Nam’s UFC run has been a gift. By 2019, it seemed like any
possibility for the Hawaiian to land with a major promotion had
long since passed, as Nam had settled into a niche as the elitest
of elite journeymen on the international scene at flyweight.
However, things lined up just right for Nam to get the call as an
injury replacement just weeks shy of his 36th birthday, and he has
made good on the long-awaited opportunity. Nam has the type of
style that can only be built through experience, as it is
essentially made to counter the typical flyweight game. While a lot
of 125-pounders focus on speed, pace and activity, Nam is a planted
power puncher who is more than willing to wait for an opportunity
to land a knockout blow. That has led to some disappointingly
inactive performances against opponents mindful of what Nam brings
to the table, but it has worked in three of his last four outings,
as he was able to suddenly close the show against Zarrukh
Adashev, Jerome
Rivera and Ode
Osbourne. Now a few months shy of 40 years old, Nam still looks
sharp heading into what should be a compelling clash against Silva.
Brazil’s “Bulldog” looked like a fighter who would wind up being
both well-regarded and quickly forgotten. Silva put in a game
effort in his first three UFC fights but did not look to have the
level of athleticism to go from tough out to outright winner at the
UFC level. That made his current two-fight winning streak a
pleasant surprise, as Silva put in a strong performance against
J.P.
Buys before quickly running over Victor
Rodriguez in May 2021. Silva’s game centers around well-rounded
aggression, which makes this a fascinating matchup. Silva should be
able to implement a lot of his offense as both a striker and a
wrestler, but doing so is going to leave him open for one of Nam’s
signature well-placed counters. This could be rough going for Nam
early, but the bet is that the Hawaiian can survive and find a
finish late; beyond Silva not being one to fight particularly safe,
he also tends to wear himself out over the course of three rounds.
The pick is Nam via third-round knockout.
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