UFC featherweight Diego Lopes won’t pass on an offer to headline UFC Rio against Charles Oliveira.
The promotion is yet to announce a replacement for the injured Rafael Fiziev on the Oct. 11 show in Rio de Janeiro and the top-ranked featherweight said he’s willing to move up to lightweight to face the former UFC champion.
“Sure. Why not?” Lopes told Laerte Viana. “Of course, I’d do it, especially because Charles is a legend of the sport in Brazil. I’ll never turn down any fight. If the UFC thinks I’m the guy to fight him and calls me, definitely [yes]. I wouldn’t think twice.”
Lopes beat Jean Silva by second-round knockout earlier this month at Noche UFC in San Antonio, rebounding from a title defeat to Alexander Volkanovski. Lopes is focused on getting another crack at the belt and won’t actively pursue the Oliveira match, but would say “yes” if offered.
“We just won a fight, and we’re in a good position to fight for the belt, so I wouldn’t ask for that,” Lopes said. “I’ve talked to my manager, we want the [featherweight] belt. But if the UFC calls us like, ‘We need you,’ of course, let’s go, no problem at all.”
Renato Moicano, Mateusz Gamrot and even bantamweight Vinicius Oliveira have taken to social media asking for the slot, but the UFC is yet to reveal who will enter the octagon against “do Bronx” at Farmasi Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
