Diego Lopes will challenge Charles Oliveira for the BMF belt on Dec. 12, headlining UFC's final numbered card of the year in Las Vegas, and promises to do his part to deliver the level of excitement fans expect from a baddest motherf*cker showdown.
MMA
Patricio ‘Pitbull’ made peace after 11 years, then delivered a UFC TKO
Published
3 weeks agoon
“Pitbull” Freire believes reconnecting with a longtime boxing
coach, Edelson Silva, played a major role in getting his career
back on track.
Freire recently returned to winning ways in the final bout of his
Ultimate Fighting Championship contract, finishing Doo Ho Choi
by first-round technical knockout at UFC
331.
Patricio Freire credits reunion with Edelson Silva for Doo Ho
Choi finish
After his victory over Choi, Freire spoke about his reunion with
Silva, which he credited as the primary factor in reviving his
career. Talking to UFC Brazil's Evelyn Rodrigues as he left the
Octagon, the former Bellator
champ said the reunion allowed him to fight more freely.
“I wasn't letting myself go in the previous fights, but thank God I
was able to find myself again in this one,†Freire said after the
victory. “Edelson worked with me from 2000 to 2015. Unfortunately,
we drifted apart for 11 years, when he worked on 10 of Anderson
Silva's camps. But we were able to work things out and make
peace.â€
UFC CEO Dana
White remained coy about Freire's future in the promotion at
the post-fight presser, but commended the Brazilian's victory.
Neither party has indicated whether he'll be offered a contract
renewal.
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MMA
Diego Lopes welcomes BMF-style war with Charles Oliveira at UFC 335: ‘Let’s see who goes down first’
Published
8 hours agoon
October 12, 2026
Oliveira claimed the belt with a dominant performance against Max Holloway in March, but opting to follow a grappling route was reason for criticism for several fighters and fans, and even UFC CEO Dana White. Lopes has won seven bonuses in 10 UFC appearances, and said there's a chance Oliveira — the man with most bonuses in UFC history — comes in overaggressive to compensate for his last outing.
“I hope so,†Lopes said with a laugh during an interview with MMA Fighting. “I hope he does come in with that mindset, because that's exactly what I want. I want to get in there and throw down. Let's see who goes down first [laughs]. That's exactly what I'm looking for.â€
Lopes, however, said “I don't think there's that much pressure on my end†to do something different from his previous fights from an excitement point of view.
“I don't think people will ever have any doubts about that when it comes to me, you know?†Lopes said. “Regardless of how my previous fights have gone, even in fights I've lost, I've always looked to engage and tried to turn the fight into a real war. And for that to happen, you need two people. If the guy on the other side is willing to do the same, you can be sure it's going to be a war.â€
The Brazilian talent said the first offer to fight at 155 pounds came after knocking out Steve Garcia at UFC White House, and the plan was to headline UFC Paris versus Dan Hooker. When Salahdine Parnasse ultimately signed with the promotion to face Hooker, UFC contemplated booking Lopes vs. Benoit Saint Denis for UFC 344 at Madison Square Garden. In the end, shortly after Mauricio Ruffy stepped in to fight Arman Tsarukyan in September, the UFC called to book Lopes versus Oliveira for the BMF title.
Having fought the likes of Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, Jean Silva and Brian Ortega in the octagon, Lopes said Oliveira “definitely†is the toughest match-up of his MMA career to date.
“I definitely think so because he's a guy who can knock you out and submit you, too,†Lopes said. “He's dangerous. And let's also point out that he's dangerous both on the bottom and on top when the fight goes to the ground, which makes him a very dangerous opponent. He's definitely a guy who poses a threat to me in every area, so I'm training specifically to avoid making any mistakes and come away with the win.â€
“I have no problem being on my back on the ground,†he continued. “I'm not the kind of guy who's just going to focus on surviving until the round ends so we can get back to our feet and try our luck in the next round. That's not who I am. I'm really focused on improving in every area possible so I can go out there and put on a good performance.â€
Beating “do Bronx†in emphatic fashion could help Lopes be on the cusp of a title shot with only one appearance at lightweight. Current titleholder Justin Gaethje will not defend his belt in 2026, and there's a chance he retires without defending it.
“I don't know if I could fight for the title,†Lopes said. “Actually, even if I win in dominant fashion, I don't know if I'd get a title shot, but I think it would be a very appealing matchup. Let's take Justin Gaethje, for example. They always seem to look for fights that work well for him in the sense that he doesn't have to worry about jiu-jitsu, or about getting taken down, or as much about all the things he'd have to consider if he fought Charles, because he already knows Charles has great jiu-jitsu, can take him to the ground, and can submit him, as he's already done. Or Arman, where he'd have to worry a lot about Arman's wrestling. Or Topuria, who has very sharp boxing. I think that stylistically, a fight between him and me could be a convenient matchup for him. I don't know if I'd get a title shot, but if I win this fight, I'd like to defend the BMF title — and if it's against Justin Gaethje, even better.â€
Lopes has worked on bulking up for the new division ever since he beat Garcia in June, and currently walks around 180 pounds — 15 more than what he would normally weight two months before having to cut to 145 pounds.
That said, Lopes doesn't rule out a future return to featherweight.
“The most important thing for me is to keep putting together a winning streak, whether that's at lightweight or featherweight,†Lopes said. “Moving up to lightweight, losing fights, and then wanting to go back to featherweight would be pointless, because I'd have to start all over again. If I return to featherweight, I definitely want a big fight. The way to get a big fight is to win the fights I'm about to have at lightweight. It's something I'll consider in the future, but right now, at this point, I think returning to featherweight would require a little more time to get my body adjusted to that weight class again.â€
MMA
Jake Paul cleared after Anthony Joshua knockout, eyes UFC stars
Published
10 hours agoon
October 12, 2026
Paul has been medically cleared to return to boxing after
recovering from the broken jaw he suffered in his knockout loss to
Anthony
Joshua last year, according to his promoter.
Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian announced
Thursday that Paul had been cleared to return to the ring. The
YouTuber-turned-boxer also shared a list of potential fights
spanning boxing and mixed martial arts, including matchups with
several current and former
Ultimate Fighting Championship athletes.
Jake Paul names Conor McGregor, Sean Strickland and Francis
Ngannou as possible opponents
Paul hasn't competed since Joshua stopped him in the sixth round in
December 2025. The defeat left “The Problem Child†with a broken
jaw that required surgery, followed by a second procedure in
February.
“Jake Paul has been cleared to return to the boxing ring,†Bidarian
wrote on X.
Paul's list included Canelo Alvarez, Ryan Garcia and Francis
Ngannou. He also named KSI, Sean
Strickland, Conor
McGregor, Nate Diaz,
Darren
Till, Edgar Berlanga and Tom
Aspinall, among others.
“I gotta be honest, unless things change with the UFC I’m kinda
over it,†Strickland wrote on X. “McGregor makes 30 million to
fight for 30 seconds and they don’t want to pay us a fraction of
it. Contemplating just going to 205 [pounds], knocking out my
contract and scrapping with [Jake Paul]. That sounds fun.â€
Paul, who has long called on the UFC to increase fighter pay,
responded to Strickland's post.
“Sean Strickland, I see your texts but are you out of contract?â€
Paul wrote on X. “Tell your ‘promoter’ to call MVP.â€
Before I rest… Canelo Alvarez Francis
Ngannou Conor
McGregor (Boxing & MMA) Sean
Strickland Darren Till
Ryan
Garcia KSI Chris Eubank Edgar Berlanga Tom
Aspinall (Boxing) Deontay
Wilder Nate Diaz
(MMA) Midget who ruined our fight World Title Make it happen
@nakisabidarian— Jake
Paul (@jakepaul)
October 8, 2026
I gotta be honest unless things change with
the UFC Im kinda over it. McGregor makes 30 million to fight for 30
second and they dont want to pay us a fraction of it. Contemplating
just going to 205 knocking out my contract and scrapping with
@jakepaul That sounds fun.— Sean
Strickland (@SStricklandMMA)
October 7, 2026
Jake Paul has
been cleared to return to the boxing ring🚀— Nakisa Bidarian (@nakisa_bidarian)
October 8, 2026
Sean
Strickland I see your texts but are you out of contract? Tell
your “promoter†to call MVP— Jake
Paul (@jakepaul)
October 8, 2026
MMA
UFC Vegas 122: Start time, Paramount+ stream & full fight card
Published
22 hours agoon
October 11, 2026
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