After eleven of the twelve episodes have aired, we now know the two women fighting in the TUF 34 Women’s Strawweight finale on September 26 in Las Vegas. Valesca Machado, better known as Tina Black, takes on Melissa Amaya at UFC Vegas 121.
The winner of the fight will be crowned the TUF 34 Women’s Strawweight winner. Black and Amaya, both coached on the show by Daniel Cormier, won their quarter-finals and semi-finals and will now take on each other in the live finale at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
One Of The Favorites
Entering the TUF 34 season, Tina Black was among the favorites to reach the finale. The 30-year-old Brazilian began her career in 2016 and built a record of 8-2 in Brazil, including a notable win over current UFC fighter Julia Polastri. In 2021, she was invited to fight on the Contender Series to earn a UFC contract. In one of the best fights of the season, Black dropped a decision against Piera Rodriguez. Rodriguez got signed, and Black went back to the regional scene. Black fought one more time in Brazil and then signed with Invicta FC. She also moved to the United States to train with MMA legend and UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber. After a win in September 2022, she entered the 4-woman tournament in November that year to determine the new Strawweight champion.
Black won the tournament and became the new champion. She lost the title during her first defense against Danni McCormack. In 2024, Black fought three times. First, she won the Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat title, followed by two Invicta FC victories. She didn’t fight last year but tried out for the 34th season of The Ultimate Fighter this year. Black was chosen as one of the eight girls in the tournament. In her quarterfinal, she beat Natália Alves in the second round via TKO. This set up a fight against Team Cormier’s teammate Delphine Benouaich in the semi-final. In a very competitive fight, Black won via unanimous decision after three rounds, punching her ticket to the finale. Will Black be able to live up to her role as favorite against Melissa Amaya?
Underrated And Very Skilled
While Tina Black was immediately identified as a tournament favorite, the same could not be said for Melissa Amaya. Despite her undefeated record, the American fighter had to win her fights on the show to attract eyeballs to her skills. The 31-year-old started her professional MMA career in 2021. Amaya signed with the popular Combate Global promotion of former UFC co-founder Campbell McLaren. Within two years, Amaya worked her way up to become one of the division’s top fighters. Amaya racked up six victories in just eighteen months, earning her first main event spot in June 2024 against Samantha Jean-Francois. Amaya won the fight via TKO in the second round. A year later, she clinched her second Combate Global main event victory, this time stopping Megumi Sugimoto via a first-round TKO.
In 2026, Amaya was picked as one of the eight women to participate in the 34th season of The Ultimate Fighter. Amaya got picked third on Team Cormier and immediately kicked off the tournament by fighting Team Bisping’s number one pick, Anna Melisano. She shook up the tournament by taking out one of the top favorites via rear-naked choke submission in the first round. The win put her in the semi-finals against Gigi Canuto. Canuto, a BJJ specialist, was also named as one of the favorites to reach the finale. After surviving multiple submission attempts in a grueling first round, Amaya weathered the storm and took control early in the second against a heavily gassed Canuto. Amaya won via TKO in the second round, punching her ticket to the finale against Team Cormier’s teammate and number one pick Tina Black. Can Amaya beat the odds again in the finale?
UFC Vegas 121 – September 26
- Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Raoni Barcelos
- Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu vs. TBA (TUF 34 Bantamweight Finale)
- Tina Black vs. Melissa Amaya (TUF 34 Women’s Strawweight Finale)
- Norma Dumont vs. Ailín Pérez
- Montel Jackson vs. Ricky Simón
- Yazmin Jauregui vs. Vanessa Demopoulos
- John Castañeda vs. Alatengheili
- Rodolfo Bellato vs. Christian Edwards
- Elves Brener vs. Josiah Harrell
- Mickey Gall vs. Sedriques Dumas
The Ultimate Fighter 34 Women’s Finale Set for UFC Vegas 121