Joe Solecki expects to “drown” Alex da Silva with his “pressure” to return to the win column: “My job is on the line”

Joe Solecki says the pressure is on him to get back into the win column.

Solecki suffered his first UFC loss back in October as he dropped a split decision to Jared Gordon. After the loss, he wanted to get the bad taste out of his mouth but he didn’t get a fight offer until he was offered Alex da Silva at UFC Vegas 56 this Saturday.

“I wanted to fight a lot sooner but it gave me a lot of time to work on a lot of stuff coming off my first loss in the UFC,” Solecki said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “Probably a blessing in disguise, but I’ve been chomping at the bit. I wanted to fight a lot sooner.”

When he was offered da Silva, Solecki admits he didn’t know much about him, partly due to the Brazilian not fighting since UFC 253 in September of 2020.

“I wasn’t familiar with him. I got real familiar with him real quick, super tough fighter, very well-rounded, very dangerous, especially early,” Solecki said. “He comes out of the gate hot, but the good thing is, that leaves an opening.”

Once Joe Solecki began studying Alex da Silva he says he expects this to be a very tough and grinding fight. He knows both of them are similar in styles but he believes his pace and pressure will be the difference maker.

“I have to be prepared to grind for 15 minutes but I think the big thing will be my pace. He’s very good, especially on that first effort, very explosive on the shot, and has good hips defending the shot,” Solecki said. “It’s going to be the head movement, the footwork, the pressure. I think after the first half of the fight I can keep my steady pressure and the goal is to drown him with that pressure. If that happens I see openings to go for the finish.”

Not only is Solecki looking to get back into the win column, but he believes he could be fighting for his job on Saturday which adds to the pressure.

“I have a bad taste in my mouth and I have to get back into the win column… There is nothing past this fight, I watch the trends on who gets cut, I don’t know if this is that kind of fight for me, I don’t think so but I’m treating it like that. My job is on the line,” Solecki concluded.

Who do you think will win, Joe Solecki or Alex da Silva?