Diego Lopes recently shared his ambitious plans for the future, stating his intention to challenge a former UFC featherweight champion upon his potential return in December.
Lopes secured perhaps the most defining triumph of his career to date when he outclassed Brian Ortega, earning a unanimous decision win at Noche UFC 306 earlier this month.
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The victory not only skyrocketed the 29-year-old to the #3 spot in the 145-pound division but also significantly boosted his stock. Lopes has been on an absolute tear over the past year, racking up five consecutive wins and cementing his status as a force to be reckoned with.
Lopes is now primed for high-stakes matchups, eager to secure his first title shot at the earliest opportunity...
Lopes Offers To Serve As UFC 308 Backup Or Sets Sights On Volkanovski For December
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Lopes reiterated his willingness to step in as the backup fighter for the featherweight title bout between reigning champion Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308 next month.
The surging contender also mentioned that if those plans fall through, he’s eager to face former longtime champion Alexander Volkanovski in December to move a step closer to the title.
If that doesn’t happen, we’d like the possibility of fighting Volkanovski in December," Lopes said. "He doesn’t like to wait, and neither do I, so that could be a good fight. A lot can happen, but I think the two most viable options for us right now are being the backup fighter in Abu Dhabi or fighting Volkanovski in December. The UFC is aware that I’m available for [UFC 308], so it depends on what they want to do.
Lopes went on to express that a potential clash with "The Great" would present a highly intriguing stylistic matchup.
The Volk fight would be very interesting because he’s shown he can adapt well to everybody’s style, especially when his opponent is taller until he fought Topuria. But I think I can also adapt well to guys who are shorter than me, so it would be a very interesting fight.
Volkanovski is currently on a hiatus, having not fought since suffering the first back-to-back losses of his career. "The Great" was dethroned at UFC 298 this past February, where he endured a second-round knockout by Ilia Topuria, bringing an end to the title reign he had held since December 2019.
- Read More: Chael Sonnen Outlines What He Wants To See Next For Alexander Volkanovski: ‘Unless You Want To Be A Gatekeeper…’