UFC 288 is well behind us and fans are already looking forward to what the promotion has in store for them next. However, there were still many talking points from the event gone by. Notably, one of them had to do with Diego Lopes, who stepped in on short notice to take on Movsar Evloev.
Previously, Movsar Evloev was set to take on Bryce “Thug Nasty” Mitchell at UFC 288. Unfortunately, a last-minute back injury meant that Mitchell needed to be replaced. Thus, Brazilian BJJ specialist and MMA fighter Diego Lopes offered to step in on 5 days’ notice. Although he was not able to secure the victory, Diego put in a performance worth applauding.
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As such, women’s flyweight champ, Alexa Grasso took to Instagram to wish Diego the best against the #10 ranked featherweight. Following the conclusion of the fight, Grasso took to her Instagram stories to commend Diego’s efforts. “Not the result we wanted but wow with this debut @diegolopesmma amazing fight leaving it all”.
For the most part, Diego serves as Alexa Grasso’s BJJ coach at Lobo Gym MMA. Thus, he was instrumental in Grasso’s flyweight title win against Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 285. Prior to that, Alexa Grasso helped to prepare Lopes for his fight on the Contender Series in 2021. Although he lost and missed the opportunity to get into the UFC, things have come full circle and he has finally made it.
Diego Lopes MMA career and UFC debut
Coming into the fight against Movsar Evloev, it was always going to be an uphill battle for Lopes. Filling in against the #10 ranked featherweight on 5 days’ notice for your UFC debut is no easy feat. Although Diego gave it a good go, he ultimately lost the fight via unanimous decision. Despite that, he gave an excellent account of himself, teasing fans with what they can expect from him.
Despite the suffocating ways of Evloev, Lopes showed some slick BJJ skills and striking. On the night, Lopes recorded 4 submission attempts with a last-gasp effort of a heel hook in Round 3. Following the fight, Evloev commended Lopes for stepping in on short notice and giving a good fight. However, many may have wondered why the 28-year-old was chosen to step in against Evloev.
For the most part, Diego has a respectable 21-6 MMA record. On top of that, Lopes also has a decent finishing rate as well with 8 KO/TKO’s and 11 submission wins to his name. Thus, as Dana White revealed, 90% of Lopes’ wins have come by finish, making him a dangerous opponent. Although he wasn’t able to secure the win this time, his performance will have many keeping a tab on his progress in the UFC.
Currently, Lopes will be looking to recover and aid #5 ranked women’s bantamweight Irene Aldana as she prepares for her title shot against Amanda Nunes at UFC 289. With Julianna Pena injuring her ribs, it’s up to Aldana to step up to the plate. If successful, Aldana could become the fourth Mexican champion in the UFC along with Alexa Grasso, Brandon Moreno, and Yair Rodriguez (interim champ).