Jean Silva’s coach reveals the tiny adjustment behind his ‘legendary choke’

Jean Silva's submission victory over Jose Delgado has earned a special name from the Fighting Nerds camp—the "Legendary Choke"—and Silva's coach Flavio Alvaro has revealed the tiny technical detail that makes it work. Alvaro, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt with over 60 MMA bouts and the primary ground-work specialist at Fighting Nerds, taught Silva the technique. The key adjustment, Alvaro explained, involves precise chin placement that acts as a second hand to lock in the hold. Silva had attempted a similar choke against Bryce Mitchell earlier in his career but lacked this crucial adjustment; after refining the position in training, the technique finally clicked and proved devastating against Delgado.

Silva's seventh win in eight UFC fights—six of them by knockout or submission—has impressed Alvaro enough that he believes his fighter deserves a title shot. Alvaro noted that Silva has demonstrated exceptional entertainment value and finishing ability, making him a worthy contender. However, he acknowledged that former Bellator standout Aaron Pico, despite a 1-1 UFC record, could leapfrog Silva due to the organization's American focus and the sport's appetite for promoting homegrown talent. Pico would need to defeat Arnold Allen to earn that opportunity.

Silva's preferred path would pit him against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, rather than challenger Ilia Evloev. "We definitely want Volkanovski, who is a legend of the sport," Alvaro said, arguing that a win over the storied champion would carry more prestige than one over Evloev. Alvaro also praised his coaching partnership with Pablo Sucupira, saying they complement each other between rounds—Sucupira providing fight analysis and tactical adjustments while Alvaro handles the mental preparation aspect the team calls the "dark side" of their coaching.