Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

UFC featherweight contender Jean Silva’s ‘barks’ at his rivals are a calculated nod to a significant part of his childhood.

Jean Silva will headline Noche UFC 4 this weekend in Glendale against surging contender Jose Delgado. After Silva was originally supposed to fight Yair Rodriguez in the Noche UFC 4 main event, Delgado will step up for the biggest fight of his career.

Silva has quickly become one of the biggest fan favorites in the UFC’s featherweight division after recent wins over Arnold Allen, Bryce Mitchell, and Drew Dober. A win over Delgado this weekend could put Silva back into a No. 1 contender bout.

Ahead of most of his fights, Silva is known to bark in pre-fight faceoffs with his opponents. It’s seen as an intimidation tactic to most fans and pundits, but to Silva, there’s a long backstory behind it.

Jean Silva’s signature ‘barking’ a nod to his childhood dog

In a recent interview with Spinnin Backfist, Silva was asked about the backstory behind his signature intimidation tactic.

“It goes back to school. Back in the school days, I would’ve considered myself a loner back then, not having many friends to walk around with. I had a Dog, a Rottweiler that was from my brother,” Silva said.

“It was a really good friend to me, and who hasn’t barked at a dog? That just became a thing for me, and I have a great relationship with the dog. I barked, and it was very instinctive.

“People thought it was weird, and I thought it was too, but you know what?” Silva continued. “Good memories from back then; it was a great time and a good memory that I had.”

Silva will likely bark at Delgado this week ahead of Noche UFC 4. His homage to his childhood friend shows that fighters are more than what we see inside the cage.

What is your prediction for Jean Silva vs. Jose Delgado? Share your thoughts in the comments!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM