Jean Silva Tattoos: Emotional Message for Mother Revealed in UFC Star’s Inks

One way to stand out among the countless fighters in the sport is through your fighting style. But what else can set a fighter apart? The art they carry on their bodies, of course. Many fighters ink themselves with tattoos that symbolize loyalty to their gym or tell a personal story. However, one UFC featherweight fighter, Jean Silva, sports art that means a lot more.

With a career now sitting at 16 wins and just 2 defeats, Silva has become a storm inside the Octagon. But his ink may be just as intriguing as his knockouts. Each tattoo is a clue, a piece of the puzzle that makes up ‘Lord’ Silva. So, what do they mean? Let’s take a closer look.

Jean Silva gets a ‘Hitman’ inspired tattoo on his head

On August 10, 2024, Fighting Nerds’ Jean Silva took to social media to showcase the latest addition to his growing tattoo collection. He shared both a photo and a YouTube video of the design. The video was entirely in Portuguese, in which he stated that his latest addition suggests that it is an homage to the iconic character Agent 47 from the Hitman series.

That’s because, just like Agent 47, Jean Silva has a barcode tattoo on the back of his head. Additionally, the artwork appears to incorporate either vein-like patterns or lightning strikes, adding to its striking aesthetics. 

According to Hitman‘s perspective, the barcode has a specific meaning. Agent 47 received this barcode tattoo to allow him to access certain areas in the facility where he was cloned and trained. In the game, the barcode can be scanned like any other barcode.

However, if we dig further, then we get a different meaning for the people who ink themselves with a barcode. According to veteran tattoo artists, people who ink themselves with this specific tattoo are self-styled critics of consumerism. They refuse to be just a product of society, labeled and sold by the system. Now, let us take a look at his other body art.

The story behind Jean Silva’s ‘Lord’ tattoo

Apart from his ‘Agent 47 Barcode’ ink, Jean Silva has a number of tattoos on his torso. The 15-2 star has a big ‘LORD’ tattoo on his belly. What does the tattoo indicate? Well, it aligns with his moniker ‘Lord’ or ‘Lore of Assassins.’ We reckon he’s more a ‘Lord of Knockouts’, if anything.

But larger than life imagery like portraying himself as the Lord, or adopting Agent 47’s moniker, aren’t the only representations Silva has as tattoos on his body. He also has a tattoo in homage to his mother. Let’s take a look at that.

Jean Silva’s tattoo dedicated to his late mother

Not all of Silva’s tattoos speak of violence. Some speak of love. On his chest sits a Nordic-style lock, paired with a diamond etched with his mother’s name. For him, this tattoo is untouchable territory.

In addition to that, the featherweight contender’s left hand is adorned with tattoos that showcase his devotion to Christianity. He has a large tattoo of an angel with the Christ cross and a prominent lock on his left pectoral muscle. Jean Silva also has a big ‘LORD’ tattoo on his belly. What does the tattoo indicate? Well, it aligns with his moniker ‘Lord’ or ‘Lord of Assassins.’ We reckon he’s more a ‘Lord of Knockouts’, if anything.

Lastly, he has a ‘Familia’ tattoo on his right biceps, signifying his devotion and dedication to his loved ones. So, what does that lock tattoo actually mean?

What does Silva’s lock tattoo mean?

Ahead of his UFC 314 clash with Bryce Mitchell, Silva opened up about the significance and the meaning of his ‘lock’ tattoo in a conversation with MMA Fighting. 

According to the Brazilian star, “The lock has a diamond with mother’s name right under it, so no one can touch these emotions. Here’s the heart, my happiness. And the lock symbolizes many things. And it’s an old lock, from a Nordic era, before Christ, so maybe it’s a lock that only real emotions can open. It’s basically that. Only real people by my side.”

Together, Silva’s tattoos sketch a life of extremes—rebellion and reverence, violence and devotion. And as he prepares to headline Noche UFC against Diego Lopes, the spotlight will shine brighter on the story he carries on his skin.