LAS VEGAS – Diego Lopes thinks he has a massive opportunity to make a statement.
The fan-favorite UFC featherweight is set to fight on the massive UFC 300 event Saturday in Las Vegas, as he takes on veteran Sodiq Yusuff on the preliminary card. It’s a big spotlight for any fighter, and that’s why Lopes (23-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) wants to make the most of it. That means not only defeating Yusuff (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC), but also becoming the first man to stop him.
“That’s my objective,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I want to finish the fight against Sodiq and send a clear message that there’s a new contender in the division. That’s the message I look for and want to send to everyone.”
Lopes highly respects Yusuff and thinks defeating him is an automatic entry into the rankings. The Brazilian acknowledges he has a tough task at hand, but he prepared to not let the fight go to a decision.
“I know he’s a very consistent fighter in the UFC, and he’s someone that’s fought very good names in the division,” Lopes said. “He only has two defeats in the UFC, which came against Edson Barboza, who’s a legend of the sport, and Arnold Allen, who’s like six or seven in the rankings. This is a very important fight for me. It’s helped me work harder, and I’m focused on becoming the first person to finish Sodiq Yusuff in the UFC.”
Yusuff aside, Lopes is stoked to be part of UFC 300. He’s been with the promotion for less than a year and is glad the UFC considered him for the event despite his short tenure in the promotion.
“I’m going to be part of history,” Lopes said. “I’m at a spot a lot of fighters dream of and wanted to be in. Every fighter in the UFC wanted a spot because of the magnitude and all the impact the event is going to cause. As we know, this is a historic event, the 300th UFC pay-per-view. There’s only one in the history, and I’ll be part of it. It’s incredible.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
