Jean Silva Defeats Jose Delgado With Vicious Third-Round Submission

Jean Silva defeats Jose Delgado in the Noche UFC main event after submitting Jose Miguel Delgado with a one-arm rear-naked choke at 2:57 of the third round at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on Saturday.

Delgado, a late replacement for Yair Rodriguez, made the better start and landed a series of early strikes that forced Silva onto the defensive. Silva failed to register a strike during the first three minutes but gradually settled into the contest as the fight progressed.

The Brazilian increased his pressure in the second round and continued to control the pace in the third. His persistence eventually paid off when he found an opening late in the fight and secured the submission to end Jean Silva vs Jose Delgado.

The victory moved Silva's professional record to 18-3 and strengthened his case for a UFC featherweight title opportunity. He had originally been scheduled to face former interim champion Rodriguez, who withdrew after revealing an injury on Instagram on August 20.

Silva targets UFC featherweight title

Silva made clear after the fight that his focus is now on the featherweight championship. He called on whoever holds the belt next year to face him.

“I know this message is not for the division,” Silva said through a translator.

“It's not for anybody out there. This message is for the next champion. Whoever holds that belt, the next champion is right here. There's a new champion in town.”

For Delgado, the defeat was his third as a professional and leaves him with a 12-3 MMA record. Despite his strong opening against Silva, the late replacement was unable to maintain his early advantage.

Silva, meanwhile, continues to build momentum in the UFC featherweight division after another submission victory.