Featherweights
Diego Lopes (23-6, 2-1 UFC) vs. #13 FW | Sodiq Yusuff (13-3, 6-2 UFC)It’s always fun when someone comes out of nowhere to catch fire, and Lopes has had an entertaining moment in the sun. Born in Brazil and fighting out of Mexico, Lopes was on the verge of a UFC callup for years before finally getting the call last May. While the UFC callup was obvious good news for Lopes, the bad news is that his debut came in a near-unwinnable spot against top contender Movsar Evloev. However, Lopes at least succeeding in bringing enough chaos to the proceedings that he caught Evloev in a few near-submissions and made things entertaining in a clear loss. With his foot in the door, Lopes has made good on much better opportunities to show off his wares, finding quick finishes against Gavin Tucker and Pat Sabatini in fast-paced scraps, and he’s certainly built up his status as a fan favorite in the process. The ride figures to end at some point—Lopes got stalled out at times even on the regional scene—but it’ll be fun to see how far Lopes can carry his current wave of momentum, and he gets a chance to break into the UFC’s rankings here.
Yusuff’s in an interesting spot at the moment. He’s had a quietly successful run since signing with the UFC in 2018, and it only now feels like “Super” has to answer some questions about his approach and evolution going forward. Yusuff’s contract-earning win on Dana White’s Contender Series against Mike Davis showed off a crafty striking game, but it’s felt like he’s channeled in on a more straightforward power-punching game during his slow and steady rise up the ranks. That did come back to bite him in a 2021 loss to fellow young gun Arnold Allen, but Yusuff bounced back with a win over Alex Caceres that affirmed he’s still a capable Top 15 featherweight. After running over late replacement Don Shainis, Yusuff’s lone fight of 2023 was a main event spot against Edson Barboza that was nearly the biggest win of his career. Yusuff marched Barboza down and laid on an absolute shellacking that nearly found a finish in the first round. But Yusuff tired himself out in the process, so Barboza coasted down the stretch to a clear decision victory that’s suddenly left Yusuff without much career momentum. Lopes’ all-out commitment to aggression combined with the Brazilian’s historical durability does make for a fascinating matchup against Yusuff, as there’s a chance he can tire the Nigerian-American down the stretch. But Yusuff’s own hardiness figures to pay off for him here. Lopes catching Yusuff with a knockout seems unlikely, and Yusuff does have an underrated grappling game that should allow him to survive against Lopes’ chaotic approach on the mat. With Yusuff landing the harder shots throughout, he should be able to ride this out, tough as it might be. The pick is Yusuff via decision.
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