Silva was the belle of the 145-pound ball halfway through 2025. After scoring his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 and picking up a trio of knockout wins in 2024, “Lord” kept his enigmatic momentum rolling with a knockout win over Melsik Baghdasaryan and a submission victory over Bryce Mitchell. The win over Mitchell served as Silva’s announcement as a legitimate force in the division, one who caught the eye of champion Alexander Volkanovski as “The Great” reclaimed the division’s crown.
When Silva headlined Noche UFC opposite Diego Lopes, it seemed like he was on the doorstep of a title shot. However, Lopes stole all of that momentum, finishing Silva in the second round (the first man to stop the Brazilian) and later receiving the shot at the Australian champ. For Silva, it was back to the drawing board, and he had no problem seeking whatever he needed to move forward.
“I’ve learned throughout my career that talking about it with a professional and seeking professional help has always worked,” Silva said. “It is stuff that brings some (tears) and some suffering back at home, but at the end of the day, you deal with it, and you talk about it, and that’s there’s no other way about it. You do it to move forward.”
