Diego Lopes faces Alexander Volkanovski to crown a brand new UFC featherweight champion after Ilia Topuria vacated the belt to chase the light-weight throne, and the Brazilian sees two completely different paths for the way forward for the 145-pound division if he’s victorious on April 12 in Miami.
The UFC 314 headliner has solely misplaced as soon as since becoming a member of the roster, a short-notice determination in his debut struggle towards Movsar Evloev. The Russian added two extra wins to his file since, transferring to 19-0 following selections over Arnold Allen and Aljamain Sterling. Lopes has requested for a rematch many occasions since, however finally surpassed him on the title run with 5 straight UFC victories.
Regardless of some ugly exchanges between them up to now, Lopes gave props to the American Prime Crew athlete as a possible title challenger sooner or later.
“We have now to be honest, and in addition we are able to’t cover what he’s achieved within the division,” Lopes informed MMA Combating. “It’s 9 wins [in a row]. Despite the fact that it’s all by determination, the man is undefeated within the division. He’s No. 4 within the division. Prefer it or not, he additionally defeated me. And if I win the belt, I undoubtedly suppose the UFC will put him subsequent on the road.”
One other identify presumably coming into the dialog is Patricio Pitbull, the best featherweight in Bellator historical past who parted methods with the PFL to affix the UFC. Pitbull faces Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314, and will presumably steal momentum away from Evloev and snatch a shot on the gold with a powerful efficiency.
“I believe it will depend on how he wins the struggle,” Lopes stated of Pitbull. “If he wins in good vogue, and the UFC sees it pretty much as good enterprise, I’m positive the UFC will work and see who would be the subsequent contender.”
Each choices are distinctive when it comes to legacy for Lopes, who might both avenge his sole UFC loss or defeat the person who reigned on the prime of Bellator MMA for almost a decade.
“I believe any of these two fights could be good fights for my historical past,” Lopes stated. “To defeat some of the enhance fighters within the division outdoors the UFC, or beat an undefeated Russian [laughs].”
The one factor that bothered Lopes on this entire UFC 314 reserving was how former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling dealt with the announcement. Sterling, who misplaced to Evloev in his most up-to-date bout, took to social media to defend the Russian as “extra deserving” of the chance.
It’s protected to say that didn’t sit effectively with Lopes.
“It seems unhealthy,” Lopes stated. “If it’s MMA followers saying it, no downside, you’re taking it, however fighters saying it, a former champion criticizing it, I believe it makes completely no sense. The person is aware of what a fighter goes via to get to a chance for the title and are available criticizing, saying I don’t deserve it, that it ought to have been Evloev. It is mindless.
“I solely laughed on the issues he was saying. And when he requested what was so humorous about it, the joke is that I’m combating for the belt they usually’re not taking fights. That’s the joke. It seems unhealthy {that a} man that is aware of what it takes for an athlete to get to this chance criticizes it greater than a daily MMA fan.”
