Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

UFC featherweight contender Jean Silva's ‘barks' at his rivals are a calculated nod to a significant part of his childhood.

Jean Silva will headline Noche UFC 4 this weekend in Glendale against surging contender Jose Delgado. After Silva was originally supposed to fight Yair Rodriguez in the Noche UFC 4 main event, Delgado will step up for the biggest fight of his career.

Silva has quickly become one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC's featherweight division after recent wins over Arnold Allen, Bryce Mitchell, and Drew Dober. A win over Delgado this weekend could put Silva back into a No. 1 contender bout.

Ahead of most of his fights, Silva is known to bark in pre-fight faceoffs with his opponents. It's seen as an intimidation tactic to most fans and pundits, but to Silva, there's a long backstory behind it.

Jean Silva's signature ‘barking' a nod to his childhood dog

In a recent interview with Spinnin Backfist, Silva was asked about the backstory behind his signature intimidation tactic.

“It goes back to school. Back in the school days, I would've considered myself a loner back then, not having many friends to walk around with. I had a Dog, a Rottweiler that was from my brother,†Silva said.

“It was a really good friend to me, and who hasn't barked at a dog? That just became a thing for me, and I have a great relationship with the dog. I barked, and it was very instinctive.

“People thought it was weird, and I thought it was too, but you know what?†Silva continued. “Good memories from back then; it was a great time and a good memory that I had.â€

Silva will likely bark at Delgado this week ahead of Noche UFC 4. His homage to his childhood friend shows that fighters are more than what we see inside the cage.

What is your prediction for Jean Silva vs. Jose Delgado? Share your thoughts in the comments!

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ONE Championship

A challenger who once doubted how fast his opportunity arrived now stands one win away from changing his life forever.

Yod-IQ Or Pimolsri challenges Rambolek Chor Ajalaboon for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title when The Inner Circle 30 streams live from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, on Friday, September 11.

Yod-IQ punched his ticket by snapping Kiamran Nabati's undefeated record, extending his winning streak to 10 and pushing his record to 12-1. The stakes of that performance were not lost on him, and neither is the magnitude of what awaits against Rambolek, a champion he has openly credited with real skill and tested experience at the highest level.

Both camps have gone deep into film study ahead of the fight, with Yod-IQ specifically pointing to Rambolek's dangerous counter-striking as the biggest obstacle standing between him and the title.

Yod-IQ's title shot brings life-changing stakes at The Inner Circle 30

A loss would end the biggest opportunity of Yod-IQ's career just as it arrived, while a win would make him a World Champion and, in his own words, a role model capable of inspiring an entire generation of Thai fighters. The gap between the two men is razor thin, with Yod-IQ training under Tawanchai PK Saenchai and Rambolek learning under Superbon in a clash that doubles as a battle between two of the country's top academies.

For Rambolek, the stakes are just as significant, since a loss in his first defense would end his reign before it had a chance to establish itself as one of the division's most dominant, undoing months of preparation alongside Superbon at his Bangkok training camp.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

Zuffa LLC

A former UFC fan favorite believes Ilia Topuria might want to think twice if offered an immediate rematch with Justin Gaethje.

Play-by-play commentator Jon Anik turned some heads recently when he shared his belief that there is “strong consideration†within the UFC brass to book Gaethje vs. Topuria 2. Gaethje handed Topuria his first pro MMA loss in brutal fashion at the conclusion of UFC Freedom 250. “El Matador†suffered fractures in both his orbital bones on his way to a TKO loss after he didn't get off his stool for the final round.

In the process, Topuria also lost the UFC Lightweight Championship. Some feel the loss was devastating enough that an immediate rematch would be a bad idea. While Matt Brown doesn't think it's a bad idea for business, he took to MMAFighting‘s “The Fighter vs. The Writer†to caution Topuria before he accepts his return fight.

“I get where the UFC is coming from. I get where the UFC would want to make that fight,†Brown said. “The downside of that fight, you might ruin Ilia Topuria's life. If that first fight repeats itself, I'm not sure Ilia comes back the same. I'm not sure he comes back from the first one already. If you actually care about Ilia's life, you need to put him in there with someone like a [Renato] Moicano.

“He needs a proper return fight, in my opinion. You see this in boxing all the time. Guys don't come back from wars like that and go try again unless it's like [Arturo] Gatti and [Micky] Ward. It's pretty rare that these type of fights get rebooked and it happens right away. You've got to rebuild it back up and give the guy a tuneup when you come off a loss.â€

Gaethje has said that he'd rather not fight Topuria next. “The Highlight†is more interested in seeking revenge against Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira, or even a fresh matchup against Arman Tsarukyan, who is scheduled to meet Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on Sept. 19. Gaethje doesn't believe Topuria should get an immediate rematch after quitting on his stool.

Do you think Ilia Topuria needs a different fight before considering the rematch with Justin Gaethje? Sound off in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM