Charles Oliveira might gain access to a strategic advantage in his preparation for the upcoming clash against Ilia Topuria.
High-ranked featherweight Jean Silva has stepped forward, offering his services to assist Oliveira in training for the vacant lightweight title bout against Topuria. This highly anticipated fight is scheduled for UFC 317 on June 28th in Las Vegas. Topuria vacated his featherweight championship in February to pursue becoming a two-division titleholder, leaving contenders like Silva behind. However, “Lord” Silva believes he has found a way to potentially disrupt Topuria`s plans after all.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Silva elaborated on his capability to flawlessly replicate Topuria`s fighting style if asked to help Oliveira.
“I outperformed you,” Silva stated, directing his comments towards Topuria. “Topuria`s fight against Bryce Mitchell was a genuine contest. He took shots, he was momentarily stunned. He has even been knocked down previously in the UFC, something I haven`t experienced. Consider the duration of my fight against Bryce Mitchell and how few strikes he managed to land. Topuria`s fights, even his knockout victories, how long did they last? In a sense, there was a back-and-forth battle between him and his opponents. Between myself and my opponents, honestly, there wasn`t a real fight. This isn`t due to a lack of skill on their part, but rather my extensive dedication to studying.”
He added, “If he`s curious about the origin of this perspective, about why I claim I can mimic him, it stems directly from observing his fights. I`m not speaking negatively; I acknowledge his significant accomplishments. However, this is a case of identifying effective techniques and adapting them. That`s precisely what I`m doing with Topuria`s approach. Therefore, yes, I am fully capable of executing everything he does.”
Silva went into considerable detail when highlighting Topuria`s vulnerabilities, specifically noting how “El Matador`s” explosive striking approach can inadvertently leave him exposed to counters and result in disadvantageous positions.
“I recognize how he adjusts his movement, concealing his back foot before throwing a straight punch or cross,” Silva explained. “I know his hips generate immense power, but when he throws and misses a forceful hook, it often causes him to rotate excessively, consequently exposing his back. We witnessed this during his fight with Bryce Mitchell. Honestly, consider how many times he turned and presented his back in that encounter.”
Topuria holds an unblemished professional record of 16 wins with no losses, including a perfect 8-0 run within the UFC. He captured the featherweight championship with a spectacular knockout victory over Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298 and followed this by knocking out another prominent fighter, Max Holloway, in his inaugural title defense at UFC 308.
According to Silva, this aura of invincibility is a key factor making Topuria a formidable opponent. However, Silva firmly believes that Charles Oliveira at his best – recalling the form of the former UFC lightweight champion – possesses the ability to overcome Topuria at his peak.
“Topuria genuinely believes he cannot be defeated, and this self-assurance alone constitutes a significant advantage for him,” Silva commented. “Someone who has never lost, or hasn`t lost in a considerable time, carries that conviction, which inherently provides them with better odds than others. But frankly, if Charles enters this fight performing at the level he displayed against Michael Chandler, he won`t require my assistance or anyone else`s. He will secure the win without difficulty. Nevertheless, why wouldn`t he utilize every resource available to him? I am one such resource.”
Regarding why Silva hasn`t incorporated Topuria`s specific techniques into his own fights, he simply stated he hasn`t found it necessary.
“Because I am better than you,” Silva asserted. “That is precisely why I haven`t adopted those methods… I surpassed him.”
“I don`t wish to speak ill of Topuria,” Silva clarified further. “I simply believe that my fighting capabilities are considerably superior to his. And if you watch attentively, every time Topuria slips his head to one side, he simultaneously drops the hand on that same side. This tendency is consistent on both sides.”
In his critical assessment of Topuria, Silva brought up Topuria`s previous appearance in the UFC lightweight division, a March 2022 bout against veteran Jai Herbert. Topuria accepted that contest on short notice and was nearly made to pay for his daring decision, suffering a knockdown in the initial round before rallying back in the second round to achieve a knockout victory over Herbert.
Silva indicated that he fully understands the specific reason behind Topuria`s brief vulnerability in that fight and anticipates that Oliveira will be able to exploit similar mistakes with his guidance during preparation.
“He threw a right overhand, then recoiled slightly and attempted a left hook,” Silva described. “He left himself open while trying to land the hook, and it was thrown with too much width. Both times he has been knocked down in his MMA career, whether inside or outside the UFC, followed a similar pattern. This detailed observation from studying his fights is the foundation of my confidence in my ability to mimic him. It`s not some hidden knowledge; it`s simply thorough analysis. And if he finds that disagreeable, that`s his prerogative.”
