Chael Sonnen hails rise of Fighting Nerds and Jean Silva’s statement win at UFC 314: "He's still barking at him"

Chael Sonnen (left) talks about Jean Silva (right) after UFC 314. [Image credit: @sonnench, @jeansilvamma on Instagram] — Chael Sonnen (left) talks about Jean Silva (right) after UFC 314. [Images courtesy: @sonnench, @jeansilvamma on Instagram]

Fighting Nerds standout Jean Silva made a resounding statement at UFC 314 last weekend. The 28-year-old Brazilian rising star, known for his penchant for knocking people out, choked out known submission artist Bryce Mitchell inside two rounds.

The ninja choke finish was rather satisfying as it came on the heels of weeks of bad blood and back-and-forth between Silva and Mitchell. What made the win even more satisfying, not just for Silva but for MMA fans, is the fact that Mitchell has been receiving a lot of heat due to his controversial comments lately.

With the fan-favorite Silva putting away the "heel" Mitchell and breaking into the top 10, the sky's the limit for the Fighting Nerd warrior. Meanwhile, reacting to Silva's UFC 314 win, MMA legend and veteran analyst Chael Sonnen said:

"He [Silva] was still barking to him [Mitchell]. He never got to a point where he worried or started to take Bryce a different level of serious. What do you do with Silva? What do you want him to fight next? I admit, whatever the "it" factor is, he's got it. The Fighting Nerds as whole."

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Check out Chael Sonnen's comments below:

Chael Sonnen on Jean Silva and the Fighting Nerds: "It's starting to become a movement"

In the aforementioned video, Chael Sonnen further spoke about the impact Jean Silva and the Fighting Nerds have had on the UFC roster lately. 'The American Gangster' gave a clear idea of what their team's 18-0 run can mean. He started with the team's de facto captain, No.6-ranked middleweight Caio Borralho, who is on a seven-fight winning streak in the promotion.

Sonnen said:

"Caio Borralho, who appears ton be the leader of the Nerd Team, he now got a win over [former title challenger] Jared Cannonier. He's got a fight done but not been announced. I can't tell you what it is. But if he wins the fight, he fights for a world championship. It's starting to be more than a team. It's started to be a movement."

Sonnen then turned his attention back to Silva, saying:

"And when I say the name Jean Silva to you, I want you to start some discussion. You tell me, I read every comment. What would you do with him next? Ultimately, how do you believe in your heart and mind, this story is going to end?"

About the author

Duane is an expert MMA writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience working for the likes of Philippine Star, Esquire Philippines, Playboy Philippines, etc. A major in English, he has written over 2000 articles for Sportskeeda section, extensively covering UFC and boxing fights.

Duane is a practicing MMA fighter with a 11-7 record. He is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt and trains Muay Thai. His connection with MMA dates back to 2005, when he turned into a fan after watching Fedor Emelianenko defeat Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic at Pride FC - Final Conflict 2005.

Emelianenko finds himself right at the top of Duane’s Mt. Rushmore of MMA fighters, alongside other big names like Demetrious Johnson, Jon Jones, Georges St-Pierre, and Anderson Silva.

Duane’s love for the sport is reflected in his writings, where he believes in speculating but not insinuating. He uses his intensive knowledge and skills in MMA to provide unique insights to the readers, along with sourcing information only from reliable sources.

Outside of work, Duane enjoys martial arts training, visual arts, film criticism, video games, and creative writing.

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Edited by Jigyanshushri Mahanta