Outside Source
Lopes recently launched a non-profit jiu-jitsu academy called Brazilian Warriors in Puebla, Mexico, which is his second home. Having started from humble beginnings, Lopes knows that most fighters struggle in their early careers. Lopes wants to give back to the society what he didn’t have as a young fighter. They also organized a giveaway at the gym, distributing gear sent by sponsors.
“We’re here at Brazilian Warriors in the city of Puebla,” Lopes said on UFC Connected. “Many who start this journey of MMA start with nothing. When I first started training, I had nothing. Now that I have support, sponsors and people behind me. I want to give back the things I did not have when I first started. Today we’ll be having a seminar for kids ranging from 5 to 17 years old. We’ll be giving away kimonos, T-shirts, hats and gloves. All of these with help from our sponsors: Monster, Venum and True Classic. This program offers support to kids.”
From Teaching Jiu-Jitsu in Mexico to the UFC
Lopes’ career is the stuff of fairy tales. Lopes was just 19 when he left Brazil and took up an opportunity to teach jiu-jitsu in Mexico. Lopes found a new home in Mexico, working under the tutelage of head coach Francisco Grasso, uncle to former UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso. Competing on the regional circuit, Lopes came up short in a Dana White’s Contender Series opportunity in 2021.
Lopes got a short-notice call in 2023 to step in against Movsar Evloev and gave the undefeated Russian one of his toughest tests. Despite dropping a decision against Evloev, Lopes’ performance earned him a UFC contract. Lopes racked up five straight wins with three finishes to get a shot at the vacant title against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314 this past February, where he suffered a decision loss. The 30-year-old is set to headline Noche UFC against fellow countryman Jean Silva (16-2) on Saturday at the Frost Bank Arena in San Antonio, Texas.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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