The atmosphere in San Antonio was electric as Jean Silva made his walk to the Octagon, carrying an undefeated UFC record and the longest active finish streak in the promotion. A 13-fight unbeaten run had positioned him as one of Brazil’s fastest-rising contenders from the ‘Fighting Nerds’ team.

But the main event at UFC Noche ended differently than he might have expected. Diego Lopes, coming off a failed title challenge at UFC 314, turned the fight into his own redemption story. He bloodied Silva with elbows on the ground, survived a tough second round, and then landed a spinning elbow that sealed the night. As Silva staggered to his feet, dazed and bleeding, the ref had already called it.

“His performance was wonderful” – Chael Sonnen on Jean Silva’s UFC Noche performance

With the loss Silva’s undefeated UFC streak was gone. But was his star power? Chael Sonnen doesn’t think so. Speaking on a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, the UFC veteran confessed, “Jean Silva was attacking. He was doing what you’re supposed to do. His performance was wonderful. The outcome is not what he wanted.”

He went further, saying fighters should narrow their focus before a fight, commit to three things, and not panic. Then he delivered his surprising take as ‘The Bad Guy’ confessed, “And I’m only sharing with you, Jean Silva, who’s very down right now, if he could stand back, if he was in my spot, it’s so clear. It’s so clear and obvious of what potential he has and what a star he is. His star, his star power, his recognizability, his demand and command by you, the audience, is higher today that it was when he walked out. He’s in a better spot now from a business perspective than he was before the fight. That’s a win.”

Still, Sonnen admitted Jean Silva’s current mindset may not match that optimism. According to him in the recent YouTube video, “The spot Silva is finding himself in right now, the way that he’s feeling inside, the worry of how is Dana going to respond, the worry about will I ever get a main event again, is the exact same spot that Diego Lopes was after his last fight.”

That comparison matters. As mentioned earlier, Lopes lost his title shot against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314, and many wondered if he would fade from the spotlight. Instead, he bounced back spectacularly, stopping Silva and reminding the division he belongs at the highest level. Could UFC boss Dana White view Silva the same way, as a young talent who took a hit but still has marketable value? Only time will tell.

However, if Diego Lopes’ path is any example, redemption could come quickly. The UFC loves action fighters, and Jean Silva certainly delivered action even in defeat. As for his future, ‘Lord’ recently revealed the aftermath of his loss and the plans for the future, not just for him, but for other members of ‘Fighting Nerds’ as well!

‘Lord’ Silva takes responsibility for UFC Noche loss, vows to “come back” stronger

The morning after UFC Noche, Jean Silva let the world see the damage he took in his war with Diego Lopes. Cuts, swelling, and a bruised face told part of the story, but his words carried the rest. Gone was the emotion of fight night.

In its place, a calmer ‘Lord’ addressed fans through social media as he stated, “Look at this — cut here, my eye. Well, unfortunately, yesterday emotions ran high. I couldn’t see well in that second round and ended up going all out, trying to get out of there swinging. Anyway, I ended up fighting alone, not connected with my team, so it’s my responsibility. It should’ve been better…”

The loss marked not just the end of Silva’s unbeaten UFC run but also another setback for the Fighting Nerds camp. Mauricio Ruffy had suffered a one-sided defeat to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC Paris, while Caio Borralho fell short against Nassourdine Imavov in the same event. For a team once riding a wave of momentum, the future looks rough.

As such, Silva didn’t shy away from it as he further shared, “You guys are right about one thing: we (Silva, Borralho, and Ruffy) were three stooges who lost in a row, so the three of us must be making similar mistakes. Whether you like it or not, I’m very sorry, but we will come back.”

So, going back to Chael Sonnen’s words, they remind us that star power isn’t built on records alone; it’s forged in how a fighter captures the audience. Diego Lopes proved that setbacks can be springboards, and Jean Silva, along with his teammates, now stand at a similar crossroads.