Diego Lopes requires Brian Ortega or Volkanovski at Noche UFC

A giant struggle. That’s what Diego Lopes desires, and in his humble opinion, that’s what he thinks he deserves.

The rising UFC featherweight is hoping the promotion returns the favor in granting him a struggle towards Brian Ortega or former champion Alexander Volkanovski at Noche UFC – the occasion celebrating Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 14 at The Sphere in Las Vegas.

It’s an enormous ask and two highly-coveted matchups at 145 kilos. Nonetheless, given what Lopes has been by prior to now week, he’s hoping that’s what he will get.

“They mentioned I may struggle at The Sphere, Dana White mentioned on the press convention and yeah, if they will re-book the struggle, that might be nice,” Lopes advised MMA Junkie in Spanish when requested about one other reserving towards Brian Ortega. “We do should see how he’s health-wise and if he actually desires to return to 145 kilos and undergo all that course of. UFC must speak to him about that, however I already talked about to the UFC that if it’s not Ortega, we wish a struggle towards Volkanovski. We wish a struggle towards him.

“He’s one other man that’s within the prime 5 and isn’t booked and ready. I believe with what we’ve finished and the favors we’ve finished for the UFC, I believe we’ve got a some factors with them so we are able to push for sure fights, fights within the prime 5. So if it have been as much as me, Ortega or Volkanovski at The Sphere could be excellent.”

Diego Lopes (25-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) took a short-notice struggle towards Brian Ortega for Saturday’s UFC 303 occasion in Las Vegas. The day of weigh-ins, the promotion requested him if he may take the struggle at 155 kilos as an alternative of the contractual 145. Lopes obliged. Then, on the day of the struggle, as soon as the cardboard had began, Ortega withdrew attributable to sickness, and the UFC requested Lopes to struggle Dan Ige on hours’ discover at 165 kilos. Lopes obliged.

It was a chaotic week for Lopes, however having left because the winner, he’s pleased together with his selections. Nonetheless, he admits combating Ortega would’ve been his superb situation.

“I’m not going to lie, it did really feel totally different,” Lopes mentioned. “It didn’t have the identical style that I used to be anticipating all two weeks prior. However on the similar time, I believe I used to be nonetheless in a position to present that I’m able to combating towards the very best on this planet. We will say that Dan Ige is the gatekeeper of the division. His defeats have solely been towards ranked fighters. He’s solely misplaced to the fellows contained in the rankings and all have been selections and that’s combating the very best.

“Individuals can say no matter they need, ‘Oh, he’s solely No. 13 and this and that,’ however individuals neglect that the message Dan Ige despatched to Hunter (Campbell) was fairly clear. He was in camp for 3 months, was going to struggle in two weeks, and didn’t have to chop weight. Principally, he went to do sparring, one thing he does each day. Individuals neglect that.”