The UFC world got new newlyweds this month when bantamweight fighter Mayra Bueno Silva, better known as “Sheetara,” exchanged vows with her longtime partner Gloria de Paula. The Brazilian couple, who have been together since meeting at the Chute Box gym in São Paulo in 2016, celebrated their wedding in an intimate elopement ceremony in the United States, captured by photographer Wal e De Paula and shared via social media.
Mayra Bueno Silva and Gloria de Paula get married
The couple tied the knot via an “elopement wedding,” defined as a ceremony aimed at celebrating the couple’s love with just the two of them. A photographer posted about the event, explaining that an elopement is about the couple’s connection and not a larger party format. The photographer noted that he traveled to the United States to capture this moment for both fighters.
Silva has been open about the role De Paula played during difficult personal times. In a 2023 interview of ESPN In Brazil, Silva described the battle against depression and suicidal thoughts several years ago. Silva explained that De Paula had sacrificed her own fighting abilities during this period to care for Silva. De Paula withdrew from competing in the UFC, partly due to demands to support Silva, which affected De Paula’s performance in her own fights. Silva credited her partner with helping her recover and ultimately reach the title picture.
UFC Careers
Mayra Bueno Silva, 34, competes in the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division and is currently ranked 11th in her weight class as of November 2025. Born on August 22, 1991 in Uberlândia, Brazil, Silva has built a career marked by strong submissions and notable wins.
She made her UFC debut in September 2018 against Gillian Robertson, winning via first-round submission. One of her career highlights includes a 2023 victory over former UFC bantamweight champion Holly Holm, where Silva delivered a victory to Holm with a guillotine choke just 38 seconds into the second round. That performance earned Silva recognition and positioned her as one of the top contenders in the division. Silva went on to fight for the vacant UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship against Raquel Pennington at UFC 297 in January 2024, but lost via unanimous decision.
Gloria de Paula, 30, has also competed in mixed martial arts at the professional level. Born on June 10, 1995, De Paula fought in the UFC’s strawweight division and has a professional record of six wins and seven losses with multiple organizations. De Paula’s path to MMA took an unexpected route.
As the daughter of photographers, she initially worked as a photo model in her youth. While in high school and facing academic pressure, De Paula began pursuing an education Muay Thai with her mother to improve her condition. She became so attracted to the sport that she switched focus from her entrance exams to MMA. Her turning point came at age 17 when she watched Ronda Rousey defend the UFC bantamweight title in just 34 seconds, an event that inspired De Paula to become an MMA fighter herself.
De Paula earned her UFC contract after winning Dana White’s Contender Series in November 2020, defeating Pauline Macias by unanimous decision. During her UFC run, she competed against fighters such as Jinh Yu Frey, Diana Belbiţă, Maria Oliveira and Karolina Wójcik. She won one fight against Diana Belbiţă in February 2022, but faced losses in other matches. De Paula’s last recorded professional fight took place in August 2024 when she competed at LFA 190 and lost via unanimous decision to Ashley Yoder.
The two met while training at Chute Box Diego Lima, one of Brazil’s most respected MMA facilities. Based in São Paulo, Chute Box has built a reputation for developing world-class fighters and emphasizes Muay Thai striking combined with Brazilian basic principles of jiu-jitsu and wrestling. The gym has produced several notable UFC fighters and champions throughout its history.
Silva has competed at both bantamweight and flyweight UFC, although she is still based in the bantamweight division. Her recent record shows three consecutive losses: to Raquel Pennington in January 2024, Macy Chiasson in June 2024 and Jasmine Jasudavicius in February 2025. Despite these setbacks, Silva has earned Fight of the Night bonuses and Performance of the Night bonuses twice during her UFC run.
The couple is active on social media and regularly shares their lives with followers. Silva’s Instagram account has gained thousands of followers who follow her fighting career and personal updates. Both fighters remain involved in combat sports, with Silva actively competing in the UFC, while De Paula has left active competition in recent years.
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