November 16, 2023 8:30 pm ET
Diego Lopes pleased numerous in his go back to the octagon, however insufficient to get in the UFC’s main featherweight rankings.
Lopes (23-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) knocked out fellow possibility Pat Sabatini in simply 90 seconds this previous Saturday on the primary card of UFC 295 in New York City. He’s now on a two-fight winning streak, with both being first-round surfaces. Prior to that, he had a close loss to unbeaten title competitor Movsar Evloev in his short-notice UFC launching.
The Brazilian fighter informed MMA Junkie prior to the contest that he was intending to get ranked with an excellent win. Well, the first-round KO win was remarkable sufficient to get him a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus offer, however not an area on the promo’s featherweight rankings– which is handled by a panel of media members.
“Imagine this, your very first battle protests a No. 10 worldwide, and you offer him the battle of his life,” Lopes informed MMA Junkie in Spanish“Your 2nd battle, you battle (and send) somebody who was coming off a battle versus No. 9 in the rankings. Your next battle versus Sabatini, you knock out somebody who’s got a winning record in the UFC of 5-1.
“I’m not going to lie to you, I believed I might get an area in the rankings. I believe lots of people saw it that method too, however it didn’t occur. What can I do? That does not depend upon me making the rankings. What I require to do now is make it really clear I require an area in the rankings. I require a chance. And even if that does not come, I’ll keep working. That’s all I can do. I’m extremely encouraged, and I’m extremely delighted with whatever that’s taking place in my profession. I will continue to win every battle the UFC puts in front of me up until I get myself in the rankings. If you ask me, I believe I’ve revealed enough to be worthy of an area therein. I’ve revealed enough, however if they do not see it that method, then I need to keep revealing them. My next battle, I would enjoy for it to be versus a ranked fighter.”
Lopes was hoping to get ranked, he is by no methods losing his inspiration. The Lobo Gym and Brazilian Warriors item does hope that for his next battle he either gets Bryce Mitchell or somebody else in the UFC’s main rankings.
“Honestly, anybody that’s ranked,” Lopes stated. “I believe there are a lot of reputations. There’s Alex Caceres, Sodiq Yusuff, Dan Ige, Edson Barboza. I desire those guys who are from 10 to 15. There are a lot of names, however if I might choose, I desire Bryce Mitchell, however if not him, somebody that’s in the rankings.”
For more on the card, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion center forUFC 295
Take a look at the Hablemos MMA YouTube channel for Spanish-language videos and interviews with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.
Make sure to go to the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of blended martial arts.
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