Jean Silva calls out Volkanovski, champ’s coach says no
The Brazilian claimed the next shot after UFC 333, but Joe Lopez says Silva has not earned it yet and prefers Aljamain Sterling.
Jean Silva has put himself forward as the next challenger for Alexander Volkanovski’s UFC featherweight title, but the champion’s coach is not buying it. After Volkanovski beat Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, Oct. 24, Joe Lopez told Submission Radio that the Brazilian has not earned the shot yet.
Jean Silva’s message after UFC 333
Silva did not wait long. Right after the main event in Abu Dhabi, he posted on Instagram: “Great job legend @alexvolkanovski, i’m next.”
Volkanovski had just stopped the previously unbeaten Evloev in the second round, and the win moved him past Jose Aldo for the most title fight victories in UFC featherweight history, as VF Comunica reported from the event.
With the No. 1 contender out of the way, the line for the next shot is wide open. Silva, ranked No. 5, made sure to raise his hand first.
What Joe Lopez said about Jean Silva
Lopez gave Silva credit but did not soften his stance. “Jean Silva makes a lot of noise and he’s a great fighter, but I don’t think he’s earned the spot,” he told Submission Radio. In his view, several fighters ahead of Silva have done more.
The coach acknowledged the Brazilian’s power. “If he catches you with one of his punches, he obviously can knock you out,” Lopez said. But he also described Silva as a fighter who is “powerful and that’s all he’s got,” and said Volkanovski would finish him on the ground, pointing to how Diego Lopes controlled Silva there.
Lopez’s preferred opponent is Aljamain Sterling, ranked No. 4 and someone he calls a friend. Sterling faces Argentina’s Kevin Vallejos at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21, a fight that could strengthen his case.
This is not the first time Lopez has shut the door on Silva. Back in March, he dismissed a Silva title shot and said the Brazilian was “barking like a little dog.”
Jean Silva’s featherweight run
The numbers support both sides of the debate. Silva, who trains at Fighting Nerds, is 18-3 in MMA. In January, he beat England’s Arnold Allen by unanimous decision at UFC 324.
In September, he headlined Noche UFC in Glendale, Arizona. He was dropped by a Jose Miguel Delgado right hand in the first round, recovered, and submitted him with a rear-naked choke at 2:57 of the third.
That win cuts against Lopez’s ground argument: Silva’s latest victory came by submission, from the back. Toughness has never been the issue either, and his recent run has kept him in the top five.
The weak spot on his résumé is recent. In September 2025, also at Noche UFC, Silva was knocked out by Diego Lopes in the second round, and that is the fight Volkanovski’s coach keeps pointing to.
Who is next in line at featherweight
The UFC has not announced Volkanovski’s next opponent. Diego Lopes, ranked No. 2, is already booked against Charles Oliveira at UFC 335, a fight that is already shaking things up one division up.
Sterling needs to get past Vallejos first. Silva, meanwhile, is betting on noise and a style that sells fights. As always, the final call belongs to the UFC, which tends to weigh both the rankings and the appeal of each matchup.
Do you think Jean Silva has earned a shot at Volkanovski, or should Aljamain Sterling get it first? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Volkanovski stops Evloev at UFC 333, passes Jose Aldo record
- Paddy Pimblett says Evloev quit against Volkanovski
- Jose Aldo would cut unbeaten Evloev after his first UFC loss
