Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius set to make history on UFC card in Saudi Arabia

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Canadian flyweight Jasmine Jasudavicius will enter the record book Saturday when she and Brazilian opponent Mayra (Sheetara) Bueno Silva become the first female fighters to appear on a UFC card in Saudi Arabia.

“Once I heard about that, I was so inspired,” Jasudavicius said. “To be able to be the first to be able to represent women’s martial arts in another country like that, it’s such an honour.

“I don’t take it lightly. I really, really am appreciative. I want to make sure I put on a really good and represent women’s martial arts to the Saudi Arabian people.”

Sarah (Cheesecake) Moras, another Canadian, became the first woman to win a UFC bout in the United Arab Emirates in September 2019 when she stopped Llana Jojua in the third round at UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi.

Jasudavicius has been briefed on local customs by the UFC, and advised to cover up to her elbows and past her knees. And to bring a scarf, to cover her hair.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing what the culture’s like and experiencing it right then and there,” she said. “I feel like it’s going to be super-cool.”

While excited at the prospect of being a trailblazer, Jasudavicius (12-3-0) is more interested in climbing the 125-pound rankings. The 35-year-old from St. Catharines, Ont., who has won three straight and six of eight UFC bouts, is currently ranked 12th among flyweight contenders.

Bueno Silva (10-4-1 with one no-contest) is ranked seventh among bantamweight contenders and fought for the vacant 135-pound title at UFC 297 in January 2024 in Toronto where she lost to Raquel (Rocky) Pennington. The Brazilian is moving back down to flyweight after a three-fight winless streak.

“She fought for the title before, so I assume they would have to put me up somewhere pretty high (in the rankings with a win),” Jasudavicius said

Bueno Silva went 2-2-1 as a flyweight at the start of her UFC career before moving up to bantamweight.

The main event at ANB Arena in Riyadh pits former middleweight champion Israel (The Last Stylebender) Adesanya against France’s Nassourdine (The Sniper) Imavov. Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria but fights out of New Zealand, is currently ranked second among 185-pound contenders while Imavov is No. 5.

Saturday marks the UFC’s second card in Saudi Arabia. The first was a Fight Night card in June when former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker knocked out Ikram Aliskerov.

A doctor denied Bueno Silva last time out. Macy Chiasson was awarded a TKO win when a bloody gash over Silva’s right eye _ courtesy of Chiasson’s elbow — was deemed too bad to continue

Bueno Silva’s luck wasn’t much better against Pennington. She suffered a ruptured eardrum early in the second round.

Her last win was in February 2023, when she submitted Sweden’s Lina (Elbow Queen) Lansberg via kneebar. A July 2023 submission win over former bantamweight champion Holly (The Preachers’ Daughter) Holm was changed to a no-contest when the Brazilian failed a post-fight drug test.

With seven of her 10 wins coming by submission, Bueno Silva is a prickly opponent. Jasudavicius is well aware, having trained with the Brazilian in Florida some three years ago.

“We became friends,” said Jasudavicius. “I really like her. I really like her girlfriend Gloria (former UFC fighter Gloria de Paula).”

The two spent more time drilling together than actually sparring, she added.

“It’s cool to know like a little bit about my opponent before getting in there. But at the same time It’s kind of sucky that I have to fight one of my friends. But it’s business and we’re both professionals.”

Jasudavicius’ training base is Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines. She started dating gym co-owner Chris Prickett, an MMA and wrestling coach, and got interested in the sport when she accompanied him to P.E.I. when he went out there to train then-UFC lightweight Jason Saggo.

She liked what she saw and got involved in a training session. Turns out she was pretty good at it so, at age 26, she took up the sport.

Jasudavicius, now engaged to Prickett, held her training camp in Thailand, based out of Phuket. She left home Dec. 5 for a week in Indonesia, where she helped to help a teammate prepare for a fight, before shifting to Thailand.

Saturday is Jasudavicius’ seventh fight in some two years.

‘I’ve said it from the start. I’m not here for a long time, I’m here for a good time,” she said. “And I want to fight often … I understand that the window is short.”

Jasudavicius earned her UFC contract with a September 2021 win over Julia Polastri on “Dana White’s Contender Series,” becoming the first Canadian woman to earn a contract on the show.

She has not lost since September 2023 when she broke an orbital bone 90 seconds into a decision loss to Tracy Cortez.

“The whole fight I was seeing two of her,” she said. “And so I would shake my head and then I could see one. That’s when I knew where my target was. It sucked going through that, but I feel going through tough things hardens you as a person.”