Diego Lopes

Diego Lopes is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the featherweight division of the UFC. Born in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, he began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a child and was competing on the mats well before he ever stepped into a cage.

Lopes turned professional in Brazilian regional MMA in 2012, building an early reputation on the strength of his grappling. As a teenager, an opportunity to teach jiu-jitsu took him to Puebla, Mexico, where he settled, founded the Brazilian Warriors academy, and sharpened the well-rounded game that would eventually carry him to the sport's biggest stage.

A jiu-jitsu black belt, Lopes is regarded as one of the featherweight division's most dangerous finishers. His ground game is built around a deep well of submission setups, including armbars, kneebars and rear-naked chokes, while his hands carry legitimate knockout power, making him a threat everywhere the fight goes. That rare combination of decorated grappling and heavy-handed striking has made him a difficult stylistic puzzle for opponents across multiple organizations, headlined by a highlight-reel kneebar finish of Marco Beltran that first put him on the radar of MMA fans worldwide.

Since joining the UFC roster, Lopes has scored notable victories over Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini, Sodiq Yusuff, Dan Ige and former title challenger Brian Ortega, collecting multiple Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses along the way. His run of finishes and highlight-reel performances earned him Newcomer of the Year recognition in 2023 and a Submission of the Year award in 2024. He also challenged Alexander Volkanovski for the UFC featherweight championship, testing the future Hall of Famer over five rounds in a pair of title fights.

Outside the cage, Lopes has continued to run his jiu-jitsu academy in Puebla, offering free training to underprivileged children as a nod to his own modest beginnings in Manaus and the sport that changed his life. Known for his aggression, submission craft and willingness to trade with anyone, Lopes has established himself as one of Brazil's most exciting featherweight exports.