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Jean Silva Makes Bold Knockout Claim to Current Champion, Eyes Quick Finish

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Prince Horton | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 8:27 PM ET

UFC 314 is officially in the rearview, and while some fighters faded under the spotlight, others surged with undeniable force. Amid the chaos, a new narrative is beginning to form—one that could reshape the featherweight landscape. While multiple contenders jockey for position, one undefeated finisher believes the path to gold should run straight through him. With the belt now around the waist of a newly crowned champion, a potential champion-vs-finisher showdown is already generating real intrigue among eager MMA fans.

Jean Silva, fresh off a dominant submission win over Bryce Mitchell, sat down with Ariel Helwani this week and wasted no time laying out his ambitions. He doesn’t want a tune-up or a slow climb—he wants Alexander Volkanovski next. And he wants to make it violent. ‘Yes, I actually believe that between me and Volkanovski, we would have a fantastic fight,’ Silva told Helwani. ‘I like him very, very much, but I think this would be a good fight for me. And I could probably go for a knockout in the first or second round.’

Silva went even further, addressing the champ directly: ‘If this fight is going to be against Volkanovski, I find it super important. He's already posting about it on social media. So if we would take maybe two months for me to remove his belt, I'm totally in favor.’

Whether it’s too soon or perfectly timed, Silva’s bold callout has fans buzzing. With highlight-reel power and an unbeaten streak, the hype isn’t unwarranted. Still, it will be interesting to see where Dana White and the team go from here.

Movsar Evloev appears to be the most realistic title challenger. Undefeated in the UFC at 9-0 and fresh off a win over Aljamain Sterling, Evloev has both the ranking and momentum to make his case. He's publicly called out Volkanovski and has long been considered one of the division’s most dangerous grinders. Meanwhile, Yair Rodriguez remains in the mix after defeating Patricio Pitbull at UFC 314 and calling for a rematch with Volkanovski in Mexico. While Jean Silva’s stock is rising quickly, both Evloev and Rodriguez are likely ahead of him in the title queue—at least for now.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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