Diego Lopes names rival who would make him change his mind about moving up a weight class in the UFC.

Diego lopes celebrates victory in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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Diego lopes is inclined to change category in the UFC, but there's still one name that could make him postpone that decision. After two recent losses to Alexander VolkanovskyThe Brazilian sees the move up to the lightweight division (up to 70,3 kg) as an opportunity to turn his career around. However, the possibility of resolving his rivalry with Yair Rodriguez This could cause him to postpone the transition for at least one more fight.

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Lopes stated that a confrontation against Yair Rodriguez That would make sense at this point, but he highlighted the long absence of his rival, who hasn't competed since... UFC 314, held in April 2025.

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Given the situation I'm in now, a name that might make sense is... Yair Rodriguez"Because of our history, we haven't heard anything about him in over a year and a half. Since I fought in Miami, I've fought three times, and nobody knows what happened to him. If the UFC gives me the opportunity to continue fighting in both divisions, I would love that," he said. Diego lopes.

Diego Lopes reveals the reason for changing categories.

Although coming off a big win in UFC White House, held on June 14st, Diego lopes still carries the weight of two recent defeats for Alexander Volkanovsky, at UFC 314 and UFC 325, the most recent being in January 2026. According to the fighter himself, these results leave him far from another title shot as long as the Australian remains champion.

Given this scenario, the choice is between hoping for Volkanovski's eventual downfall or seeking new challenges, Diego lopes This suggests that he prefers to explore new horizons in the lightweight division (up to 70 kg).