MIAMI – If the people need a hero, Jean Silva says he’s their guy.
In a highly anticipated UFC 314 showdown with Bryce Mitchell, not only did Silva (16-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) win, he dominated. Midway through Round 2, he beat Mitchell (17-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) at his own game with a ninja choke submission.
“Now, I’m pretty sure I’m the people’s hero,” Silva told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a post-fight news conference. “In the event that they needed one, Jean ‘The Lord’ Silva is here.”
There was much attention on the three-round featherweight bout due to comments made by Bryce Mitchell on his podcast during which he praised Adolf Hitler. Silva, like most who heard the comments, took issue with them.
But the character during which Silva won looked as if it would surprise even a few of his biggest supporters. Mitchell is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black-belt who had only been submitted once prior.
“Listen, me winning by submission? Whoever bet me, it’s time to share. In case you bet on me, put it in my pocket. I have the desire to make some money, as well. Do you bet on me? … I actually didn’t know that. People really think I’m apparently not good at jiu-jitsu or grappling. It’s crazy because I’m Brazilian.”
Along with his victory, Silva kept the momentum going for a surging Fighting Nerds team that also includes Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates and Mauricio Ruffy. Despite turning heads on a near monthly basis, Silva said the perfect is yet to return.
“We’ve had lots of different paths to victory,” Silva said. “We’ve had some that involved knockouts. We’ve had others that involved submissions. A few of them actually involved taking some damage. But it surely wasn’t interesting because we had all these different pathways to victory. We were very blissful to truly give you the option to place all of them together and make it occur and get it that way. In case you take a look at it, it’s me now. You had me, after which you’ve Ruffy, after which you’ve Prates, and Prates and me again, and Prates is coming up. So get used to this. Get used to this. This is going on.”
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