Kevin Vallejos hints at “one of the best fighters in the world” as next opponent
Kevin Vallejos has teased a major challenge for his UFC return, hinting that his next opponent could be “one of the best fighters in the world.”
Kevin Vallejos, after his spectacular knockout victory over Josh Emmett in March, has teased his UFC return and hinted at a major challenge for his next UFC appearance.
Kevin Vallejos promises a major opponent
Vallejo's poster series of X posts after the completion of UFC Noche, which was headlined by a featherweight bout in the same division he fights. In the UFC Noche headliner, Jean Silva, after facing adversity in the first round, bounced back and secured the third round rear-naked choke submission win over Jose Delgado.
In one X post, Vallejos hinted that his next fight will decide the No. 1 contender in the 145-pound division. In another post, he, rather than revealing his next opponent, the Argentine offered a cryptic hint about the matchup and predicted a strong reaction once the UFC makes it official.
“I think everyone will be surprised but excited when my next opponent is announced. He is one of the best fighters in the world,” Vallejos wrote.
Check out Kevin Vallejos' X post below:
It's unlikely that he will face Silva, as the Brazilian, with victory at UFC Noche, has potentially cemented himself in the next line for a featherweight title shot, and he will not return for any fight other than a title shot.
It's highly possible that Vallejos could face former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, as he is one of the Contenders in the title mix. Other possible matchups could be Arnold Allen or Lerone Murphy.
Though Vallejos won't get the Silva fight, he has previously said he wants to avenge his loss to the Brazilian.
Vallejos and Silva squared off on Dana White's Contender Series in Sept 2023, where ‘EL Chino’ lost by decision, marking his career's first and only loss.
Kevin Vallejos wants to settle the score with Jean Silva after first career loss
In his appearance on the Direto de Vegas podcast, he was asked if he wanted to avenge his loss to Silva, as both are now serious contenders in the UFC featherweight division. He responded with confidence that he wants his revenge and also shared that he wanted ‘Lord' to lose in his UFC debut.
"Yes, definitely ," Vallejos said on the Direto de Vegas podcast. "When he made his debut, I remember I was training in Mexico and I wanted him to lose. Because he stole my spot. I felt like this was my opportunity and he took it away from me. And I wanted him to lose, I wanted him to lose…”
