Silva would develop scar tissue around his eyes from fighting in bare-knuckle vale tudo. Silva enlisted after already winning fight tournaments in his age group in Brazil. There he was asked to join Vale Tudo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu school. As a late teen he joined the Brazilian army and was quickly recognized for his fighting talents and rose up in the ranks. Silva's aggressive style is rooted in street brawling, refined with elements of Muay Thai and kickboxing which he began learning at the age of 13 in Chute Boxe Academy in his hometown Curitiba.