The Bouncer
enters the Octagon: Rampage's project, Jay Silva is ready
Bouncer turned
fighter: Rampage's project, Jay Silva is ready
Quinton Jackson gets a bad wrap. At least that's what Jay Silva
will tell you. "Rampage" busted chops and sometimes appeared to
be uncaring as a coach during Season 10 of "The Ultimate
Fighter" but the truth was, he's just a sore loser. Jackson is a
pretty solid guy who has given Silva, a chance at his dream.
Silva faces Chris Leben tonight at Ultimate Fight Night 20. With
the help of Jackson, Silva's road to the UFC is simply
ridiculous.
Back in 2007, Silva, a bouncer in Manhattan, decided to attend
UFC 78 in Newark, N.J. He got some plum seats and by chance was
sitting behind Jackson. He asked for a photo with Jackson, who
blew him off while watching one fo the fights. Silva, steaming
from Jackson's snub, got to chatting with one of the fighter's
friends, who was also in attendance. Silva told him to come to
his New York City club anytime he wanted. Jackson's friend took
him up on the offer and out of nowhere he pulled up to the bar
with Jackson, Dan Henderson, Michael Bisiping, Arianny Celeste
and a huge crew from the UFC. No longer distracted by the action
in the cage, Jackson and Silva got to talking and the bouncer
mentioned that he trained MMA and was a fighter.
"[Jackson] said 'give me your number and I'll take you out, if
you want to train [when you come to California],'" Silva to
Cagewriter. "But you know everybody talks a lot of stuff. I was
like, that is never going to happen."
Jackson meant what he said.
He called a few months later while shooting Season 7 of "The
Ultimate Fighter" and invited Silva out to Las Vegas. They hung
out for a week and eventually Jackson brought Silva on as a
training partner for his fight against Forrest Griffin at UFC
86.
Silva made his pro debut in early
2008 and when the UFC needed a middleweight for Ultimate Fight
Night 19 in September, he took a fight against C.B. Dollaway on
three weeks notice. Silva lost that fight against Dollaway but
at times destroyed the veteran fighter on the feet. Tonight's
fight has a real shot at fight of the night honors. Chris Leben,
enters the match on a two fight losing streak and always goes
for broke.
