Jean Silva targets UFC featherweight title shot with Noche UFC win over Delgado

Jean Silva enters Saturday’s Noche UFC main event in Glendale, Arizona, against short-notice replacement Jose Delgado with one goal in mind: securing his place as the next UFC featherweight title challenger.

Silva was originally scheduled to face former interim champion Yair Rodriguez in a five-round headliner on September 12, but Rodriguez was forced out with an injury. The Brazilian, who fights out of São Paulo under the Fighting Nerd banner, says the late change does nothing to alter the stakes.

“Is there someone else to fight instead of me?” Silva told MMA Fighting. “Then I’m next.”

Alexander Volkanovski defends the 145-pound title against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, and Silva is picking the challenger to pull off the upset — while also positioning himself as the winner’s first opponent.

“I think Evloev wins,” Silva said. “It’ll be me and him. But if Evloev pulls out, then it’s me and Volkanovski. It doesn’t matter. I’m next.”

Despite backing Evloev, Silva acknowledged that Volkanovski would represent the more difficult stylistic challenge. “He’s not 100 percent in everything, but what he does is absurd,” Silva said. “He sticks to a strategy, sticks to the game plan. He knows how to fight, he knows what needs to be done, and he has knockout power. Evloev doesn’t have knockout power. The first hand that gets in, he’s going down.”

Silva said he was never fully confident Rodriguez would make it to fight night, and expressed sympathy for his original opponent despite the disruption. “I already thought he might pull out,” he said. “I hope he didn’t suffer any serious injury.”

As for Delgado, Silva was blunt in his assessment but respectful of the Colombian’s willingness to step in on four weeks’ notice. Reaching for a canine metaphor, he described himself as a rottweiler and Delgado as a pinscher. “I respect every pinscher. They’re f*cking brave. The difference is, they can’t handle shit.”

The late replacement forced Silva and his coaching staff to overhaul their game plan entirely. “We usually have about eight sparring sessions during a camp,” he said, crediting his São Paulo coaches for adapting quickly under the circumstances.