TUF 34 winner Tina Black says she is healthy and wants a ranked strawweight for her UFC debut, hoping for a fourth fight this year; no bout has been announced.
From 2 reports by 2 outlets
What we know
- Black stopped Melissa Amaya on Sept. 26 to win season 34 of The Ultimate Fighter.
- Black, a former Invicta FC and A1 Combat champion, is 30 and on a six-fight winning streak including two TUF bouts that do not count on official records.
- Black says she is uninjured after fearing a hand injury, and is talking to her manager about a fight this year; none is announced.
- Black wants a top-10 or top-15 strawweight opponent for her UFC debut.
- Mackenzie Dern is strawweight champion and awaits her next challenger, to be chosen by the UFC.
- Aieza Bertolso, whom Black helped prepare, won on Dana White's Contender Series and earned a UFC contract in the same weight class.
Tina Black has not yet made her official UFC debut, but she is already asking for a ranked opponent. The TUF 34 winner says she would take a top-10 or top-15 strawweight straight away, and she wants it in 2026.
Black, who fights as Valesca Machado, beat Natalia Alves and Delphine Benouaich on Daniel Cormier's team before stopping Melissa Amaya in the final. She said the fight went exactly as she imagined. She feared she had hurt her hand, but says she came out unscathed and is easing back into training.
The timing is tight. Black has fought three times this year and wants a fourth, and she is talking to her manager about whether anything is lined up. Nothing has been announced. She is 30, from Brazil, a former Invicta FC and A1 Combat champion, and on a six-fight winning streak that includes the two TUF bouts, which do not count on official records. She has not lost in more than three years.
The division she is entering is familiar to her. Mackenzie Dern holds the strawweight title and is waiting for the UFC to pick her next challenger. Black has trained with Tabatha Ricci, Virna Jandiroba and Iasmin Lucindo, and has cornered Jandiroba and Lucindo. Lucindo beat Nicolle Caliari by decision at UFC 333 on Oct. 26. Black also stayed in Las Vegas after her win to help friend Aieza Bertolso prepare for Dana White's Contender Series. Bertolso won and earned a UFC contract, so she is now in the same weight class.
Black says she is not asking to skip the line. She said she will take a quick title shot if it comes, or a longer road if that is the path. Her stated aim is simple: "I want to make history in the UFC."
What to watch is whether the UFC books her before the year ends, and who it picks. The choice will show whether she is being fast-tracked or built up gradually.
Black, who fights as Valesca Machado, beat Natalia Alves and Delphine Benouaich on Daniel Cormier's team before stopping Melissa Amaya in the final. She said the fight went exactly as she imagined. She feared she had hurt her hand, but says she came out unscathed and is easing back into training.
The timing is tight. Black has fought three times this year and wants a fourth, and she is talking to her manager about whether anything is lined up. Nothing has been announced. She is 30, from Brazil, a former Invicta FC and A1 Combat champion, and on a six-fight winning streak that includes the two TUF bouts, which do not count on official records. She has not lost in more than three years.
The division she is entering is familiar to her. Mackenzie Dern holds the strawweight title and is waiting for the UFC to pick her next challenger. Black has trained with Tabatha Ricci, Virna Jandiroba and Iasmin Lucindo, and has cornered Jandiroba and Lucindo. Lucindo beat Nicolle Caliari by decision at UFC 333 on Oct. 26. Black also stayed in Las Vegas after her win to help friend Aieza Bertolso prepare for Dana White's Contender Series. Bertolso won and earned a UFC contract, so she is now in the same weight class.
Black says she is not asking to skip the line. She said she will take a quick title shot if it comes, or a longer road if that is the path. Her stated aim is simple: "I want to make history in the UFC."
What to watch is whether the UFC books her before the year ends, and who it picks. The choice will show whether she is being fast-tracked or built up gradually.
- Summary
- TUF 34 winner Tina Black says she is healthy and wants a ranked strawweight for her UFC debut, hoping for a fourth fight this year; no bout has been announced.
- Key points (one per line)
- Tina Black, who fights as Valesca Machado, won TUF 34 by stopping Melissa Amaya on Sept. 26.
She says she came out uninjured and wants a fourth fight in 2026.
She hopes for a top-10 or top-15 strawweight in her UFC debut; no bout is announced.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- MMA Fighting | https://www.mmafighting.com/ufc/514441/tuf-34-winner-tina-black-hopes-for-top-ranked-opponent-in-debut-i-want-to-make-history-in-the-ufc
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/66349dbf-bd64-4955-bba7-3ebc9e0f6cac/tina-black-who-beat-delphine-benouaich-on-tuf-wants-ranked-opponent-in-ufc
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