Just a few years ago, it would have been unimaginable that Mexico could not only join the board but hold more UFC titles than powerful nations Brazil or Russia.
The promotion currently features three Mexican champions: Brandon Moreno at flyweight, Yair Rodriguez as interim featherweight champion, and Alexa Grasso as women’s flyweight champion. This ties the nation to the United States, where Jamal Hill (light heavyweight) and Jon Jones (heavyweight) hold belts in their respective weight classes. If the predictions of recently signed UFC and Brazilian Lobo Gym trainer Diego Lopez are accurate, Mexico will have its fourth concurrent champion on June 10. Take on vaunted bantamweight queen Amanda Nunes at The Main Attraction. Lopez, in an interview with Sherdog shortly after his sensational performance against Movsar Evloev at UFC 288, predicted that Aldana would succeed.
“We’ve been doing great team work at the Lobo Gym for the past four years and that can be shown when Grasso beat Valentina [Shevchenko] And she shocked the world,” Lopez bragged. “Now naturally Aldana would also be a huge underdog against Amanda, who is without a doubt one of the best players ever, but I really think she would shock the world just as Grasso did.”
The coach and new addition to the UFC were afraid of how Aldana would play spoiler.
Erin [has] I’ve evolved a lot [on her] Down to earth, but everyone knows her strong point is boxing. All I can say is that we are going to come up with some surprises for Amanda,” the Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach pointed out.
Lopez made a name for himself when he stepped in to replace Bryce Mitchell against Evloev five days before UFC 288. In their three-round relationship, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt arguably gave the Russian the toughest test of his undefeated career. Lopez believes his submissions — and Evelwev’s toughness — may have done him some harm, doing damage that might have made lesser foes succumb.
“I heard his arm and leg snapping, but I knew he wasn’t going to tap out,” Lopez revealed.
Lopes and Evloev got to “Fight of the Night” for their back-and-forth confrontation, and UFC President Dana White told him he’d be back soon. When asked to choose an opponent to return to the octagon, Lopez chose not one but two names.
“If I could pick the top 15 [opponent] For another exciting fight, now with a full camp, it would be Bryce Mitchell or Alex Caceres,” Lopez said confidently. “Any one of them would be a perfect fit for my style, but I’m available for everyone else.
[fighter the] UFC picks. “
Born in Manaus, Brazil, into a family of black belts—his father and uncle trained under Mr. Oswaldo Alves—López began his professional MMA career as a purple belt at just 17 years old.
“I needed my dad to sign a power of attorney,” Lopez said with a laugh.
After winning a couple of BJJ events and earning some victories in MMA, Lopes made it all the way to the brown belt. It was then that he accepted an invitation to teach BJJ in Mexico. He never looked back.
“First I went to Cancun, but after one year, the academy closed, so I moved to Puebla where I opened my own academy,” the 28-year-old explained. “Later, Francisco Grasso invited me to work with the Lobo team. There I started working with his niece, Alexa Grasso, and Irene Aldana.”
Lopez’s $50,000 USD bonus at UFC 288 was a life changer, both for him and his family. Featherweight used part of his UFC bonus prize to go home and visit his family. Much of it went to his family.
“For the past nine years I’ve been in Mexico, [so] “I can only visit my family once,” Lopez said. “Now, besides visiting my father, I can use part of the money I earned to help my mother finish her dream of finishing building her house.”
Lopez believes he has family everywhere, not only in Manaus, but also in Mexico. Through the bonds he has forged, he believes that society recognizes him as his own individual.
“I have to thank Mr. Francisco very much,” Lopez said gently. “When I was only 24 years old, he believed in me as a jiu-jitsu coach. Thanks to him, I say today that my heart is half Mexican and half Brazilian. We have worked hard for the past four years and the result is coming.”
According to the fighter, he made a promise to his teammate Aldana when her fight with Nunes was announced.
“I told Erin that if she wins the belt against Amanda, I could retire as the youngest MMA trainer to have two world titles. This is just a joke, but regardless of the outcome, I am really happy to see Mexico as a new powerhouse for MMA and [am proud to be] To be a part of it,” Lopez concluded cheerfully.