Kevin Vallejos wants to avenge the lone career defeat that delayed his Ultimate Fighting Championship signing.
Vallejos earned a UFC contract on Tuesday with a first-round technical knockout win over the previously undefeated Cam Teague at Dana White’s Contender Series. However, this wasn’t the Argentine prospect’s first appearance on the Contender Series. Vallejos suffered his only pro loss via unanimous decision against streaking UFC featherweight Jean Silva in September 2023. Vallejos then racked up consecutive stoppage wins on the regional circuit to earn another shot on the Contender Series, where he made a strong impression. While “El Chino” is ready to fight anybody the UFC offers for his debut, he wants his shot at redemption against Silva at some point.
“I’m an employee of this company and I will fight wherever they ask me to… There’s a revenge that I think I should get and I want that,” Vallejos said during a post-fight media scrum. “But listen, whenever I’m called, wherever I’m called, whoever is the opponent, I will be there. But believe me, that revenge, I want that shot.”
Silva has racked up three consecutive stoppage wins in the UFC after making his debut this past January. The Brazilian’s stock really skyrocketed after he made a two-week turnaround from a stoppage win over Charles Jourdain to score a “Fight of the Night” doctor stoppage win over Drew Dober at lightweight this past July. Silva’s UFC success combined with the fact that Vallejos is the only guy “Lord” didn’t finish comes as a sense of relief to the new UFC signee. While the ‘L’ on his record still hurts, Vallejos is glad for lessons it taught him.
“There is a bit of a relief,” he said. “Jean Silva’s been really good in this company. We’re talking about putting out three straight wins. “We’re talking about somebody that actually won in a different division that wasn’t even his. Company keeps giving him fights… It stings a little bit because I came here and all of a sudden you have that loss on your record. It stays with you out there. But I am thankful for the fact that that loss showed me things that were missing. I came back there, I worked, I got better, I improved, I got a second chance, I went there and I won.”
While he wants a rematch against Silva, Vallejos admits that might not be plausible immediately considering they’re at different stages in their career. Vallejos believes he needs a few more outings to get used to UFC competition and hopes Silva rises to title contention by then.
“I know we’re at different moments… [I] hope he gets a shot at the title. If he continues to do what he’s doing, he may get a shot,” Vallejos said. “Again, we’re in different stages. I feel maybe I could get three fights in this organization to feel ready, to get better. But the objective is there, is to get Jean Silva.”
