Vanessa De Melo Silva (born March 27, 1988) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. She is most known for her time spent fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Professional Fighters League (PFL).
| Vanessa Melo | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 27, 1988 Taboão da Serra, São Paulo, Brazil[1] |
| Other names | Miss Simpatia |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Weight | 136.5 lb (62 kg; 9 st 11 lb) |
| Division | Bantamweight (2017–present) Flyweight (2011–2019) Strawweight (2014) |
| Reach | 65 in (165 cm) |
| Fighting out of | Sao Paulo, Brazil |
| Team | Babuino Gold Team[1] |
| Years active | 2011–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 23 |
| Wins | 11 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 9 |
| Losses | 12 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By decision | 11 |
| Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog | |
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Melo started her mma career fighting in various promotions in Brazil and amassed a record of 10–5 prior signed by UFC.[2]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Melo was welcomed into the UFC as a short-notice replacement by Irene Aldana at UFC on September 21, 2019.[3] At the weigh-ins, Melo weighed in at 140 pounds, 4 pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit of 136. She was fined 30% of her purse and her bout with Aldana proceeded at a catchweight.[4] Aldana won the fight by unanimous decision.[5]
Melo's next fight was again a late-replacement fight against Tracy Cortez on November 11, 2019 in Sao Paulo at UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré.[6] At the weigh-ins, Cortez and Melo both missed weight for their fight, both weighing in at 136.5 pounds, 0.5 pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit of 136. The bout was initially proceeded at a catchweight and no fine was issued due to identical misses.[7] However, later on the same day, Brazil's athletic commission (CABMMA) executive director Cristiano Sampaio announced that due to an error of the scale used at the weight-ins was set was 0.7 pounds above the official scale and thus both fighters were officially clear from missing weight and the bout proceeded at bantamweight.[8] Melo lost the bout by unanimous decision.[9]
Melo faced Karol Rosa at UFC 251 on July 11, 2020.[10] She weighed in at 141 pounds, five pounds over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. She lost the fight via unanimous decision.[11]
Melo was scheduled to face Sarah Moras on November 7, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 182.[12] However, Moras tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was postponed to take place at UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar on January 16, 2021.[13] She won the fight via unanimous decision.[14]
On February 4, 2021, it was announced that Melo was released from her UFC contract.[15]
Professional Fighters League
Melo faced Martina Jindrová on May 6, 2022 at PFL 3.[16] She lost the bout via unanimous decision.[17]
Melo faced Olena Kolesnyk on July 1, 2022 at PFL 6.[18] She lost the bout via unanimous decision.[19]
Championships and accomplishments
- Standout Fighting Tournament
- SFT Flyweight Championship
Mixed martial arts record
| 23 matches | 11 wins | 12 losses |
| By knockout | 0 | 1 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 9 | 11 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 11–12 | Fernanda Barbosa | Decision (split) | Standout Fighting Tournament 48 | June 8, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 11–11 | Sidy Rocha | Decision (unanimous) | Standout Fighting Tournament 44 | November 18, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Loss | 11–10 | Olena Kolesnyk | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 6 (2022) | July 1, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | |
| Loss | 11–9 | Martina Jindrová | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 3 (2022) | May 6, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | Arlington, Texas, United States | Lightweight debut. |
| Win | 11–8 | Sarah Moras | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ABC: Holloway vs. Kattar | January 16, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 10–8 | Karol Rosa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 251 | July 11, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Catchweight (141 lb) bout; Melo missed weight. |
| Loss | 10–7 | Tracy Cortez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré | November 16, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 10–6 | Irene Aldana | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Rodríguez vs. Stephens | September 21, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Mexico City, Mexico | Catchweight (140 lb) bout; Melo missed weight. |
| Win | 10–5 | Jan Finney | Decision (unanimous) | Battlefield FC 2 | July 27, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Macau, SAR, China | |
| Win | 9–5 | Mariana Morais | Decision (split) | Future FC 5 | May 24, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Win | 8–5 | Nilde Trindade | Decision (unanimous) | Future FC 2 | February 22, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 7–5 | Daiane Firmino | Decision (split) | SFT 6 | October 27, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Won vacant SFT Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–5 | Núbia Santos do Nascimento | Decision (unanimous) | SFT 5 | September 29, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 5–5 | Suvi Salmimies | Decision (split) | Cage 37 | November 26, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Helsinki, Finland | Bantamweight debut. |
| Win | 5–4 | Molly McCann | Decision (unanimous) | XFC International 12 | November 28, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 4–4 | Juliana Leite | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Gold Fight 7 | September 26, 2015 | 1 | 4:01 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Loss | 3–4 | Silvana Gómez Juárez | Decision (unanimous) | XFC International 8 | December 13, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | Campinas, Brazil | Return to Flyweight. |
| Loss | 3–3 | Vanessa Guimarães | Decision (split) | XFC International 6 | September 27, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | For the XFC Strawweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–2 | Gloria Bravo | Decision (unanimous) | XFC International 3 | March 29, 2014 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Strawweight debut. |
| Win | 2–2 | Suelen Pereira | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Circuito Talent de MMA 5 | November 23, 2013 | 1 | 3:37 | São Paulo, Brazil | Flyweight bout. |
| Loss | 1–2 | Juliana Werner | Decision (unanimous) | MMA Super Heroes 1 | July 13, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Flyweight bout. |
| Loss | 1–1 | Camila Lima | TKO (punches) | CT Fight | May 19, 2012 | 1 | 3:46 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Natalie Santos | Decision (unanimous) | Fight Stars | September 14, 2011 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil |