Daniel da Silva: An Entertainer at Heart

Daniel da Silva takes pride in the live-by-the-sword-die-by-the-sword reputation he has established in three appearances—all of them decisive defeats—under the Ultimate Fighting Championship flag.

“I feel like the UFC is happy with my performances, even if they were losses,” da Silva told Sherdog.com. “I put on good shows. I either step into the cage to kill or to die. When I don’t kill, I die, but I’ll never have a boring fight. I’ll always have good fights. I’ll always have the fans on their feet. It’s what I do.”

The 26-year-old Brazilian understands the tenuous nature of his situation. While his ability to entertain the masses allowed da Silva to get his foot in the UFC’s door, only success measured in victories will keep him on the roster for the foreseeable future. Into that frying pan he jumps when he confronts Vinicius Salvador as part of the UFC 282 undercard on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“It’s true that I’m hungry for a win, but I’m the same person,” da Silva said. “Nothing has changed. I’ll put on another show, and this time, I’ll win. The UFC will renew my contract, I expect. I don’t know this for a fact, but I may be the promotion’s most active flyweight. I’m going into my fourth fight during my first contract year. I’m not sure who else at our weight class has done this. After my win, I want to renew my contract and fight four more times in 2023.

“I don’t have any problems making weight,” he added. “I don’t have any problems facing anyone. I’ve done everything that’s been asked of me. I’ve entertained the fans. I’ve never run from an opponent. I already saved two cards by accepting fights at the last minute. Now I’m going to show [everyone] again why I’m here. That’s going to matter a lot when I get my new contract. You just don’t see other flyweights be as active as I am.”

Salvador, 26, enters his promotional debut on the strength of a four-fight winning streak. He nailed down his spot in the UFC in August, when he took care of Shannon Ross with punches in the second round of their pairing on Dana White’s Contender Series.

“Vinicius is a good fighter,” da Silva said. “He has good striking. His ground game is average. I believe it’s going to be the same as always. I don’t have any difficulty with grappling or striking. I always take the fight wherever it plays out. Sometimes, I’m more comfortable on the feet. Sometimes, it’s on the ground. Wherever the fight goes, I’ll feel comfortable. My preference is to fight where and how the fans like it. It’s what [UFC President] Dana White [and matchmakers] Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby like. I like to step in and put on a show.”

Da Silva once again spent his training camp at Diego Lima’s Chute Boxe affiliate in Sao Paulo, Brazil, honing his craft at the same gym that helped spring former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder Charles Oliveira to stardom.

“I’ve been [there] since my last fight,” da Silva said. “Now, I’m part of the team. I train with everyone over there. They have several great fighters in my weight class. I can train better now. My technique and physical conditioning are much better. I have more attention on me now. It’s something I didn’t have before. Today, I’m the same fighter, but I’m better trained and better informed.”

Da Silva, stakes be damned, has no plans to depart from the approach that led to his signing with the UFC in 2021. Above all else, he wants to win the crowd.

“Before I even entered the UFC, I always said I’d entertain the fans, regardless of the results,” da Silva said. “That’s what I’ve been doing.”