Diego Lopes seems to be giving credit where it's due, even if it involves praising one of his former fierce rivals.
Following Ilia Topuria's vacating of the UFC featherweight title, Lopes has been lined up to challenge former champion Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant 145-pound crown. The highly anticipated bout will headline UFC 314 on April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
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Although Lopes' fight is still over a month away — and against what could be one of his toughest opponents yet — the Brazilian fan favorite is already contemplating who he'll defend his title against once he emerges victorious.
During a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Lopes mentioned former opponent Movsar Evloev as a potential future title challenger. Surprisingly, Lopes offered high praise for Evloev, with whom he has engaged in multiple intense social media confrontations, commending the Russian's undefeated record and his dominant presence in the division.
We have to be fair, and also we can’t hide what he’s done in the division," Lopes said. "It’s nine wins [in a row]. Even though it’s all by decision, the guy is undefeated in the division. He’s No. 4 in the division. Like it or not, he also defeated me. And if I win the belt, I definitely think the UFC will put him next on the line.
Lopes faced Evloev in a short-notice bout at UFC 288 in May 2023, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss. Since then, the former Lux Fighting Championship champion has mounted a five-fight win streak, with his latest victory being a dominant win over former title challenger Brian Ortega at UFC 306 in September.
Meanwhile, Evloev was last seen in action at UFC 310 in December, where he secured a unanimous decision victory over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. He also boasts dominant wins over top contenders such as Arnold Allen, Dan Ige, and Hakeem Dawodu, among others.