A top featherweight contender is willing to fight Charles Oliveira in the upcoming UFC Rio main event for his lightweight debut.
Former UFC champion Charles Oliveira opted for a relatively fast turnaround at UFC Rio after a brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 317. Despite public protests from Daniel Cormier and others worried about Oliveira’s health, Oliveira refused to turn down the opportunity to headline in his home country.
But Oliveira’s upcoming headliner remains in flux after Rafael Fiziev withdrew due to injury. Several fellow lightweights, including Mateusz Gamrot, are in the mix to potentially co-headline opposite Oliveira.
In addition to Oliveira’s lightweight colleagues, a rising featherweight star is open to stepping up on weeks’ notice to fight the former UFC lightweight king.
Diego Lopes open to a quick turnaround to fight Charles Oliveira in UFC lightweight debut
In a recent interview with Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana, featherweight Diego Lopes was pressed on potentially saving the upcoming UFC Rio card.
“Sure. Why not?” Lopes answered. “Of course, I’d do it, especially because Charles is a legend of the sport in Brazil. I’ll never turn down any fight. If the UFC thinks I’m the guy to fight him and calls me, definitely [yes]. I wouldn’t think twice.
“We just won a fight, and we’re in a good position to fight for the belt, so I wouldn’t ask for that,” Lopes said. “I’ve talked to my manager, we want the [featherweight] belt. But if the UFC calls us like, ‘We need you,’ of course, let’s go, no problem at all.” (h/t MMA Fighting)
Lopes most recently handed Jean Silva his first Octagon defeat at Noche UFC earlier this month. He bounced back following a vacant featherweight title loss to Alexander Volkanovski earlier this year at UFC 314.
UFC Rio marks Oliveira’s first fight in Brazil since squaring off against Kevin Lee in a March 2020 UFC Fight Night headliner. The card marked the UFC’s first closed-door show during the COVID-19 pandemic.