This is the live blog for Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva, the featherweight main event for Saturday’s Noche UFC card at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.
Bursting onto the UFC in 2023 with a competitive loss to Movsar Evloev, Lopes became a fan favorite after stringing together three consecutive first-round wins. Decision wins over Dan Ige and Brian Ortega followed, setting Lopes up to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight belt in April. Lopes fell short that night, but the man with the best hair in MMA now starts his road back to the title as he takes on the surging Silva.
Perhaps the most talented fighter from the Fighting Nerds gym, Silva joined the UFC off of Contender Series and has had an impressive start to his UFC career. 5-0 with five finishes to his name, “Lord” may well earn a featherweight title shot with a big win over the former title challenger on Saturday.
Check out the live blog for Lopes vs. Silva below.
It’s time. Let’s be honest, Noche UFC has been a pretty big let down today (though the last couple fights have picked things up) but there’s no way this fight will be. Guaranteed banger incoming.
Silva hits the arena to DMX, rocking a green hoodie and a mean face. The crowd boos him and he smiles. Silva does not care as he does his trademark bark to pump himself up. He’s really taking his time to get up there. And he has total confidence scrawled across his face. Now he’s having a very intense faceoff with his wife before stepping in the cage. They are nose-to-nose. Silva is very intense.
Now Lopes hits the arena to mariachi music and the place is rocking. He’s in his fight kit, rocking the big cowboy hat. This crowd loves him and he’s all smiles, bounding his way to the cage. And he looks to be in phenomenal shape. Of course his hair is. A spectacular mullet.
Tale of the Tape and Announcements
Lopes is 2 years older, is 4 inches taller, and has a 2.5-inch reach advantage. Lopes is the underdog though at +195, with Silva coming in at -240.
Chris Lee, Sal D’Amato, and Junichiro Kamijo are the judges. Mike Beltran is the referee.
Bruce Buffer gets things going. Crowd is alive now. Jean Silva faces off with Buffer as he announces him. Man is so intense. And the crowd doesn’t really boo. They do cheer loudly for Lopes though, and he urges them on.
The two men meet in the middle for final instruction and touch gloves. It’s go time.
