New Mexico's Melissa Amaya Upsets Top Contender in The Ultimate Fighter 34 Premiere

In an impressive start to the season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 34, Melissa Amaya, a 31-year-old mixed martial artist from Chaparral, New Mexico, secured a significant victory against Anna Melisano. Amaya, who earned her nursing degree from the University of New Mexico in 2018, showcased her skills by submitting Melisano, the top-ranked strawweight fighter on Michael Bisping’s team, in the debut episode aired on Sunday.

Competing under the guidance of former UFC champion Daniel Cormier, Amaya demonstrated her prowess in both striking and grappling. Cormier praised her performance, stating, “The one that impressed me the most is Melissa Amaya. She fought Michael’s No. 1 pick and she submitted her in the first round. She beat her in the stand up, beat her in the grappling. Melissa Amaya is the real deal. She's going to be hard to beat.”

Currently holding an undefeated professional record of 8-0, Amaya now trains out of Spokane, Washington. Although her fights in The Ultimate Fighter do not officially count towards her professional record, the victor of the competition will receive a lucrative six-figure contract with the UFC.

After the premiere, viewers can catch new episodes of the 12-show season every Tuesday on Paramount+. The entire season was filmed in advance, and the fighters are prohibited from revealing any results.