Melk Costa explains unusual motivation for challenging Diego Lopes after victory at UFC Houston.

Melquizael Costa at UFC Houston. Photo: Reproduction/X

Melk Costa There is good reason to challenge. Diego lopes for a duel in the Ultimate. The Dalmatian' entered the action in Houston, held last Saturday (21), gave no chances to Dan Ige, knocked out The Hawaiian surprised fans by challenging 'El Brabo' next. However, the motivation for the potential confrontation goes beyond the octagon and involves a typically Brazilian rivalry.

In an interview with UFC News, Melk Costa He highlighted that he admires Diego lopes He acknowledged the provocation stemming from his fighting style and the trajectory he built to the top of the division, but revealed that it also arose from the regional dispute between their home states, fueled by the traditional rivalry over which is the best açaí, that of Pará or that of Amazonas.

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I love this guy (Diego lopes"His fighting style, his life story, everything he went through to get where he is today. And we're from neighboring states and we have this rivalry about which açaí is better in Pará and which is better in Amazonas. And I brought up this fight because he's a guy who's on the rise," he said. Melk Costa.

Melk Costa knocked out Dan Ige at UFC Houston

In the third most important fight of UFC Houston, Melk Costa He had his first major test in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The Dalmatian faced Dan Ige And he did what no one had managed to do against the Hawaiian until then. Without facing much difficulty, the Paraense fighter knocked out the American with a spinning kick in the first round.

O MELK COSTA It's a dog's dick! You have to respect it, first knock out the very tough one. Dan IgeWow, that guy just made it to the top of the rankings! #UFCHouston pic.twitter.com/ott1kWL1ie

— Luiz Brownie (@luiz_ff92) February 22, 2026