A seasoned MMA veteran and former UFC star, Jay Silva, has taken his last breath just days after his 45th birthday. The cause of death has yet to be confirmed at the time of writing and remains unknown. Fame MMA, a Polish MMA promotion where Silva competed in his last outing earlier this year, announced the news on X on Monday.
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“With immense sadness, we inform you of the death of FAME athlete Jay Silva,” they wrote, per translations. “Jay brought great joy, positive emotions, and the professionalism of a true athlete through his performances. He will forever remain a part of our federation’s history!
“We extend our deepest condolences to Jay’s loved ones, family, and friends. Rest in peace!”
Just 129 days ago, on January 24, Silva made his last appearance in a kickboxing match against Tomasz Sarara at Fame 29 in Tarnów, Poland. The heavyweight of Angolan origin sadly lost the bout. However, the fight came after Jay Silva had already retired from professional MMA with a record of 12-14-1.
The MMA veteran began his combat journey in 2008 under the Ring of Combat banner. Over the course of a nearly 18-year career, he competed across multiple promotions and faced several well-known fighters. He even faced Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz, in 2009. Though he came up short in that bout, three straight victories later he got an invite to the UFC. But his stay in the promotion was brief.
In his UFC debut, Silva faced C.B. Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 19 before taking on Chris Leben at UFC Fight Night 20. While he lost both bouts and was soon dropped by the UFC in 2010, his career continued across promotions like Bellator, KSW, and Golden Boy MMA. Following his UFC release in 2012, he earned his trademark nickname ‘The Spyda Killa’ after securing a notable victory over seasoned UFC veteran Kendall Grove, who carried the nickname “Da Spyder.”
Jay Silva’s most memorable career chapter occurred in Poland’s KSW promotion, where he engaged in an iconic trilogy against the then-KSW middleweight champion Michał Materla. After losing the first bout, Silva shocked fans at KSW 24 in 2013 by knocking out Materla in a non-title rematch. He later lost the trilogy bout via decision at KSW 26 in 2014.
In 2017, he stepped in against former World’s Strongest Man Mariusz Pudzianowski in the main event of KSW 40 but was unable to secure the win. He closed his professional MMA career competing for Polish promotion Fame MMA.
News of his passing didn’t take long to reach far corners of the internet. KSW offered their condolences online.
“We are saddened to accept the news of the passing of former KSW fighter and middleweight championship belt contender Jay Silva,” their social media post read. “The entire KSW Team sends its deepest condolences to Jay’s family and loved ones. May you rest in peace.”
For those who had watched him fight over the years, and those who had trained with him, his passing came as a shock considering he was only 45.
Chris Cyborg and Fame promoter join fans to pay their respects
Former UFC star Cris Cyborg was among the first notable figures to respond. “RIP,” she wrote on Instagram. Although their tenures were at different times, Silva was well known in the community.
Fame MMA’s co-owner Michal Baron shared a personal tribute to the combat veteran. “You were a great man, Jay. Thank you for the cheerful moments on the shows, the good fights, and the private chats. We will all miss you very much.” Silva had been fighting in the promotion since 2025.
Meanwhile, a fan who had been following Silva’s career for five years couldn’t believe the news. “F–k, as far as I’m concerned, it’s a huge loss. I’ve been following him for about 5 years. He was still so young, steroids or what the f–k?” It’s unclear what caused Silva’s death.
Someone else pointed out the irony in his death. “What a shame about the guy; less than a week ago, he had his birthday, and today such news,” the user wrote. Silva had turned 45 on May 25th.
The next user remembered Jay Silva as a positive guy. “Damn, such a positive guy, what a shame 😥,” the user posted. Throughout his long career, Silva had earned a plethora of fans across the world. And such reactions have flooded social media after his death.
Jay Silva leaves behind a career that spanned nearly two decades across multiple continents and promotions. He will be remembered by those who watched him fight as someone who competed with passion well into the later stages of his career.
