Bruno Silva honored to train with ‘flyweight GOAT’ Demetrious Johnson, Henry Cejudo ahead of UFC Las Vegas return
Finally back in action after undergoing ankle surgery, Bruno Silva had a dream-like camp for his UFC Las Vegas fight with Tyson Nam.
“Bulldog” — who knocked out JP Buys and Victor Rodriguez in his most recent octagon appearances to pocket $100,000 combined in performance bonuses in 2021 — celebrates the fact he got to train with flyweight greats Henry Cejudo and Demetrious Johnson ahead of his sixth UFC bout.
“I stop and think about it and I’m like, damn, I still can’t believe I’m experiencing all this. Gives me shivers, man,” Silva said on this week’s Trocação Franca podcast. “I’ve trained my whole life watching Demetrious Johnson, trying to emulate the guy, because he was the best. A decade with the UFC title. He’s the flyweight GOAT. And to come here and train and learn from him and Cejudo, another MMA great, it’s incredible. It doesn’t better any better than this.”
Silva suffered an injury that had him unable to walk for three months, but used this extra time to “look at his career” from the outside in and evolve not only technically, but mentally as well.
“Bulldog” had a rough start in the UFC with a three-fight winless skid, but bounced back with two consecutive knockouts to earn a new deal with the company. Nam, an experienced fighter who only made it to the UFC after competing in 28 bouts across the globe, is 3-3 in the octagon with all wins coming by way of knockout, losing decisions to the likes of Kai Kara-France and Sergio Pettis.
“It’s a good matchup for me, I hope,” Silva laughed. “He’s an experienced guy who fought all over the place against tough guys. He has more knockouts than me in the UFC, I respect him, but I’m better than him everywhere — I’m not trying to get cocky, but we have to think like this.
“I think I’m better on the feet. He’s more of a boxer and he’s good, but he’s not versatile, doesn’t take people down and has no wrestling. He’s knockout people out with that right hand, but I’m a better fighter everywhere. It’s a good fight for me, a top-15 guy, and I think I’ll knock him out. Nah, I don’t think, I will knock him out. God willing it’s going to be another knockout and another bonus. That’s the goal.”
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