Following his victory over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 314 and a $50,000 performance bonus, Jean Silva is closer to realizing his dream, which is not the UFC title, but his wedding.
Silva, nicknamed “Lord,” had previously stated his dream was to marry Carolina de Castro in a church, an endeavor requiring significant funds. After his submission win on April 12th, Silva elaborated on the high costs associated with his wedding plans, expressing that he is now “very close” to making his dream a reality.
“We were planning to get married sooner, but we really want Belo to perform at our wedding,” Silva revealed at the post-fight press conference, referring to the famous Brazilian singer Belo. “I’m sending a message to Belo, please lower your price, brother. It’s too expensive! Otherwise, I`ll have to fight four more times and sign another contract.”
Reports from April 2024 indicate that Belo`s performance fee is around $120,000 per concert.
“Do you think if I invite Dana White to be my best man, he might cover Belo’s fee?” Silva playfully questioned.
When UFC CEO Dana White appeared for the post-event media briefing, Jose Youngs from MMA Fighting relayed Silva`s question.
“I need a bit more information on this,” White responded with a smile, “but I’m likely in.”
The Silva versus Mitchell fight was highly anticipated, and Silva delivered an impressive performance, improving his UFC record to 5-0, with performance bonuses in each fight.
“I believe I am now a hero to the fans,” Silva stated. “They needed one, and Jean ‘Lord’ Silva has arrived.”
The featherweight fighter, known for his knockout power, demonstrated his versatility by submitting Mitchell with a ninja choke.
“Training for this fight was more challenging than the fight itself,” Silva admitted. “This is a testament to the excellent work of Pablo Sucupira and Flavio Alvaro, and we are seeing the results. We`ve had Mauricio Ruffy`s success, my previous win, and now this, and soon Carlos Prates will also shine. Get used to seeing this team’s success.”
