Diego Lopes is ready to deliver the kind of chaotic, high-octane violence that fans expect from a quintessential "baddest motherf*cker" showdown when he steps into the Octagon against former champion Charles Oliveira. The high-stakes clash is officially booked for December 12, serving as the main event for the UFC’s final numbered pay-per-view card of the year in Las Vegas, a city that has played host to some of the most historic and memorable battles in mixed martial arts history.
For Lopes, this upcoming title fight represents both a massive career milestone and a stylistic playground. Oliveira claimed the prestigious BMF belt earlier this year in March with a remarkably dominant performance against Max Holloway. However, that victory was not without its share of scrutiny. Rather than standing and trading strikes in a wild brawl, Oliveira opted to utilize a heavily grappling-heavy approach to secure the win. That tactical decision drew criticism from a vocal segment of fans and fellow fighters, and even caught the public attention of UFC CEO Dana White, who expects a certain brand of action associated with the symbolic belt.
Lopes, who has established a reputation for absolute thrills by collecting an impressive seven post-fight bonuses in just 10 Octagon appearances, believes the surrounding discourse might actually play right into his hands. With Oliveira holding the promotional record for the most post-fight bonuses in UFC history, Lopes suspects that the Brazilian veteran might feel a subtle urge to come out overaggressive in Las Vegas to compensate for the tactical nature of his last outing and prove his violent pedigree.
"I hope so," Lopes said with a laugh during an exclusive interview with MMA Fighting. "I hope he does come in with that mindset, because that’s exactly what I want. I want to get in there and throw down. Let’s see who goes down first. That’s exactly what I’m looking for."
Despite the massive magnitude of headlining a year-end pay-per-view for a unique title, Lopes insists that he is feeling very little internal burden to drastically alter his approach or force a style that does not come naturally to him just to satisfy the expectations of the BMF moniker.
"I don’t think there’s that much pressure on my end to do something different from what I’ve always done," Lopes explained. "I don’t think people will ever have any doubts about that when it comes to me, you know? Regardless of how my previous fights have gone, even in fights I’ve lost, I’ve always looked to engage and tried to turn the fight into a real war. And for that to happen, you need two people. If the guy on the other side is willing to do the same, you can be sure it’s going to be a war."
The path to this December main event has been a winding journey for the talented Brazilian striker. The initial conversation regarding a move up to the lightweight division began materializing earlier this year, specifically after Lopes delivered a devastating knockout victory over Steve Garcia at the UFC White House event. At that time, the promotion’s original blueprint envisioned Lopes headlining an international fight card in Paris against veteran contender Dan Hooker.
However, matchmaking dynamics shifted rapidly behind the scenes. When Salahdine Parnasse ultimately signed with the premier MMA organization to step into the matchup against Hooker instead, the UFC began exploring alternative options for Lopes, including a potential high-profile booking against Benoit Saint Denis for UFC 344 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The puzzle pieces finally fell into place shortly after Mauricio Ruffy stepped in on short notice to face Arman Tsarukyan in September. It was then that the promotion reached out with an offer that completely changed the trajectory of Lopes’s year: a BMF title challenge against Charles Oliveira.
Having already tested his skills against an elite gauntlet of divisional killers throughout his UFC tenure—including former champions and top contenders like Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, Jean Silva, and Brian Ortega—Lopes does not hesitate to identify his upcoming opponent as the most formidable challenge of his professional MMA career to date.
"I definitely think so because he’s a guy who can knock you out and submit you, too," Lopes stated. "He’s dangerous. And let’s also point out that he’s dangerous both on the bottom and on top when the fight goes to the ground, which makes him a very dangerous opponent. He’s definitely a guy who poses a threat to me in every area, so I’m training specifically to avoid making any mistakes and come away with the win."
Rather than fearing the legendary grappling prowess of "do Bronx," Lopes welcomes the chaos that a grappling exchange with Oliveira could present. He is fully prepared to embrace the worst-case scenarios on the canvas rather than fighting tentatively to preserve his standing in the bout.
"I have no problem being on my back on the ground," he continued. "I’m not the kind of guy who’s just going to focus on surviving until the round ends so we can get back to our feet and try our luck in the next round. That’s not who I am. I’m really focused on improving in every area possible so I can go out there and put on a good performance."
Securing a victory over a legendary figure like Oliveira in emphatic, highlight-reel fashion could immediately thrust Lopes onto the doorstep of a lightweight championship opportunity, even if it requires only a single official appearance in the 155-pound weight class. The lightweight landscape remains in a fascinating state of flux, particularly with current titleholder Justin Gaethje expected to remain inactive and potentially forgo defending his championship throughout the entirety of 2026, leading to ongoing speculation about a possible retirement without a single defense.
"I don’t know if I could fight for the title," Lopes admitted. "Actually, even if I win in dominant fashion, I don’t know if I’d get a title shot, but I think it would be a very appealing matchup. Let’s take Justin Gaethje, for example. They always seem to look for fights that work well for him in the sense that he doesn’t have to worry about jiu-jitsu, or about getting taken down, or as much about all the things he’d have to consider if he fought Charles, because he already knows Charles has great jiu-jitsu, can take him to the ground, and can submit him, as he’s already done. Or Arman, where he’d have to worry a lot about Arman’s wrestling. Or Topuria, who has very sharp boxing. I think that stylistically, a fight between him and me could be a convenient matchup for him. I don’t know if I’d get a title shot, but if I win this fight, I’d like to defend the BMF title—and if it’s against Justin Gaethje, even better."
To prepare adequately for the physical demands of competing against larger opponents at 155 pounds, Lopes has dedicated considerable time and effort to bulking up since his victory over Garcia in June. His current everyday walk-around weight hovers comfortably around 180 pounds, representing a notable 15-pound increase compared to his usual conditioning routine two months out from having to safely execute a grueling weight cut down to the 145-pound featherweight limit.
Despite the physical transition and the new opportunities blossoming at lightweight, Lopes is keeping his long-term career options open and refuses to definitively close the door on a future return to the featherweight division if the right circumstances present themselves.
"The most important thing for me is to keep putting together a winning streak, whether that’s at lightweight or featherweight," Lopes said. "Moving up to lightweight, losing fights, and then wanting to go back to featherweight would be pointless, because I’d have to start all over again. If I return to featherweight, I definitely want a big fight. The way to get a big fight is to win the fights I’m about to have at lightweight. It’s something I’ll consider in the future, but right now, at this point, I think returning to featherweight would require a little more time to get my body adjusted to that weight class again."
