Welterweight slugger Erick Silva hit another roadblock on Sunday Night at UFC Fight Night 74. The Brazilian was expected to cruise past short notice replacement Neil Magny in the co-main event but found himself on the losing end of a lacklustre split decision.
Silva, known for his devastating power and savvy submission game, never seemed to find his groove in the Octagon against Magny, as the American stayed out of harms way and utilized his range to outland his opponent.
Shortly after his loss, the BJJ black belt criticized his performance on Instagram, and hinted that injuries played a role in his defeat.
“Honestly, I didn’t like my performance,” Silva posted on his Instagram. “I was defeated. I’m embarrassed with my performance, my body. I know I’m way more than this Erick that fought last night. My main mistake was having insisted on fighting, and put not only my head at stake but also my coaches’ and doctors’ who did the best they could to at least get me to the fight. It wasn’t a good month for me, but no one has to know, it’s no one’s problem. I had a ridiculous performance and deserved to lose. I paid the price for it.”
The 31-year-old, who had picked up back-to-back first-round stoppages over Josh Koscheck and Mike Rhodes before losing to Magny, vowed to never step into the Octagon again unless he’s in optimal shape.
“The only thing left for me is to guarantee that the next time I step inside that Octagon again I will be 100 percent physically, no injuries, and with a full training camp,” he wrote. “Otherwise, I’ll do like everyone does, and cancel the fight.”
As promising a prospect Erick Silva is, the Vila Velha local has been unable to string together more than two consecutive wins in his UFC career. Neil Magny picked up his 8th win in the UFC, despite only joining the organisation in 2014. The 28-year-old is 8-1 in the UFC, with the lone loss coming to Demian Maia at UFC 190 last year.
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