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Diego Lopes targets lightweight contender after failed UFC featherweight title bids: "I’m definitely in a bit of a tough spot"

Published

3 months ago

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Diego Lopes targets lightweight contender after failed UFC featherweight title bids: "I’m definitely in a bit of a tough spot"

Diego Lopes might be seeking new challenges at 155 pounds given his failed bids to become the UFC featherweight titleholder.

Lopes is one of the top 145-pound competitors in MMA, but he appears to have hit a brick wall. He has fought Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight gold twice and was unsuccessful in both attempts. Lopes has gone 7-2 in his last nine outings, and it's clear that he has emerged as the No. 2 featherweight in the world, but perhaps a change of scenery is due.

In an interview with Guilherme Cruz of MMAFighting, Lopes admitted that his time at 145 pounds may have reached its peak.

“It's a little difficult,†Lopes said. “As long as Volkanovski doesn't retire, it's going to be hard to get another title shot. I'd have to be rooting for him to lose, but I'd rather see him retire as champion, because he was such a great champion for the division. Seeing him walk away with the belt would be something really special. Then he'd leave the door open for the guys coming up, and I see myself as part of that group too.â€

While Lopes won't promise that his next fight will be in the lightweight division, he is hoping to face a top contender in the division at some point.

“But I'm definitely in a bit of a tough spot,†he continued. “I have this desire to move up to 155 and take on an exciting fight. I think there are some great matchups for me in the top five or top six, fights that fit my style really well. So I honestly don't know what's going to happen in my division. I had a conversation with the UFC this past weekend and we actually talked more about the lightweight division than the featherweight division. I think the possibilities for a fight at 155 are opening up even more. We'll see what happens and what the UFC's plans are as well.â€

Lopes actually served as a backup option in case he was needed for the UFC Freedom 250 main event. Ultimately, Lopes scored a second-round knockout win over Steve Garcia, while Justin Gaethje shocked the world by stopping Ilia Topuria to unify the UFC Lightweight Championship.

How do you think Diego Lopes would fare in the lightweight division? Share your take in the comments below.

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MMA

UFC Vegas 121 ‘Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Published

2 hours ago

on

September 25, 2026

By

UFC Vegas 121 ‘Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos’ play-by-play, results & round scoring

Sherdog’s live
UFC Vegas 121 coverage will begin Saturday at 5 p.m. ET. The
event is also known as
UFC Fight Night 289.

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

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Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

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Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

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Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

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Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

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Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

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The Official Result

Round 1

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Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

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Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

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Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

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Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

Round 1

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 2

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 3

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 4

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

Round 5

Sherdog Scores

Brian Knapp scores the round:
Tudor Leonte scores the round:
Mike Fridley scores the round:

The Official Result

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MMA

Raoni Barcelos vows to finish Raul Rosas Jr. in UFC main event: ‘He’s never fought someone like me’

Published

6 hours ago

on

September 25, 2026

By

Raoni Barcelos vows to finish Raul Rosas Jr. in UFC main event: ‘He’s never fought someone like me’

Raul Rosas Jr. has never been finished in MMA, winning six of seven fights in the UFC en route to his first UFC main event Saturday in Las Vegas, but Raoni Barcelos plans to expose him Sept. 26 at the Meta APEX.

Barcelos was already a professional MMA fighter before Rosas Jr. celebrated his eighth birthday, claiming the Shooto Brazil and RFA belts on his way to the UFC. On a five-fight winning streak now against the likes of Cody Garbrandt and Payton Talbott, the 39-year-old veteran believes he brings more to the table than Rosas Jr. has had to deal with in his career so far.

“I believe all the opponents he's faced so far, Rob Font and others, have been extremely tough athletes, without taking anything away from anyone,†Barcelos told MMA Fighting, “but I think he still hasn't faced a guy who could really complicate his game. He's never faced a guy with good wrestling; he's never faced a guy with good jiu-jitsu, someone who can disrupt his game. That someone is me, that guy who can make things difficult for him in any area he wants to take the fight. To answer your question, he's never fought someone like me. Not trying to be better than others, but it's a style that can complicate his game more.â€

Rosas Jr.'s sole UFC setback came in a decision against Christian Rodriguez in his second octagon appearance at 18 years of age, and since then he's defeated more experienced opponents, including Rob Font and Vince Morales. Barcelos expects the Mexican prospect to look for grappling and wrestling exchanges in the octagon, and that happens to be his bread and butter.

“We have a very good no-gi jiu-jitsu team. I'm not going to be uncomfortable,†Barcelos said. “If the fight goes in that direction, we have all the time; we have five rounds to get tangled up and end up working our jiu-jitsu in the best way possible. The whole team is very much on the same page about that, and we're going in there to finish this fight before 25 minutes.â€

Barcelos will have longtime friend Glover Teixeira in his corner for the first time in nearly six years, reuniting with the man responsible for pushing him to make the transition from jiu-jitsu and wrestling to MMA rings and cages in Brazil in the early 2010's. Barcelos spent three weeks training with the former UFC champion in Danbury before starting his camp in Rio de Janeiro, and said he feels “safer†with Teixeira next to his father and mentor Laerte Barcelos, as well as coaches Davi Ramos and Andre Felipe.

“Glover is a guy who inspires me a lot,†Barcelos said. “I've always told him that. He always said that age is just a number, that it's in our heads, and he proved to everyone that it's possible to make it there. Through all the work and dedication, he was able to make it. I consider Glover my godfather in MMA. He was the one who introduced me to the sport. I have a lot of respect for him. We talk a lot. Whenever I can, I talk to him, and we exchange ideas. I'm very happy to be able to have Glover back in my corner again after, I don't know, six years.â€

Barcelos was over the moon when the UFC called with an offer to be the main event for the first time under the brighter lights in Las Vegas, and it was “like a movie played in my head.†Although he seeks an emphatic finish Saturday, a potential 25 minutes of action could be an edge over a less experienced opponent.

“The UFC gets an opportunity to see my performance getting better and better,†Barcelos said. “Five rounds is nothing new for me. I've fought three or four times, if I'm not mistaken, back in my RFA days. I believe this might be something new for Raul, but that doesn't mean much either because he's 21 years old, so he's very young. I'm sure he's going to come very prepared for it.â€

Barcelos has two names in mind for a callout to “shine†even brighter next and a win Saturday could boost Barcelos up towards the top of the bantamweight class, but he knows “everything depends on my performance in the cage.â€

“Mario Bautista would be a very good fight,†Barcelos said, “especially because he's now ranked No. 4 in the division and had an excellent fight in his last bout [against Cory Sandhagen]. And there's David Martinez. I think those are two very strong names. Those are the two athletes I think I'm going to ask for up there in the cage.â€

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MMA

Usman Nurmagomedov questions Gable Steveson's lack of MMA experience

Published

20 hours ago

on

September 25, 2026

By

Usman Nurmagomedov questions Gable Steveson's lack of MMA experience
Trending:

Mike Perry speaks out after suffering injury during upset loss to Brandon Jenkins: “Health is wealthâ€
gable on Instagram

MMA star Usman Nurmagomedov has questioned Gable Steveson's lack of MMA experience after his first professional loss.

At UFC 331, Gable Steveson's unbeaten record in mixed martial arts came to an incredibly abrupt end. After a tense build-up to his clash with Sean Sharaf, Gable wound up being knocked out cold within the first few seconds of their fight getting underway.

RELATED: Jon Jones mocked by Usman Nurmagomedov after ‘boyfriend' Gable Steveson's shocking loss

Jon Jones could only watch on in the corner as Gable Steveson's entire career flashed before his eyes. Of course, getting knocked out early in your run isn't unusual in this sport, but it's particularly bad when there's so much scrutiny around you even being in the UFC in the first place.

In a recent interview, Usman Nurmagomedov weighed in on the Gable Steveson debate and his experience level.

Usman Nurmagomedov's view on Gable Steveson

“He's an Olympic champion, but not in MMA, isn't he?†Nurmagomedov told Red Corner MMA of Steveson. “He's got no amateur experience, but as we all know, you have to have amateur experience as a fighter. One hundred fights at least. You have to feel it out, that stage, the MMA stage.

“And again, the very first punch landed, he didn't feel the distance. Yes, he's a good wrestler, an Olympic-level wrestler, but he's not a fighter nor a striker. But that is mixed martial arts, right? That includes everything. I wish him well, speedy recovery and future success. This is MMA. This kind of thing happens here.â€

Quotes via MMA Junkie

If Gable wants to get anywhere near the top of this division, he needs to make some big changes – and fast.

What do you think the ceiling is for Steveson in the Ultimate Fighting Championship? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, BJPENN Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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