Meet London’s new UFC star who Dana White signed after ‘one of the greatest women’s fights’ he’d seen

Feb 13, 2026 - 15:45

Shanelle Dyer watched Israel Adesanya’s 2019 fight with Kevin Gastelum and thought, ‘I can do the same as him.’

The two middleweight stars had just gone to war over five bloody rounds in one of the greatest title fights of all time, which was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame last year.

UFC President Dana White places the interim middleweight championship belt on Israel Adesanya after defeating Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision in their interim middleweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia — Adesanya’s victory over Gastelum via unanimous decision inspired Dyer to pursue an MMA career

A fellow Nigerian with a Muay Thai background and a shared love of anime, Adesanya quickly became an inspiration for the London fighter.

Over the next seven years, Dyer forged her path to MMA’s summit and now faces the biggest fight of her career at UFC London.

After winning her first six professional fights, she was handed an opening on Dana White‘s Contender Series last year.

Despite suffering a unanimous decision defeat to Carol Foro, Dyer was awarded a UFC contract after president White hailed her clash as ‘one of the greatest women’s fights I’ve ever seen.’

Shanelle Dyer manifested UFC London debut for years

“In my mind, it was always going to be UFC London,” Dyer told talkSPORT.com ahead of her bout with Brazil’s Ravena Oliveira.

“It was a dream from the first time I actually went to UFC London about four years ago.

“I was saying in three years, give or take, I’m going to be making my UFC debut in London.

“I’ve been calling it ever since I got my UFC contract, UFC London, UFC London, UFC London!

“I had to be in that card. I manifested it from a young age, and obviously, they put me on the card — they had to, I’m London born and raised.”

Dyer is only 24-years-old, but has been in the fight game for longer than meets the eye.

UFC President and CEO Dana White enters the Octagon to congratulate Shanelle Dyer of England and her opponent Carol Foro of Brazil (not pictured) after their strawweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series season nine, week five at UFC APEX on September 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — UFC president White gave Dyer a contract for her gritty performance despite losing

Shanelle Dyer of England reacts against Carol Foro of Brazil in a strawweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series season nine, week five at UFC APEX on September 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — The 24-year-old was told backstage by the UFC brass to put on a war and she certainly delivered

Fighting is Dyer’s life

She started her journey at the age of nine, picking up Muay Thai as a hobby alongside other sports her parents pushed her to do, including ballet and gymnastics.

After seeing the success of her brothers in martial arts, Dyer’s involvement in the sport grew stronger, and she hasn’t looked back since.

The Great Britain Top Team representative said she made an instant connection with her peers and fell in love with the community aspect at the start of her career.

“I found a place where I belong, and I found my purpose,” Dyer added.

“I just love fighting. I did Muay Thai until I was 18, then I realised I didn’t want to work a normal job — all I want to do for the rest of my life is fight.

“Unfortunately, you can’t really do that in Muay Thai. You have to either go to boxing or MMA. And I love kicking too much to box.

Shanelle Dyer of England celebrates victory during the Women's Flyweight fight between Shanelle Dyer and Mariam Torchinava at Utilita Arena on June 08, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England — Dyer contests her eighth professional fight at UFC London — but she’s lived and breathed fighting for most of her life

“So I started MMA, and it’s been quite a short journey in my opinion, going from my MMA debut to being in UFC.

“It’s been about seven years. In that time period, I made it to UFC.

“But I’ve been grinding for years, almost like a decade and a half, to be in UFC.

“It’s been a long time coming.”

Dyer balanced her early MMA training with a part-time time at Sports Direct.

“I said to myself, let me grind for like two, three years now, so when I’m about 20, 21, I don’t have to work from then on,” she said.

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“So I grinded when I was a mid-teen, and then I’d had a little bit of agency work when I was about 18 to 23.

“Since about 22, 23, I haven’t worked, and I don’t plan to work.”

Impressing greats

‘The Nightmare’ entered the professional scene with a bang, knocking out her first opponent under the Hexagone MMA banner with a spinning backfist.

The KO — like many since — went viral, earning the praise of former UFC two-division champion Jon Jones.

Dyer said she was ‘too scared’ to start a conversation with Jones, who responded with a cold face emoji to an Instagram video of her epic KO.

After competing at Full Contact Contender and Ares FC, the London fighter then found her feet at the PFL, getting another viral KO when she head-kicked Mariam Torchinava to the moon.

Shanelle Dyer of England prepares to face Carol Foro of Brazil in a strawweight fight during Dana White's Contender Series season nine, week five at UFC APEX on September 09, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada — Dyer is already known among the hardcore MMA fanbase, but will seek to make her mark when she makes her UFC debut in London

She then scored a split decision win over Valentina Scatizzi before getting her chance in the Contender Series.

Dyer described her experience at the UFC development league as ‘surreal’, but knew it was her time and she was ready.

The 24-year-old said praise from the likes of Jones and prominent names in the MMA world only motivates her more to ‘wake up early in the morning and train my a** off.’

UFC London takes place on March 21, with Manchester’s Lerone Murphy facing Movsar Evloev in the main event to decide the next challenger to Alexander Volkanovski‘s featherweight throne.

Dyer’s fight with Oliveira is one of the opening bouts on the preliminary card.