UFC’s Diego Lopes not inquisitive about Movsar Evloev rematch subsequent

The tables have turned. No less than that’s how Diego Lopes sees his ongoing feud with fellow UFC contender Movsar Evloev.

Lopes, who misplaced to Evloev in his short-notice UFC debut again in 2023, had lengthy been asking for a rematch with the Russian fighter. Nevertheless, there was little consideration or thoughts to the callout by Evloev. Now, a 12 months later, Lopes is in a way more totally different place and finds himself getting referred to as out by Evloev – one thing he doesn’t wish to entertain in the intervening time.

“I believe right now, what can I inform you, I believe we principally have a top-five combat assured, so for the second, combating him just isn’t in my plans,” Lopes informed MMA Junkie in Spanish. “If he simply occurs to be the final choice, OK, then we take it – no drawback. However from what we’ve mentioned with my staff and the UFC, we’re taking a look at a totally totally different combat.”

Lopes is coming off a unanimous choice win over Dan Ige in a combat he accepted on 4 hours’ discover in one of many wildest moments in fashionable UFC historical past. This victory capped a 4-0 run that’s turned Lopes right into a contender at 145 kilos and one of the beloved fighters within the promotion.

Lopes (25-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) finds it humorous how the dynamic with Evloev (18-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) modified so drastically.

“Now he’s saying that he needs to provide me the rematch within the Sphere and all that. Now he needs it,” Lopes stated. “He took three months to answer me once I was calling him out to combat precisely on that Worldwide Struggle Week card, this final occasion.

“So now that he is aware of we’re in a superb place, he is aware of numerous good has come my means, now he needs to reap the benefits of this second to name me out and say he’ll give me the rematch. We’ve got utterly totally different plans, and a rematch with him just isn’t in them. I believe with every little thing that we’ve completed, I deserve one thing larger than a rematch with Movsar.”

This isn’t to say that Lopes gained’t combat Evloev ultimately. Lopes is focusing on a return on Noche UFC on the Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14 towards Brian Ortega or Alexander Volkanovski in the intervening time, however he’s not sure of what the longer term will convey past that.

“Positively sooner or later we’ll meet once more, however for the meantime he ought to keep hidden within the mountains like he did for the final three months,” Lopes stated.