Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Matt Erickson and Mike Bohn

Unbeaten Movsar Evloev wants summer return vs. big name – preferably original Bryce Mitchell matchup from UFC 288

NEWARK, N.J. – Movsar Evloev had his work cut out for him Saturday in New Jersey.

Evloev (17-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), the biggest favorite on the card at UFC 288 in Newark, needed 15 minutes to outpoint featherweight promotional newcomer Diego Lopes (21-6 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who stepped in for Bryce Mitchell on just a few days’ notice – and put the unbeaten Evloev in some precarious positions with submission attempts throughout the fight.

“I was thinking, ‘I will finish this guy,'” Evloev said at his post-fight news conference. “Every second, I was working for that. But that kid was tough. He’s a tough opponent. He’s dangerous on the ground and he has heavy punches. It was a big risk for me.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.