Jean Silva is confident he can replicate Ilia Topuria’s style for Charles Oliveira.
After Islam Makhachev relinquished his lightweight championship, Topuria (16-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) will face Oliveira (35-10 MMA, 23-10 UFC) for the vacant belt in the UFC 317 headliner on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+).
Featherweight contender Silva (16-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who’s coming off a submission of Bryce Mitchell at UFC 314 in April, offered to help Oliveira prep for Topuria.
“I did better than you,” Silva said to Topuria on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Fighting). “Topuria fought Bryce Mitchell, and it was a fight. He got hit, he got dizzy. He got knocked down already in the UFC, but I haven’t. How long did my fight last against Bryce Mitchell? How many hands did he land? (Topuria’s) fights, even the ones he won by knockout, how long did they last?
“In a way, there was a fight between him and his opponents. Myself and my opponents, honestly, there was no fight. Not because they suck, but because I study a lot. And if he wants to know where did I get that from, why I say I can mimic him, it’s from his fights. Not talking crap, I know he’s very successful, but that’s called copying what works and adapting. I’m doing that with Topuria. So, yes, I can do everything he does.”
Silva pointed out flaws he sees in Topuria’s game and opportunities where Oliveira can capitalize.
“I know he walks and hides his back foot to throw the straight or cross,” Silva said. “I know he has powerful hips, but when he throws and misses a heavy hook, it often causes him to turn so much that he gives up his back. We saw that in the Bryce Mitchell fight. How many times did he give up his back? Let’s be honest here.”