Jean Silva lost his original opponent, but not his place in the featherweight title picture. Silva welcomes short-notice replacement Jose Delgado in the main event of Noche UFC on Saturday from Glendale, Arizona.
Silva (17-3) agrees with oddsmakers who have him as a four-to-one favorite against Delgado, replacing Yair Rodriguez. He believes "it will look easy." His assuredness doesn't come from arrogance, especially against an outspoken opponent, but from his preparation. Beating Rodriguez would've done more for his quest to challenge for the featherweight title, but Silva doesn't think the change in opponent changes his destiny.
"I don't think. I am sure that I'm next," Silva, using a Portuguese interpreter, told CBS Sports when asked if beating Delgado would earn him a title shot.
Silva's certainty comes from a deep-rooted ambition. He has a reputation for being emotional. You see it inside the Octagon as he madly barks and snarls after a victory. You also saw it in a behind-the-scenes video for UFC 324, where he soaked the UFC championship in tears while pressing his head against it during a promotional shoot. Silva doesn't hide away from those feelings. He believes they will allow him to fulfill a UFC championship dream shared with his friends on the training mats.
"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. " I just saw one of my best friends lose on 'Contender Series.' This dream is for a few guys. I'm close. So I put my emotions into this."
Delgado (12-2) is saying all the right things ahead of his short-notice main event. The task ahead is as tall as the height advantage he wields against Silva. Delgado jumps from fighting unranked competition to headlining Noche UFC against a Top 10 featherweight on the cusp of a title shot. A competitive performance would be commendable, but Delgado won't settle for that. He's betting on himself and his belief that 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 legacy, that's greatness."
Noche UFC's main card is an embarrassment of riches, particularly for a UFC Fight Night. Two former UFC champions from Mexico, Alexa Grasso and Brandon Moreno, seek career redemption ahead of Mexican Independence Day. Grasso's fight with Manon Fiorot is particularly important after Valentina Shevchenko vacated the women's flyweight title.
Tommy McMillen and Marwan Rahiki could both be the next big thing, but only one of them will leave Glendale with their undefeated record intact. McMillen has been one of the most outspoken fighters in recent memory to explode onto the scene and he describes himself as a rockstar.
"There's not really anymore rockstars nowadays. I feel like I'm a modern-day rockstar, like a Motley Crue," McMillen said. "I just truly feel that the way that I live my life -- I party and I fight -- I'm a modern day rockstar. I don't think it's something UFC has ever seen before and it's because there is only one 'Tommy Gun.' There is only one 'Gunz.'"
Let's take a look at the rest of the fight card with the latest odds from DraftKings before getting to a prediction and expert pick on the main event below.
UFC Fight Night card, odds
Favorite Underdog Weightclass
Jean Silva -410 Jose Miguel Delgado +320 Featherweight
Joseph Morales -120 Brandon Moreno +100 Flyweight
Tommy McMillen -142 Marwan Rahiki +120 Featherweight
Manon Fiorot -258 Alexa Grasso +210 Women's flyweight
Waldo Cortes Acosta -218 Curtis Blaydes +180 Heavyweight
David Martinez -440 Dan Ige +340 Bantamweight
UFC Fight Night viewing information
Date: Saturday, Sept. 12 | Start time: 5 p.m. ET (Main card), 2 p.m. ET (Prelims)
Location: Desert Diamond Arena -- Glendale, Arizona
TV Channel: Paramount+
Prediction
Jean Silva vs. Jose Miguel Delgado: Delgado's physical advantages cannot be ignored. He's four inches taller with a four-inch reach advantage, and his ability to switch stances is crucial to limiting Silva's weapons. The Octagon wall is lava for Delgado. He needs space to operate, and fighting southpaw could help him win the outside lead-foot battle. But a southpaw stance also leaves him vulnerable to Silva's nasty body kicks. If Delgado can execute it well, shifting between stances like Sean O'Malley will make him difficult to reach and disrupt Silva's rhythm.
