Diego Lopes beat three former UFC fighters on his way to becoming one himself. The second? Marco Beltran – teammate of former interim champion Yair Rodriguez.
An unexpected rivalry emerged from the UFC 314 press conference, not barking Jean Silva vs. Bryce Mitchell, but between Rodriguez and Lopes who fight other opponents on Saturday.
Representing both Brazil and Mexico, Diego Lopes is set to challenge for the vacant featherweight belt against Alexander Volkanovski with Yair Rodriguez on his undercard. The Chihuahua-native welcomes former Bellator two-division champion Patricio Pitbull to the Octagon.
Things heated up at the presser on Thursday when they were asked about a potential title fight at Noche UFC 3 in Guadalajara, come September. Lopes brought up Rodriguez’s two-fight losing skid while ‘El Pantera’ retaliated, calling Lopes a ‘p****’ for allegedly jumping his longtime friend and teammate Marco Beltran.
The two fighters were held back by security as they argued in Spanish. Rodriguez mentioned Lopes’ team were involved.
Rodriguez referencing an incident that happened outside the cage, Lopes defeated Beltran fair and square in a Mexican title fight a few years back.
When did Diego Lopes fight Yair Rodriguez’s teammate Marco Beltran?
It was Nov. 29, 2019, Monterrey, Mexico – Lopes was two fights away from appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series (he lost) and six fights from a UFC contract.
At the time, he was the featherweight champion of LUX Fight League, a top MMA promotion in Mexico. The 24-year-old from Manaus, Brazil had made it big there– not ‘UFC-big’, but big.
Lopes went five rounds to win the title and now he was to defend it against Beltran, a six-time UFC veteran and former contestant on ‘The Ultimate Fighter Latin America’. Michoacán’s Beltran handed Chito Vera his first UFC loss and fought a 11-0 Deiveson Figueiredo in Brazil.
Dubbed ‘the first super-fight’ in the Mexican promotion’s history, Lopes wouldn’t need the full five rounds, finishing Yair Rodriguez’s teammate in the opening minutes.
Lopes popped Beltran with a double-jab and closed the distance with hooks before securing a double-leg takedown on Beltran. The chain attack was similar to how Alexander Volkanovski took down Rodriguez for the TKO finish at UFC 290.
Diego Lopes beautifully rolled into kneebar for submission win
After two and a half minutes of top control, Beltran tried for a guillotine but Lopes easily escaped and landed ground and pound.
Punching Beltran with his right hand, Lopes seized one of Beltran’s legs, scooping it up for a heel hook attempt.
Beltran tried to scramble out of it with Lopes expertly transitioning into a kneebar. Within two seconds, Beltran was forced to tap out right in front of his corner.
Lopes remained the LUX Featherweight Champion and so did his dreams of making it in the UFC.
Six years later, a 30-year-old Diego Lopes eyes the world championship this weekend and a title defense at Noche UFC in September.
Will it be Yair Rodriguez who he faces? Lopes said one win was not enough for the Mexican at the presser but that all depends on how UFC 314 unfolds on Saturday.
