Preview: UFC Fight Night 237 Prelims

Featherweights

Muhammadjon Naimov (10-2, 2-0 UFC) vs. Erik Silva (9-2, 0-1 UFC)

ODDS: Naimov (-360), Silva (+285)

This fight arose from some odd matchmaking, but hopefully the results wind up entertaining. Born in Venezuela and based out of Costa Rica, Silva made his hay on the Mexican regional scene with a fairly simple game. A large and athletic featherweight, Silva was able to bully his opponents and hunt for rear-naked chokes on a circuit low on wrestling and grappling. He was brought onto Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022, seemingly as a test for a higher-upside kickboxer, but it instead turned into a Silva showcase that was over in just 92 seconds. With that string of performances, there was some intrigue to see how Silva could make his one-dimensional game work against better competition, but his UFC debut wound up a bit worrisome. He had some moments against T.J. Brown but tired badly in the process, eventually losing at his own game and suffering a third-round submission. Given that, it is a bit surprising to see him paired against Naimov, who signed with the UFC in May and has gone undefeated since. Tajikistan’s Naimov can be frustrating at times, but he has proven sneakily effective given that he typically needs opponents to engage him on his own terms. “Hillman” does not offer much from range, but when opponents decide to close ranks, Naimov is there to meet them either with some powerful counters or a grimy wrestling game. Naimov stepped in for a late-notice UFC debut at lightweight against Jamie Mullarkey and did not get much done up until the moment he caught the Aussie for a knockout, but his upset win over Nathaniel Wood in October was a much more consistent outing, even if a lot of it saw him swamp an undersized opponent in a foul-filled and grimy affair. Naimov typically has a size and strength advantage at featherweight, so there is some minor intrigue as to how he fares early given that Silva can match him in those terms. Provided Naimov does not fall victim to an early submission, he should be able to drown Silva in an ugly fight. The pick is Naimov via decision.

Jump To »
Quinonez vs. Barcelos
Mendonca vs. Aguilar
Chairez vs. da Silva
Ziam vs. Puelles
Rodriguez vs. Bondar
Dos Santos vs. Altamirano
Naimov vs. Silva