Featherweight Jean Silva, undefeated through three fights in the UFC, was paired up with a dangerous opponent in Melsik Baghdasaryan at UFC Seattle on Saturday.
The surging Silva had finished the likes of Drew Dober and Charles Jourdain, while Melsik had posted his own 3-1 record under the UFC banner. This was Baghdasaryan’s first trip to the octagon since July of 2023, as he has been plagued with injury. A big contrast from Silva, who made a name for himself in 2024 in part due to his activity level.
The fight started with both fighters feinting a lot, being mindful of the striking skills of their opponent. Through the first minute and a half, they kept exchanging kicks, trying to take advantage of the open stance matchup. As they kept trying to draw openings, Silva was the first to land with authority, catching Baghdasaryan with a right hook. A step-in elbow from the Brazilian barely missed, which was then followed by a right hook from Melsik. Silva then landed a massive 3-2 combination that dropped Baghdasaryan flat on his back. Silva looked at the ref, warning him to stop the fight, but he didn’t. Perhaps a regretful decision from Kevin MacDonald, as Silva then landed some punishing elbows to Melsik’s body, forcing him to put a stop to the action.
The Fighting Nerds product now moves to 4-0 in the promotion, all of which coming by knockout. He called out Bryce Mitchell in his post-fight interview and while it is uncertain if he will get that fight, you have to imagine that ranked opposition is next for him.
As for the Armenian, this was a tough comeback after a nearly 20-month layoff. He will look to bounce back later on this year.
Official Result: Jean Silva def. Melsik Baghdasaryan by TKO, Round 1, 4:15
