Las Vegas — Women’s strawweight Valesa Machado finds herself in The Ultimate Fighter 34 finale this Saturday, but it will be Tina Black doing the heavy lifting.
Machado (15-4, 1NC) is a former Invicta FC champ and appeared on the Contender Series in 2021, only to lose that shot at the UFC to Piera Rodriguez. She’s gone 7-1 since, and gave a bit of insight into her “Tina Black” personality during Wednesday’s UFC Vegas 121 media day. The Fight Night card hosts both TUF 34 finals.
“Valesca Machado is the person that you see here today, she’s right in front of you, and Tina Black is the lioness that you see inside the octagon. I think it’s just a personality thing,” stated Machado, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press, before clarifying that “I do not have two personalities, it’s not a dual personality kind of situation, but outside the octagon, I try as much as possible to be a normal person. And Tina Black is that lioness that’s inside the octagon fighting.”
So where does Machado end and Black begin? Well, for one thing, it’s Black putting in the work, and Machado reaping the rewards.
“I think Tina is the dedication, the hard work, the training and the fighting that happens so that Valesca can have a good life. So that’s what happens. Tina does everything she can, goes all out, and she does everything so that Valesca can chill and just enjoy life.”
After winning three fights in 2024, Machado/Black didn’t fight at all in 2025, essentially sitting on the sidelines until joining The Ultimate Fighter 34 cast earlier this year. There was no injury, rather, the layoff was by design.
“I was waiting for the opportunity and a chance. I was just waiting for it, because I had just come out of an amazing knockout in 49 seconds. Just two great wins, and I felt that I didn’t need to do anything in any of the other promotions out there,” Machado told Cageside Press. “I was just waiting for this opportunity. I felt that I wanted to be here, that I needed to be here, and that I was meant to be here. So I was waiting for that, and for the call to be here.”
Machado’s manager did attempt to book fights for her, and she admits to having had some doubts. But at the same time, she had faith she’d make it to the UFC. “As you can see, I didn’t fail.”
Watch the full UFC Vegas 121 media day appearance by Tina Black (or Valesca Machado if you prefer) above.