Diego Lopes (blue gloves) reacts after losing to Alexander Volkanovski (not pictured) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center.

Diego Lopes Ready to Light Up Noche UFC With Two Potential Featherweight Match-Ups In Guadalajara

Fresh off his loss, Diego Lopes looks to test himself against elite competition in front of a Mexican crowd!

Diego Lopes (blue gloves) reacts after losing to Alexander Volkanovski (not pictured) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Center.

Diego Lopes isn’t wasting any time after his title fight loss. Despite coming up short against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314 last month, the rising star is already planning his comeback. Lopes has been turning heads in the division with his aggressive fighting style and remarkable resilience. Before his April defeat, he was riding an impressive five-fight winning streak.

Fighters often need time to regroup after a championship loss, but not Lopes. He has his sights set on the annual Noche UFC event happening September 13 in Guadalajara, Mexico. The timing and location couldn’t be more perfect for him. Guadalajara is home to Lobo Gym, where Lopes does much of his training. Fighting on Mexican Independence Day weekend in familiar territory could give him the edge he needs to bounce back in spectacular fashion.

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Yair Rodriguez, Movsar Evloev in Diego Lopes’ Crosshairs

Lopes isn’t looking for an easy comeback fight. He is aiming straight for the top of the division. He specifically named Yair Rodriguez and Movsar Evloev as his preferred opponents. Both fighters represent significant challenges and opportunities. A win against either would likely put Lopes right back in the title conversation, which is exactly what he wants.

“My focus is to fight at Noche UFC in September. Two names I can mention that I’d like would be the rematch against Movsar (Evloev) or a fight against Yair (Rodriguez). Either of those guys gets me close to the title,” said Lopes via Hablemos MMA.

🚨Diego Lopes wants to fight Yair/Evolev at Noche UFC

"My focus is to fight at Noche UFC in September— 2 names I can mention that I’d like would be the rematch against Movsar Evloev or a fight against Yair Rodriguez Either of those guys gets me close to the title."

via… pic.twitter.com/incOrQ6vGf
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) May 8, 2025

The history between Lopes and these fighters adds extra spice to these potential matchups. He already faced Evloev back in 2023 in his UFC debut, a fight he took on just a week’s notice. Despite the short preparation time, the bout was so competitive and action-packed that both fighters walked away with $50,000 Fight of the Night bonuses. As for Rodriguez, the bad blood is more recent. Just before UFC 314, the two had to be separated by security during the pre-fight press conference due to lingering beef from their days in the Mexican regional scene.

What’s impressive about Lopes is his confidence hasn’t wavered despite the loss to Volkanovski. He believes he is just one or two good performances away from another title shot. Lopes understands that while Evloev might be more deserving of the next title shot based on his record, the UFC might go with Rodriguez. Either way, Lopes wants a crack at anyone that gets him closer to the belt.

(Image Credit: Sam Navarro – Imagn Images)

Diego Lopes

Movsar Evloev

Yair Rodriguez

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!