Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling and upcoming title challenger Diego Lopes sparred over the legitimacy of the forthcoming UFC 314 headliner.
Diego Lopes‘ quick ascent to a UFC featherweight title shot, almost two years since his days’ notice promotional debut, will come full circle at UFC 314 in April. Lopes will face Alexander Volkanovski for Ilia Topuria‘s vacated featherweight title after Topuria announced his move up to lightweight.
Lopes earned the title shot despite one of his former rivals making a strong case for a shot at the vacant belt. Movsar Evloev, who remains unbeaten in his professional career, was passed up for the UFC 314 slot opposite Volkanovski despite nine wins in the division.
Evloev defeated Aljamain Sterling in December to solidify himself as one of the top featherweight contenders. In light of the UFC 314 announcement, Sterling believes the matchmakers got it wrong.
Diego Lopes mocks Aljamain Sterling after questioning UFC 314 matchmaking
In a recent post to X, Sterling vouched for his most recent opponent as the most deserving of the UFC 314 vacant title shot.
“Definitely should’ve been Movsar but of course, no fighter in their rightful mind, will ever turn down a title shot because they think ‘it’s the right thing to do’, so that someone more deserving gets it,” Sterling opined.
Lopes noticed Sterling’s tweet and mocked it with ‘laughing’ emojis in a swift reply. After one fan asked Lopes what he was laughing about, Sterling doubled down.
“Exactly, I’m confused on the joke. Please let us in on the joke Diego [laughs] you got the shot over the guy who beat you. Be grateful and make the most of the opportunity,” Sterling replied.
It didn’t take long for Lopes to respond as he accused Sterling and Movsar Evloev of ducking fights.
“The joke is that I’m going to fight for the title because I’m the most active fighter in the division, because I accept fights and don’t deny them like you and your friend Movsar did and do,” Lopes said.
Lopes lost to Evloev by unanimous decision at UFC 288 in his UFC debut, which came on days’ notice after Evloev’s original opponent pulled out. Lopes has won five straight fights since then, including his most recent victory over Brian Ortega at UFC 306.
Ilia Topuria’s stunning title vacation revealed the potential end to UFC’s ‘champ-champ’s
After Topuria vacated the belt, Lopes revealed in a recent interview that the UFC matchmakers told him they would no longer let champions defend multiple belts simultaneously. UFC CEO Dana White has since pivoted on that stance, revealing that desired two-title pursuits will result in fighters being ‘very busy’.
It’s also uncertain if Topuria will get an immediate lightweight title shot upon his addition to the division. UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev and Topuria have traded barbs for months, including most recently after Makhachev’s successful title defense at UFC 311.
The UFC featherweight title is now up for grabs at UFC 314 as Volkanovski and Lopes prepare to square off. But Sterling believes Evloev, and not Lopes, was the most deserving case for a vacant title fight opposite Volkanovski.