Outside Source
Diego Lopes isn’t one to turn down a fight. | Getty/UFC
Diego Lopes doesn’t mind moving up a weight class to fight Charles Oliveira.
Oliveira was scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night 261 against Rafael Fiziev on Oct. 11 in front of his home fans at the Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, the former lightweight champ is now left without an opponent as Fiziev was forced out due to an injury.
Oliveira recently accused the entire division of ducking him him despite none of the Top 15 lightweights being booked right now. However, featherweight contender Lopes is willing to move up a weight class to fight “do Bronxs” on short notice. Lopes says he wouldn’t think twice before accepting the fight, considering Oliveira’s legacy in Brazilian MMA. However, Lopes also noted that he wouldn’t initiate the offer as he would prefer a featherweight title shot next.
Lopes: ‘I’ll Never Turn Down Any Fight’
“Sure. Why not? Of course, I’ll be up for it, especially because Charles is a legend of the sport in Brazil,” Lopes told Laerte Viana. “I’ll never turn down any fight. If the UFC thinks I’m the right guy to fight him and calls me, of course. No second thoughts… We just won a fight, and we’re in a good position to fight for the belt, so I don’t think it’ll come from us. I’ve talked to my manager, we want the belt in our division. But of course, the UFC calls us says, ‘Hey, we’re looking at you,’ of course, let’s go, no problem at all.”
Lopes came up short in a fight for the vacant featherweight title against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314 this past April. However, he has since bounced back with a stoppage win over fellow Brazilian Jean Silva at Noche UFC earlier this month.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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