A decade after transferring to the USA in search of a greater future as MMA fighter, Bruno Silva flew again to his native Piracicaba, Brazil, to arrange for his UFC 316 conflict with Joshua Van on June 7.
“Bulldog” spent years of his life as a teammate and key coaching accomplice of Henry Cejudo in Arizona and did his most up-to-date coaching camp at American Prime Group. Stopped by Manel Kape in December 2024, which snapped a four-fight bonus streak with 4 knockouts, the flyweight veteran determined to go away Florida for a breathe of contemporary air within the small city 100 miles outdoors Sao Paulo.
“I’m single and was just about on my own there,” Silva advised MMA Preventing. “I used to be staying at American Prime Group for six of seven months, and it’s good that you simply’re within the fitness center, however you’re confined there, you don’t depart the fitness center, and I used to be sort of unhappy there, you understand? And right here I’ve good gyms in my hometown, I’ve bodily remedy. I’m the one UFC man right here, I do know good fighters within the space, so I made a decision to return and be at my mother and father’ home, be near the household this time. To be happier.”
As a rising prospect, it made sense to stay inside a fitness center and focus fully on making it as knowledgeable athlete. At 35 years of age, and having fought eight instances underneath the UFC banner plus $200,000 pocketed in efficiency bonuses and struggle purses, Silva felt it was time for a change.
Silva has lived inside Group Nogueira in Rio de Janeiro, at Cejudo’s home in Arizona, at Pitbull Brothers in Natal, and Florida’s American Prime Group. He doesn’t rule out going again to Arizona after UFC 316 to coach with Henry’s brother Angel Cejudo. For now, nevertheless, he celebrates being underneath his mother and father’ wings just like the outdated days.
“I’ve achieved this for a very long time in my life,” Silva mentioned. “I used to be feeling down these previous few years so I made a decision to be nearer to household now. Time doesn’t come again. We are able to win a reimbursement, however not time.”
The Van conflict was initially deliberate for UFC 313 on March 8, however the Brazilian opted to withdraw from the cardboard as a consequence of an accumulation of accidents to his ribs, hand and arm that led to him not coaching correctly for fight. Van gained a call over his alternative Rei Tsuruya to enhance his profitable streak to a few, and they’re going to lastly collide Saturday in Newark.
“It’s a superb struggle,” Silva mentioned. “He’s very robust, he’s rising within the division, and he’s very younger. It’s a superb match-up for me, you understand? I’m ranked for a few years now so nothing is new for me. I’m already used to all this. Coaching with Cejudo for thus a few years, after which all these badasses at American Prime Group, nothing is totally different from what I’m used to coping with. Carry it on.”
Silva laments the actual fact he was overconfident in his putting forward of the Kape bout after 4 knockouts in a row, and provides props to Kape for “his greatest efficiency but” within the UFC. After studying from his errors, “Bulldog” mentioned he’s “wholesome and glad” to chase one other knockout and one other $50,000 bonus within the promotion to get him again on the race for a shot on the belt.
“We at all times need fights that match up nicely with our types however I’ve no title in thoughts but,” Silva mentioned of who’s subsequent after a win at UFC 316. “We need to struggle the most effective. Who is aware of, possibly Brandon Royval after he fights Kape now? That may be a superb title for me. Of Tim Elliott, who’s a bit older and is combating [Kai] Asakura now. All of them can be good fights for me.”
