UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes is confident his experience on the mats would be enough to get the better of Brian Ortega in that environment.
In one of the most intriguing contests set for this weekend’s UFC 303 pay-per-view event in Las Vegas, two of the promotion’s most dangerous submission artists will do battle in the co-main event.
Ortega, a former two-time title challenger, and Lopes, one of the fastest-rising names at 145 pounds, will share the Octagon on short notice following the collapse of the original co-headliner.
“T-City” comes into the fight off the back of yet another submission, trapping Yair Rodríguez in an arm-triangle choke this past February. That result marked his eighth career submission and only enhanced his reputation as a fearsome competitor on the ground.
In Lopes, though, Ortega appears to have met a match. Or, in the eyes of the Mexican-based Brazilian himself, his superior…
Lopes On BJJ Match vs. Ortega: ‘I’ve Been Doing This Since I Was Five…’
During his appearance at UFC 303 media day on Wednesday, Lopes looked ahead to his mixed martial arts battle with Ortega at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night.
With much being made of their respective skillsets on the ground in the lead-up to UFC 303 — abilities that have helped them record a combined 20 submissions wins between them inside the cage — the #14-ranked contender was asked how he thinks a straight jiu-jitsu clash with Ortega wild play out.
Although “T-City” is a first-degree black belt under Rener Gracie, Lopes doesn’t believe the featherweight veteran boasts the kind of high-level experience in BJJ matches and competitions as he’s amassed since starting at the age of just five.
“I don’t know how much Brian has actually competed at a high level, jiu-jitsu-only,” Lopes said. “I have been doing this since I was five years old; talking about regional competitions, national, international competitions when I was back in Brazil.
“I think that if we’re gonna go straight up jiu-jitsu, I think I would be the one,” Lopes concluded.
Whether or not that prediction come close to getting tested inside the Octagon on Saturday remains to be seen, with many expecting the kind of typical striking match between two strong grapplers to rear its head in the UFC 303 co-main event.
All eyes will be on this featherweight battle @BrianTCity vs @DiegoLopesMMA
[ LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | SAT | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/0e6amUAgZ4
— UFC (@ufc) June 27, 2024
