run tells the rest of the story. Silva has beaten Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas in her last three fights, a streak that would be a career highlight reel for most fighters. It earned her the right to fight Cong Wang for the vacant UFC women's flyweight championship at UFC 332 this Saturday at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
Wang brings a 10-1 record and a four-fight winning streak, including a recent win over Tracy Cortez. The belt was vacated by Valentina Shevchenko.
"I am going to get that belt," Silva said.
Saturday night, the woman who once slept on a PT bed gets her shot at gold.
This is the kind of story that makes you love this sport. Natalia Silva was sleeping on a physical therapy bed in her gym because she couldn't afford anything else. Now she's beaten Andrade, Grasso and Namajunas back to back to back. That is an absurd run.
Cong Wang is no pushover. She's 10-1 with serious power, and the Chinese striker has looked better every time out. But Silva has that survivor's edge. When you've been as low as sleeping in a gym, a fight for a world title is not a pressure situation. It's the reward.
I like Silva by decision. She's the more complete fighter, and her pace will be the difference over five rounds. Wang hits hard enough to make it interesting, but Silva's been in there with better names and won every time. Saturday in Salt Lake City, I think we see a new flyweight queen crowned.
