Jean Silva says he’s carrying UFC 314 on his back, vows to make Bryce Mitchell quit in Miami

Jean Silva feels he’s the one responsible for boosting the hype of UFC 314.

It didn’t take long for the UFC to book Silva vs. Bryce Mitchell for April 12 after Silva’s callout of Mitchell following his his latest win, which led to both fighters being added to a press conference in early March to promote their upcoming fight in Las Vegas. Silva didn’t touch on Mitchell’s reprehensible Hitler statements during the presser, instead choosing to make fun of Mitchell’s flat Earth theory with a globe instead.

“[This fight] has become [the people’s main event] because I promoted it,” Silva told MMA Fighting. “Let’s be real, who’s carrying this event on his back? When was the last time we saw a press conference like that? It was Conor [McGregor]. No one else’s done that. And it’s not fake. I love all that. I’ve envisioned myself doing that a million times. And wait for the next one, I’ll do even more.

“There’s also the fact that he’s talking a bunch of crap. Even the Americans have embraced me, because of the shit he’s said. And it’s all good, man. He’s a hillbilly. After I beat him up and get my bonus, get my money, we’ll celebrate in a hillbilly party. It’s kind of crazy, because I just left an Armenian party, because Melsik was Armenian, and now I’m going to a hillbilly party. So cool. Le’s go!”

Silva saw comments on social media asking for him to beat Mitchell up for his comments even before Silva defeated Melsik Baghdasaryan at UFC Seattle, but said he didn’t feel any hatred towards his opponent.

“I never had that desire [to beat him up],” Silva said. “I’ll make this very clear, I never did. He’s the man I love the most from now until the win. I pray for his life, for his family, so his dreams come true, and it won’t be different on the 12th. It will come true: hands will be raised, but it won’t be his. He’s a good man, a man that roots for others, and his dream will come true on the 12th. Be sure that he’ll see someone else’s hands raised. But it’s not like I dreamed of beating him. I never had any hate, I never had any of that for the people standing in front of me. I don’t even look at him as an opponent. It’s just an employee that will work for me that day. He’ll build another step on the ladder of my success. I don’t have that sentiment that the world has.

“I understand everybody for the shit he’s said, but I don’t have that hate. I don’t have that in my heart. If you watch my fights, ‘Lord’ is not a coward. He doesn’t continue hitting when people don’t want to fight anymore. It won’t be different now. Bryce will quit and Lord won’t be mean or coward to continue hitting him. It’s out of the context, right? It’s cool to look back at the Nordic times when the wars were to the death, but it’s not the same anymore. We’re building another kind of war where the opponent can quit, tap out or say he doesn’t want to fight anymore, and the battle is over. That will happen. He will quit. I won’t continue hitting him because that’s not who I am. He’ll get beat like everybody else got beat, and just others will get beat, because I’m the best at what I do and it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what you all think. God made it this way. I like myself, and those who don’t can complain with God.”

Mitchell took a surprising turn on social media after the press conference, saying that the Brazilian was sending “legions of demons” to haunt his dreams. Again, Silva wasn’t bothered by his comments.

“I believe he’s promoting [the fight] there,” Silva said. “We’re talking about the No. 13-ranked guy. He’s not a fool, he knows what he’s doing, you know? Does he have some issues in his head? Probably, for the shit he’s said, but it doesn’t bother me one bit. I just want him to show up on the 12th.

“It will bother me if he doesn’t show up, because then I’ll have to go to his gym and beat him up. He has to show up on the 12th. He can say all the crap he wants, brother. He can call my mom names, my father, my wife, my son. All he has to do is show up on the 12th. Other than that, it doesn’t matter.”