michelle montague enters UFC Vegas 116 with momentum, and the matchup now carries real stakes for both fighters in Las Vegas. The New Zealand-born bantamweight is preparing for her return against Mayra Bueno Silva in a three-round women’s bantamweight bout.
The bout comes after Montague won her UFC debut by unanimous decision in Perth in September 2025. For Montague, the fight is about proving she can build on that start; for Bueno Silva, it is about ending a four-fight skid and protecting her place in the division.
Michelle Montague brings an unbeaten record into Las Vegas
Montague arrives at the card with a 7-0 record and six submissions, and she is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Luana Carolina. She trained at American Top Team in Florida and has already spent time in high-level camps, including work alongside Bia Mesquita during this run.
Her path to the UFC has also included time in PFL and Bellator from 2023 to 2024, where she went 4-0 with four submissions. That background has given her a profile built on finishing ability, but this week’s matchup is drawing attention because of the familiarity between the two fighters.
Michelle Montague knows Bueno Silva well
The two were formerly training partners at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida, and they have already shared plenty of sparring time. That history matters here because both women know what the other can bring, even if the stakes now look very different.
Bueno Silva, 10-6, is a former UFC title challenger and is making her 14th UFC appearance. She has lost four straight since her title bout with Raquel Pennington, and her last win came in February 2023 against Lina Lansberg.
What Montague says changed after her debut
Montague said one lesson from her debut stands out above the rest: keeping her hands in the correct position on a kimura. She also pointed to the need to stay alert in positions that feel safe, because elbows can still change the fight quickly.
She framed the matchup as a chance to test herself against a veteran who has been through far more UFC mileage. In her words, the two women are at “very, very different ends of the stage, ” with Montague entering just her second UFC fight and Bueno Silva deep into a long run at this level.
How the betting line views the matchup
The betting market has Montague as the favorite, and one preview view has her winning by decision. The case for that outcome leans on her familiarity with Bueno Silva, her height and reach edge, and the fact that Bueno Silva has been finished only once in her career.
That said, the fight still sits on familiar UFC ground: a ranked veteran trying to stop a slide, and a rising contender trying to keep her perfect record intact. For michelle montague, the next step is clear, and the pressure now shifts to whether she can make her experience at American Top Team count when the cage door closes again in Las Vegas.
