“My favorite fight”: Jean Silva reveals why Diego Lopes war holds a special place

Jean Silva is set to headline UFC Noche again this year. He will face Jose Delgado on September 12 at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. 

Ahead of the event, Silva went down memory lane and reflected on the war he had against Diego Lopes in the headliner of Noche UFC last year. 

Jean Silva reflects on brutal Diego Lopes war despite defeat

As we are a few days away from the UFC Noche, fans have been sharing their favorite fights from previous Noche events. One fan shared highlights of Silva vs. Lopes on his X account and claimed that it would be difficult for another Noche UFC fight to surpass it.

The X post quickly went viral and caught Silva's attention, who admitted that the matchup holds a special place in his heart, even though it ended in defeat. He highlights how he and Lopes were ready to throw hands. 

“I say it and repeat it, even having lost, this was my favorite fight. Two guys ready and willing to simply go at it with their fists, nothing more. I love that,” Silva wrote on X. 

Check out Jean Silva’s X post below: 

In the lead-up to their fight, the rivalry between Silva and Lopes got intense, and that showed during their fight: once the cage door closed, the two Brazilian strikers delivered one of the most entertaining featherweight battles of the year. 

Silva fell short and was knocked out by Lopes late in the second round. This time, the ‘Lord’ will look to deliver another entertaining battle against Delgado, but he will also be more cautious as he looks to secure the victory and cement himself as the next contender for the UFC featherweight title.

The trash talk between Silva and Delgado has been going on, and has built much more anticipation for the fight; now the 28-year-old has welcomed the dangerous ‘Lord’ into the octagon. 

Jose Delgado is ready for Jean Silva’s danger

In his appearance on MMA Junkie, Delgado admitted that Silva has a dangerous skill set, but he asserted he is ready for the violence that ‘Lord’ will bring once the cage door is closed. 

"He's very skilled, he's very good everywhere, but he kind of comes in and does the same thing over and over to these guys," Delgado said. "It's not the most craziest thing, it's not the most complex thing, but it is dangerous – and I love that energy, and I love how violent and mean of a b**tard he is. Like, I love that. I want to play with that energy, and Sept. 12, I get to do just that."

Originally, Silva was scheduled to headline the Noche event against Yair Rodriguez; however, the latter withdrew from the bout after sustaining an injury, and Delgado stepped up to take the fight on short notice. 

Only the fight will tell whether Delgado had enough time to prepare for someone like Silva or if he made a mistake by accepting the matchup on short notice.