Natalia Silva went from sleeping in UFC gym to fighting for gold

Natalia Silva never stopped believing in herself, even when she considered walking away from mixed martial arts.

Silva (20-5) is scheduled to face Cong Wang (10-1) for the vacant Ultimate Fighting Championship women’s flyweight title at UFC 332 on Oct. 3 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Ahead of her championship bout, Silva reflected on her journey to title contention and the hardships she has overcome.

Silva credits her perseverance and belief in herself with helping her overcome hardships throughout her career. She recently revealed that she once lived at her gym and slept on a physical therapy bed. The Brazilian admitted there were several occasions when she considered quitting mixed martial arts but credits her faith and the people around her with helping her continue.

“I think what brought me here was believing in myself and never quitting and continuing regardless of what happens,” Silva told the UFC. “No matter what I did in my life and what I was able to accomplish, it was always a very tough journey. I have gone through a lot of challenges. There were moments that I had to live in the gym. I actually lived in the physical therapy room; I slept in a PT bed for a while. Things were never easy. And in many moments, I thought of giving up, of quitting… Always, God has strengthened me, surrounded me with people with a kind word for me.”

Silva is undefeated in eight UFC appearances, with her last three victories coming against Jessica Andrade, Alexa Grasso and Rose Namajunas. Meanwhile, Wang is riding a four-fight winning streak and is coming off a victory over Tracy Cortez.