Diego Lopes, despite not winning the featherweight title at UFC 314, is proud of his performance against Alexander Volkanovski, considered one of the greatest featherweights.
In only his second year in the UFC, Lopes headlined his first main event and challenged Volkanovski for five rounds. While Lopes landed significant strikes, Volkanovski was awarded the victory by unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47).
Lopes shared a brief message on social media about the fight, stating, “Always with my head held high, a smile on my face. I fell short, I failed in a few things. I’ll get back to work, improve, correct the mistakes, and move forward. Thank you all for your support. As I always say, “NOTHING HAPPENS.”
Lopes` performance was commendable, earning him Fight of the Night honors against Volkanovski, who also made history as the oldest fighter over 35 to win a title in a lower weight class in the UFC (155 pounds or less).
Although Lopes started the first round somewhat cautiously, which is unlike his usual aggressive style, he rebounded in the second round, briefly knocking down Volkanovski with a strong punch.
From that point on, Lopes consistently fought for space in the cage and landed powerful blows, evident in Volkanovski`s bruised face after the fight.
Ultimately, Lopes lost on the judges` scorecards but respectfully acknowledged Volkanovski`s victory in the post-fight interview.
“It was an honor to share the octagon with Alexander Volkanovski,” Lopes said. “But I’ll be back. This is a very experienced UFC fighter. I can see myself improving. I’m going to get better, I’m going to come back, and I’m going to be a champion.”
