Alexander Volkanovski’s Coach Dismisses Jean Silva’s Title Hopes
Alexander Volkanovski’s coach, Joe Lopez, says that Jean Silva has not done enough to earn a shot at the UFC featherweight title.
Although Silva has two consecutive wins, Lopez considers former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling a more deserving contender and has already spoken to 'Funk Master' about facing Volkanovski.
Joe Lopez Explains Why Jean Silva Hasn’t Earned a Title Shot
Jean Silva has made his intentions known after winning his last two fights. He defeated Arnold Allen by unanimous decision at UFC 324 in January before submitting Jose Miguel Delgado with a rear-naked choke in the third round at the Noche UFC main event in September. The results strengthened his chance for a title opportunity, but Lopez believes other contenders have done much more to deserve it.
“Jean Silva makes a lot of noise, and he's a great fighter, but I don't think he's earned the spot,” Lopez said in his interview with Submission Radio.
“There's a lot of guys in front of him that have done a lot better, like Aljo himself is up on the rankings and is a more formidable contender than Jean Silva.”
The difference in their current rankings supports Lopez’s argument. Sterling sits at No. 4 in the UFC featherweight division, while Silva sits one place below him at No. 5. However, Lopez’s main concern is that Silva should not leapfrog contenders who have already established themselves in the division.
Why Lopez Wants Volkanovski to Fight Aljamain Sterling
Lopez has more than Sterling’s ranking in mind. The two are friends, and the coach revealed that a possible fight against Volkanovski has already been discussed.
“I'd like that Aljo fight. I'm pretty good friends with Aljo, and I've discussed it with him, and we're down for it,” Lopez said.
Sterling's last fight was in April against Youssef Zalal. 'Funk Master' won the five-round featherweight main event by unanimous decision. The victory continued his progress since moving up from bantamweight.
He now faces Kevin Vallejos at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 and will have to win against the rising contender to strengthen his chance for a title shot.
Jean Silva’s Power vs. Aljamain Sterling’s Grappling
Lopez’s choice also comes down to how he views the Silva matchup against Volkanovski. Silva is known for his aggressive striking and knockout power and has finished many of his opponents. His recent win by submission against Delgado also showed he can finish fights on the ground.
However, Lopez pointed to Silva’s September 2025 loss to Diego Lopes, who stopped him with strikes in the second round after dropping him with a spinning elbow, following it up with ground-and-pound.
“He's a powerful dude, and that's all he's got. If he catches you with one of his punches, he obviously can knock you out, but watching what Diego did to him on the ground and just maul him, if Alex got him to the ground, it'd be over,” Lopez said.
Volkanovski’s wrestling, top pressure, and ability to transition between positions are the reasons Lopez believes the champion could exploit that weakness. However, Sterling would put forward a different challenge. His grappling and wrestling have been central to his success, making him a more established challenge for Volkanovski than a matchup built around Silva’s striking threat.
For now, Lopes believes that Sterling has the stronger chance, but his fight with Vallejos would determine whether that preference turns into a realistic title opportunity.
