Why does Jean Silva bark? Here's the childhood story behind the UFC star's "tic"

Jean Silva is stepping into his first main event next week in San Antonio. He faces Diego Lopes on Sept. 13 at Noche UFC 3. The fight will be held at the Frost Bank Center, and for Silva, it represents the biggest opportunity of his career so far.

The Brazilian is coming off a submission win over Bryce Mitchell at UFC 314 in Miami back in April. That night, he finished the fight with a second-round submission and kept his unbeaten UFC streak alive.

It also gave fans another look at something that has become part of his identity. Silva barked at Mitchell during fight week, kept it going inside the cage, and the crowd joined him.

For many, the barking seemed like simple mind games. For Silva, it carries history. As a child in Brazil, he developed the habit after receiving a dog from his older brother. He began barking while playing, watching television, and even at school. What felt natural to him quickly turned into a source of mockery.

Kids targeted him, and the sound became something he struggled to control. He has described it as a nervous tic that never fully went away. Speaking in a post-fight interview with Megan Olivi, Silva said:

“I feel my brother’s presence in a way that I only feel when I’m here, you know? The barking comes from my brother. He gave me a dog when I was little...And since then, I started to show my emotions by barking while playing, watching TV, and while at school... I suffered a lot because of it, because it was like a nervous tic, doing that."

Check out Jean Silva's comments below:

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UFC featherweight contender believes Jean Silva could get title shot with potential finish against Diego Lopes

Featherweight contender Youssef Zalal believes Jean Silva is one win away from a championship opportunity. Silva faces Diego Lopes in the main event of Noche UFC on Sept. 13 in San Antonio.

The Brazilian is unbeaten in five UFC fights, all by stoppage, while Lopes looks to rebound from a title loss to Alexander Volkanovski. Zalal, who meets Josh Emmett in October, argued that a finish over Lopes would push Silva past other contenders like Lerone Murphy.

Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Zalal said:

"If he finishes Diego, yes. I almost guarantee you right now he gets a title shot. If [a Murphy fight announcement] doesn't happen in the next couple of weeks and they book it, I guarantee you Sept. 13, which is what? Three weeks from now? If [Volkanovski vs. Murphy] doesn't happen, and he goes and finishes Diego, but also, Diego goes and finishes him, that might give him a second fight. You never know."