#11 ranked UFC women’s flyweight Karine ‘Killer’ Silva has an apt moniker to her name. The 30-year-old is one of the most impressive prospects in the UFC’s women’s 125-pound division. Of her seventeen wins in her pro-MMA career, all have come via stoppages, including 8 knockouts and 9 submissions. After suffering two consecutive losses a few years ago, the Brazilian has been making waves and has won eight of her previous fights, with six of them being impressive first-round finishes, demonstrating her promise and potential.
Thus far, the Brazilian flyweight prospect has three scintillating first-round submissions against everyone put in front of her by the Dana White-led promotion. It was not surprising, therefore, to see her make her way into the top 15 of the rankings within barely a year at the world’s largest MMA promotion. Ahead of her consequential bout against the promising #9 ranked Viviane Araujo at UFC 309 on November 16, we take a look at her background and relationship status.
What is Karine Silva’s relationship status?
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Karine Silva’s family was totally against her becoming a martial artist. Faced with this animosity from her kin, her combat sports journey began with a leap of faith, which could have gone wrong. The Contender Series alum had little money. Her family, too, was without any means, which is why the fighter was forced to start working as a security guard in the city of Mato Grosso do Sul while she was still a young teen.
Her life changed irreversibly when she started training in martial arts. She fell in love with combat sports and took to it as a fish to water. And then, despite her family being totally against it, Silva used what little money she had and decided to live in a martial arts training facility just so she could dedicate herself full-time to it.
As part of the agreement with the owner of the facility, she agreed to serve as the cleaner and security of the gym in order to be allowed to live there. To make ends meet, she would work odd jobs, from security guard to masseuse and receptionist, and sell candy at stoplights. Except for these details, not much is known about Silva’s personal life including whether she is married, in a relationship, or who she has dated.
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The Brazilian made her pro-MMA debut in 2013 at the age of 19 and has never looked back since. After a promising run in the Brazilian circuit (with a somewhat disastrous excursion in Russia), she finally got the call to fight on Dana White’s Contender Series in October 2021. After defeating Qihui Yan via a guillotine choke at the Apex, she found herself in the UFC octagon just eight months later, quickly notching up three impressive wins. And now, she is setting up for a bout that may see her reach the next level in her UFC career.
Silva stepping up in competition on Saturday
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Karine Silva will take on Adrian de Silva in a bout. While de Silva is the more experienced of the two and ranked one place higher than the #13 ranked Silva, she is in for quite a challenge. ‘Killer’ is coming into the bout on red-hot form and will be looking to continue her devastating run, and make her way into the top-10, and eventually the title picture of the women’s flyweight division.
On the other hand, Silva is stepping up in competition, taking on a ranked fighter for the first time in her UFC career. As Silva likes to take her opponents to the ground and work them for submission, she will face a significant challenge on the feet against the more than capable striking of de Silva. What are your predictions for the bout?