Category: Hablemos MMA

Diego Lopes aims to become the first to stop Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300: ‘That’s my objective’

Diego Lopes wants to finish Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300 and send a message to the UFC featherweight division.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Diego Lopes[/autotag] thinks he has a massive opportunity to make a statement.

The fan-favorite UFC featherweight is set to fight on the massive UFC 300 event Saturday in Las Vegas, as he takes on veteran [autotag]Sodiq Yusuff[/autotag] on the preliminary card. It’s a big spotlight for any fighter, and that’s why Lopes (23-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) wants to make the most of it. That means not only defeating Yusuff (13-3 MMA, 6-2 UFC), but also becoming the first man to stop him.

“That’s my objective,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I want to finish the fight against Sodiq and send a clear message that there’s a new contender in the division. That’s the message I look for and want to send to everyone.”

Lopes highly respects Yusuff and thinks defeating him is an automatic entry into the rankings. The Brazilian acknowledges he has a tough task at hand, but he prepared to not let the fight go to a decision.

“I know he’s a very consistent fighter in the UFC, and he’s someone that’s fought very good names in the division,” Lopes said. “He only has two defeats in the UFC, which came against Edson Barboza, who’s a legend of the sport, and Arnold Allen, who’s like six or seven in the rankings. This is a very important fight for me. It’s helped me work harder, and I’m focused on becoming the first person to finish Sodiq Yusuff in the UFC.”

Yusuff aside, Lopes is stoked to be part of UFC 300. He’s been with the promotion for less than a year and is glad the UFC considered him for the event despite his short tenure in the promotion.

“I’m going to be part of history,” Lopes said. “I’m at a spot a lot of fighters dream of and wanted to be in. Every fighter in the UFC wanted a spot because of the magnitude and all the impact the event is going to cause. As we know, this is a historic event, the 300th UFC pay-per-view. There’s only one in the history, and I’ll be part of it. It’s incredible.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.

UFC’s Ignacio Bahamondes strengthened by personal and professional struggles: ‘I’m a completely different person’

UFC lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes opens up about his struggles in and out of the cage.

[autotag]Ignacio Bahamondes[/autotag] has been through a lot in recent months, personally and professionally.

The UFC lightweight prospect feels he’s a new version of himself in and out of the octagon ahead of his return this Saturday at UFC Fight Night 240. Bahamondes (14-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) takes on veteran Christos Giagos (20-11 MMA, 6-7 UFC) on the event’s main card, which goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Bahamondes is eager to show the world how far he’s come in the last few months.

“Everything has been working out in preparation for this fight,” Bahamondes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “After my last fight, I went through a tough time, some difficult things. I thought everything was crashing down, but thank God I was able to get myself together, and everything started working out.

“These last three months have been a blessing for me and my family. I’ve been feeling great at the gym, and I’ve never felt better. I’m a completely different person and ready to give it my all this Saturday.”

Bahamondes is coming off a decision loss to Ludovit Klein in August, which snapped a three-fight winning streak that included a highlight-reel KO of Roosevelt Roberts. It was a missed opportunity for the 26-year-old, and soon after his defeat, tragedy hit.

“I had the fight, and everyone knows I lost,” Bahamondes said. “Then two weeks after the fight my wife was pregnant, and she lost the baby, it was our first baby, so they were things that made me hit rock bottom. I didn’t want to train. I didn’t want to go to the gym. I was feeling horrible for like two months.

“God sent me those tests, and they made me stronger. They made me better and helped me improve as a person and a fighter. God does everything for a reason, so now I’m back stronger than ever, and I’m on the right path. Perhaps I wasn’t doing things well before. Everything I went through made me look at my life retrospectively and see what I was doing wrong because things can’t be going bad if I’m doing everything well. I changed my life completely, and these last few years, I’ve never felt better. I’m my best version, and I’m reaching my peak. I feel like this fight is going to catapult me.”

Bahamondes is happy to draw a veteran name like Giagos for his return. He’s hoping to make a big statement and show the world that he’s bound for big things in the UFC’s lightweight division.

“I see this as a test that UFC is putting me to see if I’m going to keep rising or plateau,” Bahamondes said. “I’m very excited about this fight and happy to have gotten such an experienced name like Giagos because it’s a test that forced me to improve and get better in all aspects. I think after this fight, more difficult things will come, and that makes me very excited and happy.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 240.

Taila Santos expects Valentina Shevchenko to lose Alexa Grasso trilogy bout: ‘I think her time is passing’

Taila Santos gives her prediction for the expected trilogy bout between Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko.

[autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] knows a thing or two about the elite in the UFC women’s flyweight division, and she thinks [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] is here to stay as champion.

Santos, a former UFC women’s flyweight title challenger and now PFL fighter, doesn’t think [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] will regain her title in her expected championship trilogy against Grasso later this year. The Brazilian believes that Shevchenko’s prime is becoming a thing of the past, and also thinks Grasso has figured her out.

“Alexa,” Santos told MMA Junkie in Portuguese when asked about who’d win the trilogy bout. “I think Valentina, I think her time is passing, and I think before that trilogy she should’ve accepted a fight against me again because she’s losing her grace.

“This is the third fight and Alexa already showed that Valentina has a weak point on the ground. She already finished her and (I thought) she won the second, so I think the trilogy is to just make that definite.”

Santos remains one of Shevchenko’s toughest career fights, as well as her last UFC championship win. The two fought back in 2022 and the fight ended in a split decision favoring Shevchenko.

After the title defense against Santos, Shevchenko went on to get submitted by Grasso in one of the biggest upsets in UFC history. They rematch six months later, and they fought to a split draw. Now, Grasso and Shevchenko are coaching this season of The Ultimate Fighter and are expected to fight at the end of the show.

Santos likes what she’s seen from Grasso as champion, but believes she laid the blueprint to beat Shevchenko.

“Alexa Grasso is a very smart athlete and young, too,” Santos said. “After I fought Valentina, she was the next one for the opportunity and I figured that she would watch my fight against Valentina so she can analyze it and look for her weakness. Since I said that her deficiency is on the ground, and that’s where our fight went, she used that.

“She worked at it, she worked at it and was able to take the fight to the ground and finish her there. She must have studied it and looked for the same path, and that’s how she got the finish. (Grasso) is a very smart and tough fighter, and I like her game a lot.”

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Ex-UFC title challenger Taila Santos confident entering PFL’s $1 million tournament: ‘I’m one of the favorites’

Former UFC title challenger Taila Santos likes her chances of winning this year’s PFL $1 million tournament.

[autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] is eager to start a new chapter in her MMA career, as she believes she can be both a champion and a millionaire by the end of it.

Santos (19-3), a former UFC title challenger, makes her PFL debut this Thursday at 2024 PFL 1 in San Antonio. It’s her first fight since her unexpected exit from the UFC late last year. Santos debuts against Ilara Joanne (11-8) in the opening round of the 2024 PFL women’s flyweight season, where she’ll be competing for the PFL title and the $1 million prize that comes with it.

Ahead of such a big competition, Santos feels confident in her chances of going all the way.

“I feel like I’m one of the favorites entering the tournament,” Santos told MMA Junkie in Portuguese. “I already fought for the UFC title against Valentina (Shevchenko), and she’s a tough fighter, and before I fought her, she had big fights, and she’s a renowned athlete. I felt like that was an important fight and I felt I won it.

“So yeah, I feel like I’m one of the favorites and I come to this tournament with a big name.”

Santos took Valentina Shevchenko to the brink in a highly competitive UFC championship bout in 2022. Unfortunately for Santos, she lost a split decision, but many thought she did enough to get her hand raised.

Apart from the admirable showing against an all-time great, Santos had shining moments in the octagon, defeating veterans such as Roxanne Modafferi, Molly McCann, Gillian Robertson and Joanne Wood.

Santos doesn’t want to overlook any of her future opponents in the PFL, but her resume gives her confidence. She plans to take it step by step this season and not get ahead of herself.

“Fight by fight,” Santos said. “I’m focused on every objective and go step by step. Of course, the goal and mind are set on getting to the final, but you have to take it step by step.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 1.

Former UFC title challenger Taila Santos breaks silence on unexpected promotion exit: ‘I wasn’t very happy’

Now signed with PFL, Taila Santos explains the reason behind her unexpected exit from the UFC.

[autotag]Taila Santos[/autotag] is on the verge of making her PFL debut, which is something most didn’t see coming just a few months back.

The former UFC title challenger unexpectedly exited late last year as one of the bigger names and top contenders in the women’s flyweight division. Neither the promotion nor Santos (19-3) gave much of an explanation regarding her surprise exit until now.

Ahead of 2024 PFL 1, which marks her first fight since departing from the UFC, Santos gave her side of the story and explained why she is no longer in the UFC.

“Yeah, I was in the UFC, but I wasn’t very happy,” Santos told MMA Junkie in Portuguese. “Everything started when I fought for the belt against Valentina (Shevchenko). I clearly won that fight, and it was one of the first tough fights Valentina had ever had in her career. No other fighter had done what I did against her.

“I was able to take her down to the ground and keep her there, while also blocking her attacks on the feet. So many people wanted to see the rematch, and the fans were asking for it. I believe I deserved the rematch, the opportunity, but it didn’t happen.”

Santos lost by split decision to Valentina Shevchenko in a UFC women’s flyweight championship bout in June 2022. It was a very competitive fight, and arguably Shevchenko’s toughest title defense at that time. Many thought the Brazilian had done enough to defeat the then-champion.

Not getting the rematch against Shevchenko didn’t sit well with Santos, but there was more than that.

“There were also some uncomfortable aspects around dates and the calendar,” Santos said. “I would fight once, and then there would be no dates, and I would have to wait, and there were just so many delays. There wasn’t a calendar. It was a lot of waiting after each fight, and I wasn’t happy. So I just chose to fight out my contract and not renew.”

Santos takes on Ilara Joanne (11-8) for her PFL debut at Boeing Center in San Antonio this Thursday. It’s part of the first round of fights of the 2024 women’s flyweight season.

The 30-year-old is excited to compete for the women’s flyweight title and the $1 million prize. She’s happy with her decision to transition from UFC to PFL.

“This is super cool,” Santos said. “Like I said, I was aware of PFL before, and they’re growing every day. It’s very cool, and they’re leveling up very well, it’s big.  I’m very happy to have received this contract and to be part of a great organization that’s growing each event. For sure, it’s going to keep growing every day.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for PFL 2024, Week 1.

Despite failed booking, Vicente Luque thinks he’ll eventually fight Ian Machado Garry

Vicente Luque thinks he’ll eventually cross paths with Ian Machado Garry.

Unfortunately, the [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Ian Machado Garry[/autotag] matchup got away, but that might just be a thing of the moment.

Luque strongly thinks he’ll eventually see Garry’s name on a contract again, but with the result of them actually fighting each other. The two were booked to fight at UFC 296 in December. Both fighters got through camp, but on fight week, Garry was forced to withdraw due to pneumonia, and the bout was scrapped.

It was a big hit for the event, as many fans were looking forward to the matchup. Yet, despite the failed booking, Luque doesn’t think the matchup got away forever and expects to run into Garry in the future.

“I think that if he keeps doing what he’s doing, which is rising, my plan is also the same: climb as high as possible,” Luque told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “So if we both keep advancing, I think we’re going to fight. I think we now have it cleared up. We’re both ready to fight each other, so I think it’s something that makes sense.”

Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) returns to the cage this Saturday, as he takes on Joaquin Buckley (17-6 MMA, 7-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC on ESPN 54 in Atlantic City, N.J.

Many expected Luque and Garry to get rebooked after the cancellation, and were puzzled to see Garry get matched up against Geoff Neal for UFC 298 in February, , a fight he won by split decision, and then see Luque booked for UFC on ESPN 54.

The Brazilian revealed that the UFC did try to keep the matchup, but unfortunately, the dates didn’t align and both had to go their separate ways.

“The truth is that they tried to rebook the fight for January or early February, but I had a whole camp for December, and I was ready to fight,” Luque explained. “I came down to 178 pounds (from 190), so I dropped a lot of weight and I needed to respect my body. I also had a trip to Orlando for the holidays, and all my family from Brazil was coming. I told the UFC that I always accept any fight, but this time, I couldn’t for January or February.

“I told them I could be ready to fight him in March or April anywhere. I’d be ready. Let’s do it. I also wanted to fight with Kevin Holland (at UFC 296 in December), but they didn’t want the 180-pound catchweight. So, in the end, we just agreed to look for another fight in March, and we found this one.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

Loopy Godinez foresees UFC title fight vs. Zhang Weili in 2024: ‘I have a good feeling it’s going to happen’

Loopy Godinez sees herself fighting for the UFC women’s strawweight title in 2024, and expects it to be against Zhang Weili.

[autotag]Loopy Godinez[/autotag] believes a UFC championship fight is coming her way this calendar year.

Quickly cementing herself as a contender in 2023, Godinez (12-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is confident she can bring her historic momentum into 2024 and get herself a shot at the UFC women’s strawweight title. She knows it won’t come easy, but she has a strong feeling that not only will she fight for the belt, but that she’ll also crown herself champion.

“I have a good feeling it’s going to happen at the end of the year,” Godinez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “But you never know. Anything can change. It can be before that, or even a little after that, but I see it happening. I see myself becoming champion. I expect an incredible future.”

Godinez’s first order of business for 2024 is this Saturday, as she takes on top title contender Virna Jandiroba (19-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at UFC on ESPN 54, which will take place at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J.

The Mexican fighter thinks this is a great opportunity to start setting her up for a title shot. She believes a dominant win would do big things in her campaign to the belt.

“She’s No. 5 right now and winning this one, who knows where I’ll be placed,” Godinez said. “I’m assuming higher up, and then I’ll be in talks of who’s next to then be fighting for the title at the end of the year or maybe even in September – that would be incredible. So we’ll see. I think it all comes down to how I look in this upcoming fight.”

Godinez’s vision for herself is very specific. Not only does she see herself fighting for the belt, but she thinks it will be against current champion Zang Weili. She sees Weili retaining her title next month at UFC 300 when she faces Yan Xiaonan.

If the two meet, Godinez thinks fans are in for a treat.

“I think it will be interesting,” Godinez said when asked about a potential matchup against Weili. “If we fight, I just don’t see a single break. I think it would be an incredible fight, an unforgettable fight, Fight of the Year.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 54.

Coach Jorge Climent: Ilia Topuria can sellout UFC event at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu

Ilia Topuria’s coach believes they can sell out a UFC event at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu.

[autotag]Ilia Topuria[/autotag]’s rise to stardom has been one of the biggest stories of 2024. The UFC featherweight champion has surprised many with his explosion in popularity, including his own coach, [autotag]Jorge Climent[/autotag].

Climent has been ultra confident in Topuria’s capabilities and even predicted that his pupil would knock out Alexander Volkanovski to win the UFC featherweight title—something many didn’t see possible. However, although Climent thinks the world of Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), he didn’t see coming his rise in popularity in Spain, at least not at the levels it’s played out.

“Having confidence in what we are capable of, doesn’t mean I had the vision of what we’re seeing today,” Climent told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I never thought we were going to have the reach that we have now or be recognized in the manner in which we’re being recognized.

“In Spain, this was always a niche sport and the majority of the fan base was created by us, so it’s just incredible. Winning over the Real Madrid fan base, being with the top politicians, being on television, heck, I even get recognized by older women. I say to myself, ‘This is crazy. This is all so crazy.’ But we’re staying as humble as possible and as grateful as possible.”

Shortly after winning the UFC featherweight title at UFC 298 last month, Topuria met with the president of Spain, did the honorary kick-off at the Real Madrid vs. Sevilla game, and appeared on the biggest talk shows in the country, among other things.

The UFC is aware of the attention Topuria has been getting in his home country, and they’ve expressed publicly their interest in having a debut event in Spain. Climent is confident that Topuria can easily headline and sell out a UFC event in Spain’s most prestigious stadium, Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu.

“I’m sure he sells out El Bernabéu and not just of Spanish fans,” Climent explained. “Spain is the destination where all Europeans go on vacation. It’s very easy to come here and realize what paradise Spain is, so yeah, I’m sure he sells it out.

“Also, El Bernabéu is not just a stadium. When you look at it from the outside, it’s closed like an arena. They have some machines that cover the grass field and the seat sections can be made closer. It’s all now automatic and new. I think they just reopened it this year. It’s all modern and new. If I’m not mistaken, this year, they’re projected to do the NFL, NBA, so they’re bringing in many new projects. So why not also the UFC?”

Climent strongly believes that Spain is primed for a UFC event. Not only does it have a champion in Topuria, but it’s also a country with a passion for sports, and MMA could be added to its list.

“We deserve it and Spain deserves a UFC event,” Climent said. “At the end of the day, I think this greatly benefits the UFC because they can create a ton of lifelong fans. Spain is a place where people really like sports, and the UFC being a new sport here while having a star like Ilia, why not?”

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Marlon Vera dreams of bringing UFC to Ecuador but first must claim gold from Sean O’Malley

Marlon Vera hopes to win the UFC title this Saturday and get closer to bringing the UFC to Ecuador.

MIAMI – As seen by the media attention this week ahead of UFC 299, [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] has proven to be a superstar for Ecuador, and “Chito” is hoping to turn that interest into a future UFC event for his country.

Vera (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC), the greatest MMA fighter to come out of Ecuador, fights this Saturday for the UFC bantamweight title as he takes on champion [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) in the headlining act of UFC 299 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+). It’s a huge fight for his career as it’s the first time he competes for a UFC title, but Vera also sees it as a huge fight for his country since he believes the idea of having a UFC event in Ecuador is very dependent on his success.

“That’s one of my biggest dreams, but personally, like for example, look at Mexico,” Vera told reporters, including MMA Junkie, in Spanish at Wednesday’s UFC 299 media day. “Mexico has champions and former champions. Look at Alexa Grasso, Yair (Rodriguez) who was interim champion, Brandon (Moreno) who was champion, lost, but then won it again – they went last month and in 2019, so that shows you how difficult it is to get them to your country.

“In Mexico, they just built a Performance Institute, and they have a bigger infrastructure in the sport itself. Ecuador doesn’t have that yet. Some of those Ecuadorians that fought in Contender Series didn’t do too well. Today it’s probably easier for them to go to Spain, Argentina or other countries. It’s tough because I’d love to see the UFC go to Ecuador and fight in Ecuador, but from my experience, you look around and in terms of hotels, security, there’s a still a lot to go. I think that it’s something will happen eventually, and I have that responsibility this Saturday. Winning this fight will get us a bit closer to making it happen.”

O’Malley vs. Vera is a rematch that’s been almost four years in the making. The two fought back in August 2020 in the co-main event of UFC 252. That night, Vera stopped O’Malley in the first round and became, still to this day, the only man to defeat O’Malley.

Vera is hoping to beat O’Malley a second time and make history for his country by becoming the first Ecuador-born fighter to claim UFC gold.

“For me, please keep bringing in those good vibes. Keep showing me that support because that can only help,” Vera said. “As an Ecuadorian, I want to give that victory to the country and I want to take that belt to Ecuador. This motivates me and helps me wake up in the morning every day. I’m always grateful for the support of the people.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.

UFC debutant Robelis Despaigne sets sight on heavyweight title: ‘I’m very ambitious with my dreams’

6-foot-7 Olympic medalist Robelis Despaigne has his sights on the heavyweight title ahead of his debut at UFC 299.

MIAMI – [autotag]Robelis Despaigne[/autotag]’s MMA career is just getting going, yet the heavyweight prospect has no problem letting the world know his intentions.

Saturday, Despaigne (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his UFC debut on the preliminary card of UFC 299 against Josh Parisian (15-7 MMA, 2-4 UFC). The Olympic silver medalist in taekwondo, representing Cuba, hopes this is the beginning of his path to the UFC heavyweight title.

“Of course I want to be champion,” Despaigne told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I’m very ambitious with my dreams. That’s my goal: Win the UFC heavyweight title and defend it multiple times.”

Despaigne debuts with only four professional MMA fights under his belt – which is a rare sight in the UFC. The 35-year-old understands he’s been fast-tracked to the UFC, but he thinks he’s more than ready for what’s to come.

“From the paths that I’ve seen, many people get to the UFC with eight or 10 fights. But I’ve had the privilege to get here in the UFC with only four fights,” Despaigne said. “Now I just have to show why I’m here.”

Despaigne is amazed to be debuting at UFC 299, one of the most stacked cards in recent years. Although to many this may add pressure, Despaigne is happy to be debuting in front of a Miami crowd that will have many Cubans present.

“I’m very happy and satisfied that I was able to get to this stage, the world of UFC,” Despaigne said. “I’m very happy to be among all these great names. I’ve gotten a chance to see more than half of the big names that make up this card. It’s always good to be surrounded by so many great figures.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 299.