Jean Silva ready for Jose Delgado matchup at Noche UFC 4
The Brazilian featherweight says the change of opponent has not affected his mindset ahead of Saturday's fight.
Jean Silva was originally scheduled to face Yair Rodriguez at Noche UFC 4, but Jose Delgado stepped in as his replacement after "El Pantera" was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a groin injury. Despite the change in opponent, the Brazilian featherweight says his mindset remains the same and he is ready to face whoever the UFC puts in front of him.
Jean Silva Addresses Jose Delgado Matchup
With Delgado now set to face Silva on Saturday, the Mexican fighter presents a different challenge from the one the Brazilian originally expected. However, Silva believes adjusting to the change is part of the job for the people around him, while his responsibility is simply to be ready to fight. Speaking to MMA Junkie, "Lord" explained that the change in opponent does not alter his approach.
"I'm an athlete," Silva began. "I'm ready to fight. The people who have to worry about this are my coaches, the matchmakers, my manager, Ivan, and everybody else. Those are the people that have to re-align expectations and re-route the course. I'll be ready to fight. He's No. 12 in the rankings. It could've been a guy who just came in the UFC and I'd be ready to go. For me, it doesn't change the opponent. I'm there to fight, and I'm going to fight."
Silva heads into the fight coming off a unanimous decision victory over Arnold Allen in January. Before that, the Brazilian suffered his first UFC loss against Diego Lopes. The setback snapped Silva's 13-fight winning streak. Lord currently sits at No. 6 in the division.
Meanwhile, Delgado has won his last two fights. The Mexican fighter suffered his first promotional defeat in October 2025, ending a seven-fight winning streak. The No. 12-ranked contender now has an opportunity to climb the featherweight division if he can get past Silva.
