Exclusive: Shanelle Dyer Reflects on UFC London Dream and Visualising Her Next Victory

Shanelle Dyer discussed living her dream at UFC London, the lessons learned from her Dana White's Contender Series defeat and how she plans to make a statement win against Elise Reed.

"I've been thinking about this fight ever since I got the name down, all the ways I could finish it. Submission, knockouts, TKOs, anything - no decisions."

Shanelle 'The Nightmare' Dyer (7-1) returns to the Octagon on 22 August 2026 for UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues, following her UFC debut in front of a home crowd in March, where she delivered a stoppage victory over Ravena Oliveira (7-4-1).

Dyer talked to Combat Evolved in an exclusive interview about her long-held dream of fighting at the O2 Arena on home soil in front of a British crowd.

“I've been planning UFC London from the moment I started MMA. I visualised what I wanted to do: winning in fashion, and that's what I did.”

The 25-year-old, who trains out of Great Britain Top Team, opened the latest UFC London card in style, finishing her opponent in the second round and earning a Performance of the Night bonus.

The victory was the result of months of preparation following her Dana White's Contender Series setback, where Dyer lost a decision to Carol Foro (9-1).

That preparation showed inside the Octagon, and 'The Nightmare' reflected on the victory, describing it as a surreal moment.

“Everything I did in my camp came into fruition.

“For everything to come together and win in that fashion was amazing.”

Dyer now hopes to replicate that performance when she returns to action against Reed in Sacramento.

UFC London was the biggest moment of Dyer's career so far, and she believes the version of herself who stepped into the Octagon that night was a much-improved fighter compared to the one who competed on the Contender Series.

Her fight with Foro remains the only loss of her professional career, and she is confident she made the right adjustments coming out of it. Her journey from DWCS disappointment to UFC bonus winner highlights that development.

“I'm a different fighter since my last fight.

“I've grown so much in that time, I think I'm a different fighter and if I do rematch her down the line, I'm going to fight like I should have fought then.”

A future rematch with Foro remains something she would welcome, but her immediate focus is on building her career, delivering statement wins and becoming a must-watch fighter on the UFC roster.

Dyer's aggressive style has already produced five knockout victories from her seven professional wins, and she wants to continue delivering these types of performances and producing highlights “win, lose or draw”.

“I'm going to be the people's champ - at the end of the day I always say I'm a fan first, then a fighter.”

Having fulfilled her dream in London, Dyer now turns her attention to another side of the UFC's stage.

The British strawweight makes her first UFC appearance in the United States when she faces Elise Reed in Sacramento at UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues, and she sees it as an opportunity to introduce herself to a new audience.

“Last time in the O2 that was my UFC debut, my hometown debut.

“But this is my US debut. I have a lot of fans in the UK and Europe now and I want to do the same thing with the US crowd, come out with a sick knockout.”

Despite her confidence, Dyer has plenty of respect for Reed and the challenge she presents, pointing to her unconventional style.

Speaking about the American, who serves as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, Dyer said:

“She punches from different angles, she has good pressure, she is part of the military.

“Every fight I see her she's tough, she's gritty.”

Dyer explained that unconventional opponents can present some of the biggest challenges because of their unpredictability, making it more difficult to anticipate where the next shot is coming from.

However, Dyer believes the matchup is tailor-made for her and revealed that she has been dreaming about the fight ever since it was announced. The Brit hopes to deliver another finish and produce a 'spectacular' performance for the American crowd.

Dyer pointed out a flaw in Reed's game that she plans to exploit:

“She fights with her hands down her waist which is literally her kryptonite.”

After achieving the moment she had visualised for years in London, Dyer is now preparing for a new challenge.

“I'm super super excited for this fight.

“I cannot wait.”

Shanelle 'The Nightmare' Dyer has the opportunity to continue building momentum when she returns to the Octagon on 22 August in Sacramento for UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues.