UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes insists he won’t shy away from a firefight should Ilia Topuria repeat his point-and-throw invitation against him down the line.
Lopes has been staking his claim for the next shot at unseating Topuria from the 145-pound throne since “El Matador” got the better of Max Holloway in brutal fashion last month in Abu Dhabi.
The Mexico-based Brazilian was cageside for UFC 308 after weighing in as backup fighter for the championship main event. That fact, coupled with his triumph over Brian Ortega at the Sphere this past September, has put Lopes in prime position for a first shot at gold.
And should he get the chance to blemish Topuria’s perfect record in 2025, the #3-ranked contender has called on the Spaniard to repeat how he started the Holloway fight.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Lopes welcomed an early brawl with Topuria, who made good on his promise to point down and offer to throw the kitchen sink at “Blessed” in the opening 10 seconds.
Holloway didn’t stray from his plan to dismiss that, but Lopes claims he’d do the exact opposite.
“Definitely, definitely, definitely,” Lopes said in Spanish when asked if he’d throw down with Topuria. “I’m telling you, I respect everyone, but I’m not afraid of anyone. If there’s anything I don’t have, it’s fear. I think I’ve shown that in all my fights. I’ve shown that I’m not afraid of anyone.
“As many times as he wants to point to the ground, I will plant my feet in the middle of the cage and throw down. It’s that easy,” he added.
To make good on those comments, Lopes will seemingly first have to either convince the UFC higher-ups of the merits of selecting him to face Topuria next over Volkanovski or add another win to his current run.
Following the champ’s successful defense in the Middle East, UFC CEO Dana White pointed to Volkanovski as Topuria’s likely next opponent owing to his stint as kingpin prior to running into “El Matador” this past February.
