Joaquim Silva feels he’s got the chance of a lifetime in the UFC on ESPN 46
This Saturday, the Brazilian returns to the Octagon to face Arman Tsarukyan in a co-main event at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, which airs on ESPN after pre-shows on ESPN2 and ESPN+. It’s a key match for Silva (12-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC), as he faces a top-10 opponent in the official UFC lightweight rankings.
“This is my moment,” Silva told UFC reporters Wednesday on ESPN 46’s media day. “I’ve been in the UFC for a long time, and I’m working in the moment. But yeah, I’ve been training a lot my whole life. This fight for me is my life and my style. I’ve been in the Ultimate Fighting Championship seven years, this is my moment. I’ve worked for this, And I’m so excited, so happy.”
Despite not having direct training partners, Silva and Tsarukyan (19-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC) train under the same team – American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida. Silva didn’t feel weird about the two training under the same roof, he said, and in fact, that was his motivation.
“I don’t have a (bad) feeling about this guy,” Silva said. “I think he’s a good guy. I looked at him twice during my day, which is really good because he helped me. I looked at him training, and I’m going to train more.
“I trained separately with my coach and training partner, but we don’t have a problem. After this fight, I’m going to hug Arman to thank him for the opportunity. This is number 8 or 9, I don’t remember exactly, but it’s fine for me. It’s a great opportunity.”
For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie Events Center for UFC on ESPN 46.
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