The family tragedy that forged the character of Jean Silva, the star of UFC Noche
The Brazilian fighter will face José Delgado in the main event, and he has a story behind him that has shaped who he is
This Saturday, September 12, the UFC will pay tribute to the Mexican people once again with UFC Noche , with Jean Silva (17-3) facing José Delgado (12-2) in the main event. Initially, "Lord" was supposed to face Yair Rodríguez, but an injury to "El Pantera" has left one of the biggest featherweight superstars in a difficult situation, with a rebellious character shaped by the family tragedies he experienced as a child.
Silva grew up in the favelas of Brazil , and he had to experience the harshness of the neighborhood like any child who lives in those environments. The first traumatic event that marked him for life was seeing how three men sexually abused his mother, and later she took a knife and killed them. Every time he remembers it, he breaks down in tears, since at such a young age he could not understand how there could be so much evil in the world.
Another hallmark of Jean is those constant barks he makes, imitating a dog from the start of Fight Week until he enters the octagon. They also have a backstory behind them, just as cruel as his first story. Jean's brother gave him a dog during his teenage years, and he began constantly imitating its barking. After some time, Silva had to witness his brother being murdered in the favela, in another traumatic moment of his life that has haunted him ever since.
Silva, much to lose and little to gain
Hence, "Lord"'s character is so complicated to understand. Unpredictable and crazy in his personality, but very calculating when he steps into the octagon, which has allowed him to remain on the verge of the featherweight belt. It is true that last year his rise was halted by a spinning elbow from Diego Lopes that marked his first defeat in the company, but he has bounced back in the best possible way by defeating Arnold Allen last January.
A victory over Yair Rodríguez would have secured him a title fight against the winner of the bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev at the upcoming UFC 333 , but the new scenario he is facing is considerably less hopeful. José Delgado has just entered the division’s top 15, so a victory over him would be the logical outcome and would possibly guarantee him nothing. Moreover, if he loses, it will be a very hard blow to his career, so the pressure is on his shoulders.
Delgado is a dangerous striker who can pull off an upset and has nothing to lose, and he has the added incentive of having the support of the Mexican people. If he manages to pull off the feat, he will be the one left close to the belt, in a golden opportunity that has fallen into his lap out of nowhere and that he will try to make the most of in order to keep moving forward in his career.
