Jean Silva is well on his way to becoming an elite name in the UFC.
Jean Silva Decimates Bryce Mitchell, Ascends to Featherweight Contendership
Stepping up for what was considered to be his toughest opponent to date, Jean Silva took on Ultimate Fighter alum and 145-lb contender Bryce Mitchell on the main card at UFC 314. Following his victory over Melsik Baghdasaryan at UFC Seattle, the Brazilian called out Mitchell, stating that he wanted to “make him pay” for previous supportive comments that he made about World War II dictator Adolf Hitler.
Last seen in action this past December at UFC 310, Bryce Mitchell recorded a tremendous third-round knockout over Kron Gracie, starching the high-level grappler with a thunderous slam and elbows. The win marked a successful rebound for the American, who was coming off his own stoppage defeat to Josh Emmett one year prior.
Jean Silva Knocks Down Bryce Mitchell en Route to Submission Victory
In the early goings of the match, Mitchell began by mixing up his levels with various kinds of kicks, targeting the body and legs of Jean Silva. Paternity stalking his prey, though, “Lord” started to land his shots more as the first round wore on, including landing a couple of stiff straight punches that appeared to hurt Mitchell.
In the second, Silva dropped his opponent with a stunning right that Mitchell never fully recovered from. Things wouldn’t get any better for “Thug Nasty,” as Jean Silva only continued to apply constant pressure with his Muay Thai, eventually making Mitchell shoot for a takedown near the end of the round. In a display of remarkable Jiu-Jitsu, though, Jean Silva managed to lock up a tight ninja choke that forced the American to tap, making the bout the first submission win for Silva in nearly four years.
Jean Silva Has “Great” Name In Mind for Next Trip to Octagon
With his triumph Mitchell, Jean Silva not only climbs into the talent-stacked featherweight top 15, he also extended his finishing streak to five in a row, which is tied for the longest of its kind in the 145-lb division, shared only with reputable knockout artist Steve Garcia. Now residing with the best his weight class has to offer, and after recording a fantastic performance on a stellar pay-per-view card, the possibilities for Silva’s next contest seem bountiful, and the Brazilian already has an idea of who he wants to share the cage with in his next UFC appearance, newly-minted champion Alexander Volkanovski.
Competing in the main event of UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski battled heavy-handed contender Diego Lopes. From start to finish, the clash was truly a spectacle for the ages, with the Aussie showcasing his supreme fight IQ by dodging much of Lopes’ hard blows and his opposition displaying his extreme grit by absorbing over 150 significant strikes.
Taking the title back in awesome fashion, Volkanovski became only the second former featherweight champion to get his strap back other than José Aldo.
What About Jean Silva vs. Yair Rodriguez Next Time Out?
While a showdown between Jean Silva and Alexander Volkanovski would make for an electrifying encounter, the 28-year old competitor still needs to string together a few more wins before he can contend for his first UFC championship scrap.
Suggested by UFC commentator Joe Rogan following his victory against a debuting Patrício Pitbull, Yair Rodríguez is also a highly-possible next option for Jean Silva. Considering they both possess an entertaining and animated skill set when it comes to striking, a meeting between these two featherweight juggernauts would undoubtedly set the world of MMA on fire.
