Diego Lopes is set to compete against Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant UFC featherweight title after Ilia Topuria relinquished the belt to pursue lightweight gold. Lopes envisions two distinct future paths for the 145-pound division should he emerge victorious on April 12 in Miami.
The UFC 314 main event participant has only experienced one defeat since joining the promotion – a decision loss in his debut against Movsar Evloev. Evloev has since extended his undefeated record to 19-0 with wins over Arnold Allen and Aljamain Sterling. Lopes has repeatedly requested a rematch, but ultimately surpassed Evloev in the title contention race with five consecutive UFC wins.
Despite past disagreements, Lopes acknowledged Evloev, a representative of American Top Team, as a possible future title contender.
“We must be objective and acknowledge his divisional record,” Lopes stated in an interview. “He has nine consecutive victories. Even though they are all decisions, he remains undefeated in the division and holds the No. 4 ranking. Whether people agree or not, he also defeated me. If I win the title, I anticipate the UFC will likely position him as the next challenger.”
Another potential contender is Patricio Pitbull, Bellator’s most accomplished featherweight, who has transitioned to the UFC from the PFL. Pitbull is scheduled to face Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314 and could potentially overshadow Evloev and secure a title shot with a dominant performance.
“I believe it hinges on the manner of his victory,” Lopes commented regarding Pitbull. “If he wins decisively and the UFC perceives it as a commercially viable matchup, I am confident they will explore making him the next contender.”
Both options present unique legacy-building opportunities for Lopes, offering him the chance to either avenge his sole UFC loss or defeat a fighter who dominated Bellator MMA’s featherweight division for almost a decade.
“I believe either of those matchups would be significant for my legacy,” Lopes explained. “To defeat one of the most decorated featherweights outside the UFC, or to defeat an undefeated Russian fighter [laughs].”
Lopes expressed his displeasure with former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling’s reaction to the UFC 314 announcement. Sterling, who recently lost to Evloev, used social media to argue that the Russian was “more deserving” of the title opportunity.
Lopes made it clear that Sterling’s comments did not sit well with him.
“It appears unprofessional,” Lopes stated. “If MMA fans express such opinions, it’s acceptable, but for fighters, especially a former champion, to criticize and claim I am undeserving and that Evloev should have received the opportunity is illogical. He is aware of the sacrifices fighters make to reach a title shot, yet he criticizes it, even more so than a casual MMA fan.”
“I simply laughed at his statements. When he questioned my amusement, I found it ironic that I am fighting for the title while he is not actively competing. That is the humor in the situation. It is unbecoming of someone who understands the dedication required to reach this level to criticize an athlete’s opportunity more harshly than a typical MMA fan.”
