For the third straight year, the UFC pays tribute to Mexico’s annual independence day celebration with Noche UFC.
This time, Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, will play host to UFC Fight Night 259, also known as “Noche UFC,” with featherweights ready to throw down at the top of the bill. Diego Lopes (26-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) takes on Jean Silva (16-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in the headliner.
Lopes had his shot at the featherweight title in April, but was outworked at UFC 314 in the main event and former champion Alexander Volkanovski won back the belt, which had been vacated by Ilia Topuria for his move to lightweight. He’ll be trying to bounce back from that setback.
Silva will attempt to remain on his current ferocious run up the 145-pound ladder with five straight finishes, including three straight post-fight bonuses. The standout member of Brazil’s famed and fast-rising Fighting Nerds team has 13 straight wins and has only needed to go the distance for a victory one time.
With fight week officially underway, take a look back at the UFC careers of Lopes and Silva in a full fight marathon. Check out three full fights each from Lopes (wins over Brian Ortega, Sodiq Yusuff and Dan Ige) and Silva (wins over Bryce Mitchell, Charles Jourdain and Melsik Baghdasaryan).
