Anthony Pettis will be in Jose Delgado's corner for Jean Silva fight at Noche UFC 4

Anthony Pettis may no longer be a UFC fighter, but that doesn't mean he's completely removed from MMA. With Jose Delgado scheduled to take on Jean Silva in a short-notice featherweight clash at Noche UFC 4, 'Showtime' has revealed his intention to serve as a cornerman for Delgado come fight night.

Anthony Pettis will be with Jose Delgado on Sep. 12

When Jose Delgado, in what will easily be the biggest fight of his career, takes on Jean Silva at Noche UFC 4, he will have the championship experience of Anthony Pettis by his side. 'Showtime' had a short reign as the UFC lightweight champion back in the early 2010s, and he will hope to guide Delgado through the toughest fight of his career. While Delgado himself is no scrub, with a 12-2 record and four wins in the UFC, along with a two-fight win streak, he still hasn't tested himself against the best of the best at featherweight, and Silva will represent a massive leap in the level of competition he's accustomed to.

However, Delgado is up for the challenge, saying as much in a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, prompting Pettis to comment on it on X.

"Jose Delgado on @arielhelwani today is a 5/5 interview. Excited to be in his corner as he steps into the opportunity of a lifetime."

For Delgado, it'll be his chance to make a name for himself by scoring an upset win over a relatively popular fighter. For Silva, on the other hand, Noche UFC 4 will arguably feel like a wasted opportunity. He was originally scheduled to face Yair Rodriguez in a likely featherweight title eliminator. Now, though, with Rodriguez having withdrawn due to injury, he'll take on a fighter that isn't anywhere near the top 10 and who is barely known. A win won't do much to advance his position in the rankings, but it is now fundamental to protecting his position, as a loss would be catatrophic, especially if he hopes to face Rodriguez in a rescheduled bout upon the latter's return.

Whatever happens, he will keep a close eye on the featherweight title fight at UFC 333, where Alexander Volkanovski will look to defend his belt against the unbeaten Movsar Evloev in the main event.