Jean Silva welcomes short-notice replacement Jose Delgado in the main event of Noche UFC this Saturday in Glendale, Arizona, and the featherweight title picture just got a whole lot spicier. Silva was supposed to fight Yair Rodriguez, but with Delgado stepping in, Silva still believes nothing changes his destiny toward a title shot, even as his new opponent is talking some serious smack.
Silva Is “Sure” He’s Next for the Title, No Matter Who Shows Up
Silva (17-3) is coming into this fight as a massive four-to-one favorite against Delgado. And get this, he agrees with the oddsmakers! Silva believes this fight “will look easy.” You might think that sounds arrogant, especially when his opponent is already outspoken, but Silva says it’s all about his preparation. He knows beating Rodriguez would have done more for his quest to challenge for the featherweight title, but Silva is absolutely convinced the opponent change does not alter his path. “I don’t think. I am sure that I’m next,” Silva told CBS Sports through a Portuguese interpreter when asked if a win over Delgado would seal a title shot. He’s got that deep-rooted ambition. We’ve all seen his emotional side inside the Octagon, the barking and snarling after a victory. He even reportedly soaked the UFC championship in tears during a promotional shoot. This guy lives for this. “It’s a dream. If you see a few years ago, I was a crazy guy with a dream. Now, I believe my craziness is bringing me to this moment,” Silva said. He just watched one of his best friends lose on ‘Contender Series,’ so he’s pouring all those emotions into his shot.
Delgado Says Silva “Bleeds Like Every Other Man”
Now, Delgado (12-2) is saying exactly what you’d expect from a fighter taking a short-notice main event. He’s got a huge task ahead, not to mention a height advantage over Silva. Delgado is jumping from fighting unranked guys straight to headlining Noche UFC against a Top 10 featherweight who is literally on the cusp of a title shot. Just putting on a competitive performance would be commendable for Delgado, but he isn’t settling for that. He’s betting on himself, plain and simple, and he believes Silva’s antics don’t make him any less human. “This is a spot that elevates me immediately. This is a spot that I would be foolish to say no to,” Delgado told CBS Sports. “I say yes to the opportunity to be great. His name is Jean; he’s just a man, and he bleeds like every other man. I like that he brings in the antics; I like that he makes it a show. I like that he makes this bigger than what it is. But, at the end of the day, it’s two guys going out there and trying to take what they believe is theirs. I’m going out there to take what I believe is mine, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
This Noche UFC card is set to be electric. Can Silva prove his destiny is untouchable, or will Delgado shock the world and elevate his career by proving Silva is just another man? We’ll find out this Saturday from Glendale, Arizona.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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