Summary
Diego lopes Volkanovski and [Name] hug after the fight at UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC
Unlike many fighters, Diego lopes He doesn't lose his peace because of a defeat, no matter how tough it was. In February, in Australia, the Brazilian fought for the UFC featherweight title (up to 65,8 kg) for the second time and ended up being defeated by... Alexander Volkanovsky Again, now more clearly. However, anyone who thinks the athlete has anything bad to say about his tormentor is mistaken.
On the contrary, in an interview with the YouTube channel 'Laerte Viana na Área', Diego displayed fair play and made a point of acknowledging that the Australian champion was clearly superior. In the rematch, Volkanovski, fighting at home, was a step ahead of the Brazilian and, despite his advanced age to compete, displayed technique, fight IQ, agility and had no problem neutralizing him.
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Precisely because he sees 'The Great' as a special professional, 'Franja' doesn't lament the adverse result, since, in his understanding, the other top players in the category have already suffered or will suffer against him. Resigned, Diego admitted that his aggressive game doesn't mesh well with Volkanovski's, known for being complete, strategic, cold in action, and who knows how to use experience and the rules like few others.
“It’s admitting that the guy is better. Because his stand-up movement is very good. He himself said that I was unlucky to have fought him twice for the belt, because I think he believes that nobody in the category can have the movement that he has, to move for 25 minutes. He never stood still in front of me. I think there’s not much to say. It’s about accepting it and moving on. I made all the necessary adjustments. Now, people can’t say anything.”, said the athlete.
“I went for the takedown, I took him down, I got his back, I locked in the submission, I kicked, I defended the takedown, I scored a knockdown, we did everything and it wasn't enough to win, unfortunately. There's not much to say. It just didn't click, unfortunately. People say: 'Oh, you could have tried this more, tried that more.' But put Volkanovski in front of you and try doing everything you're telling me to do and then draw your own conclusions. I'm not the first person to lose two fights to him and to lose two title fights. I'm very calm about it.”
“Obviously, I wanted to win, nobody likes to lose, especially on a second chance at the belt, but I did everything I could and it wasn't enough. The guy beat me twice. In the first fight, I can say it was a bit of a lack of focus, maturity, and preparation. In the second, I did what was necessary to adjust. There's not much more to say. I think I fought well, I did a lot, but it wasn't enough.”, he concluded.
Diego's fighters in MMA
Diego lopes, 31 years old, is a popular, exciting fighter and one of the best in the featherweight division. The Brazilian began his MMA career in 2012. He debuted in the UFC in 2023 and became something of a sensation. Not surprisingly, the athlete has fought for the category's belt twice.
Currently, 'Franja' is ranked second in the division. In the sport, the professional has built a record of 27 wins, 23 by stoppage (12 by submission and 11 by knockout), and eight losses. His main victories were against Brian ortega, Dan Ige, Jean Silva e Sodiq Yusuf.
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