Ex-UFC Champion Puts Title Contender on Blast for Failed Drug Test

This former champion seems happy to have one less fighter in the running for a title fight.

Author:
Drew Beaupré
Publish date:
Aug 23, 2023 10:16 AM EDT

Julianna Peña had a strong reaction when she got word that Mayra Bueno Silva failed a drug test before her recent win over Holly Holm.

A return to the bantamweight division last year saw Bueno Silva go on a three-fight win streak that resulted in her first UFC main event booking opposite Miesha Tate, but when “Cupcake” got injured another former champion in Holm stepped up as a replacement.

Mayra Bueno Silva during her fight with Holly Holm. — (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

“Sheetara” ended up scoring the biggest win of her career when she caught Holm with a ninja choke early in the second round, but the recent news that the Brazilian failed a pre-fight drug test could result in the victory being overturned.

Peña was one of the top-ranked bantamweights that Bueno Silva called out after beating Holm, and “The Venezuelan Vixen” didn’t miss out on the opportunity to lay into the 32-year-old shortly after she broke the news on Instagram.

“#CHEATara, living up to your nickname. Back to being a curtain jerker of an Apex card you go. You fought two 41yr olds this year and you had to cheat in order to get it done. Can't pass a #drugtest? Keep my name out of your mouth ya dumb broad!” - Peña said.

Currently the UFC’s #1-ranked women’s bantamweight contender, Peña famously claimed the division's title when she submitted Amanda Nunes in one of the biggest upsets in the promotion’s history at UFC 269.

Peña was soundly beaten in her immediate rematch with the Brazilian and missed out on trilogy fight when Nunes retired after UFC 289, however Bueno Silva’s failed drug test does seem to leave a matchup between her and #2-ranked Raquel Pennington as the obvious choice to crown a new champion.

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