Melissa Amaya survived insane submission sequence to advance to TUF 34 finals: ‘I could feel my arm doing things it’s not supposed to’

Melissa Amaya has earned her spot in The Ultimate Fighter 34 strawweight finals after surviving a harrowing submission sequence in her semifinal bout against GiGi Canuto. Despite being trapped in an armbar and a near-devastating triangle choke that left her arm bent at extreme angles, Amaya fought through the danger, reversed position, and finished the first round on top with heavy ground-and-pound before dominating Round 2.

Amaya told MMA Fighting that watching the fight afterward was startling. "I could feel my arm doing things it's not supposed to," she recalled. "When I watched it, I was like, 'Oh… That's why people are having the reaction they're having.' How did it not just snap?" Medical evaluation revealed torn muscles in her brachialis—the deepest arm muscle—but no tendon, ligament, or bone damage, a result her physical therapist called remarkably fortunate given the extreme angles of the submissions.

The victory marked Amaya's second consecutive win over one of coach Michael Bisping's top selections, having previously defeated Anna Melisano. Her gutsy performance drew praise from her coach Daniel Cormier and UFC CEO Dana White. Amaya will now face Delphine Benouaich in an all-Team Cormier final against Tina Black's side of the bracket, with the winner earning a multi-fight UFC contract.

Amaya's path to the semis was complicated by a debilitating back injury stemming from a pre-existing sacroiliac joint condition that flared during training. With help from the UFC Performance Institute's medical staff, she recovered in time to compete. Despite her success, Amaya remains humble about her journey, noting that simply being selected for the house alongside seven other strawweights felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.