Diego Lopes could be finally getting his chance to headline a UFC event for the first time.
The surging UFC featherweight sensation enjoyed a stellar run last year, racking up three consecutive victories inside the Octagon. His most recent outing was at UFC 306 in September, where he claimed a commanding unanimous decision victory over former title challenger Brian Ortega.
After that victory, Lopes set his sights on high-profile matchups that could bring him one step closer to his first title shot. Among those he targeted was former kingpin Alexander Volkanovski for a potential title eliminator. However, “The Great” swiftly dismissed the challenge, revealing that he was instead focused on a rematch with the reigning champion, Ilia Topuria.
It seems the 30-year-old Brazilian is already forging ahead with his journey, as he revealed in a social media post on Wednesday that he has officially begun training for his first fight of 2025. From the looks of it, he’s landed the big-name opponent he’s been aiming for.
According to a recent report from Home of Fight’s Jake Noecker, Lopes is in line to face off against former interim 145-pound champion Yair Rodríguez in the headlining bout at UFC Mexico City. The upcoming Fight Night event is slated for March 29 at the Arena CDMX in Mexico.
Canadian reported Ariel Helwani later clarified the extent to which the bout is a done deal, noting that it’s one of the options for the main event in Mexico but is “far from set.”
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Rodriguez has been on the sidelines since his third-round submission loss to Ortega in February 2024. He’s now on a two-fight skid, with his slide beginning after a knockout defeat to Volkanovski in their title unification bout at UFC 290 in July 2023.
“El Pantera” secured the interim title at UFC 284 in February 2023, delivering a dominant third-round submission victory over Josh Emmett.
