Diego Lopes
Vitals
The Read
Lopes is a Brazilian featherweight, fighting out of Mexico, built around a 2nd-degree BJJ black belt and heavy, opportunistic finishing in both grappling and striking — 23 of his 27 wins are stoppages (11 KO/TKO, 12 submission), and 15 came in the first round. After a debut loss to Movsar Evloev, he reeled off a finishing run that included a first-round KO of Pat Sabatini, a first-round TKO of Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300, and decisions over Dan Ige and Brian Ortega, vaulting him to a title shot. His ceiling is real: he hurts people early, scrambles into submissions, and showed striking creativity with the spinning back-elbow TKO of Jean Silva at Noche UFC in September 2025.
The questions are about the elite tier and his fight IQ over five rounds. Lopes lost twice to Alexander Volkanovski — by unanimous decision for the vacant title at UFC 314 (April 2025) and again, by a wider margin, in the rematch at UFC 325 (1 Feb 2026), where Volkanovski publicly criticised his low fight IQ and lack of adjustment. His official defensive numbers are modest (striking defense 46%, takedown defense 69% per UFC.com) and he can be outpointed by a disciplined volume striker who avoids the scramble. Against Steve Garcia at UFC Freedom 250 — a riser on a long featherweight win streak but a clear step down from a champion — Lopes is the rebound favourite, and the live question is whether his finishing pressure overwhelms Garcia before Garcia can drag him into a measured firefight.
Next Fight
Record
Tap any fight for the breakdown.
Loss
vs Alexander VolkanovskiDecision (unanimous) · R5
UFC 325
1 Feb 2026
1 Feb 2026
In a rematch for the featherweight title, champion Volkanovski again outclassed Lopes over five rounds, winning by unanimous decision (scores including 50-45) and by a wider margin than their first meeting. The bout earned Fight of the Night, but Volkanovski controlled distance and output throughout.
Key moments
- Second straight unanimous-decision loss to Volkanovski
- One judge scored it 50-45 for the champion
- Volkanovski neutralised Lopes' grappling entries and won the striking exchanges
- Fight of the Night honors
Win
vs Jean SilvaTKO (spinning back elbow and punches) · R2 4:48
Noche UFC: Lopes vs Silva
13 Sep 2025
13 Sep 2025
Lopes dominated the opening round from top position, out-landing Silva heavily, then turned a wild second round with a spinning back elbow that dropped Silva and opened a massive cut. He swarmed with ground strikes for the finish at 4:48 of round two.
Key moments
- Mauled Silva from mount in round one, out-striking him roughly 50-10
- Landed a spinning back elbow that crashed Silva to the canvas
- Opened a large gash and finished with ground-and-pound
- Earned Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses
Loss
vs Alexander VolkanovskiDecision (unanimous) · R5
UFC 314
12 Apr 2025
12 Apr 2025
Lopes challenged for the vacant featherweight title and lost a competitive but clear unanimous decision to the returning Volkanovski. The bout earned Fight of the Night, but Volkanovski's volume and ring craft carried all five rounds on the cards.
Key moments
- Fought for the vacant featherweight championship
- Lost a unanimous decision across five rounds
- Fight of the Night honors
- First defeat in his title-shot run
Win
vs Brian OrtegaDecision (unanimous) · R3
UFC 306
14 Sep 2024
14 Sep 2024
At the Sphere in Las Vegas, Lopes outworked former title challenger Brian Ortega over three rounds to win a unanimous decision, the signature scalp of his run toward a title shot.
Key moments
- Beat a former featherweight title challenger
- Won by unanimous decision
- Headline-card win at UFC's Sphere event
- Extended his featherweight win streak
Win
vs Dan IgeDecision (unanimous) · R3
UFC 303
29 Jun 2024
29 Jun 2024
In a 165-lb catchweight co-main arranged after the card had begun, Lopes beat short-notice replacement Dan Ige (in on roughly four hours' notice) by unanimous decision, 29-28 across the board. Lopes threatened a D'Arce and back control early but had to survive a late Ige rally.
Key moments
- Catchweight bout at 165 lb after opponent and weight changes
- Ige stepped in on about four hours' notice
- Lopes nearly finished with a D'Arce choke in round one
- All three judges scored it 29-28 for Lopes
Signature Finishes
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