Diego Lopes broke down in an emotional interview after the ceremonial weigh-ins as he prepares to face Alexander Volkanovski in the UFC 314 main event on Sunday, April 13, 2025. Lopes, who is on a five-fight win streak, was overcome by emotion when asked by reporters about longtime friend and fellow UFC fighter Alessandro Costa. A feature article on MMA Fighting earlier in the week detailed the pair’s unlikely journey to the UFC, which included living off eight-cent meals and bucket showers. And now, while Lopes is just one win away from realizing his dream of becoming a UFC champion, the rising Brazilian star made it clear the belt would be as much Costa’s as his should he defeat Volkanovski on Sunday.
“This is a moment (where) I’ve had to do this and pinch myself to say it was true ever since my first fight in the UFC,” Lopes said backstage following the ceremonial weigh-in. “I actually just had a very special moment just now because I was almost getting up on the stage... and right next to me was Alessandro and I just looked at him and I saw him just jumping up and down with happiness. I just looked at him and said, ‘Bro, we made it’.”
When pressed on his relationship with Alessandro and how much his support has helped him through his MMA journey, an already emotional Lopes couldn’t hold back the tears. “Ten years together and he’s been by my side,” Lopes said. “We’ve starved together, we’ve had no place to live together and he’s always been by my side and never gave up on me. He said, ‘You’re the best in the world’ and right now I have the chance to prove to people that yes, I am the best in the world.”
Lopes said earlier in the week at the UFC 314 media day that Alessandro has been the “most important person” in his career and that winning the belt for him was “100 per cent” the goal. While Lopes came from humble beginnings, where earlier in his life he literally had to fight to survive, even now that he has made it in the UFC and is on the brink of winning a title, the 30-year-old has never forgotten where it all started or who was there alongside him. When Lopes moved from Brazil to Mexico at just 19 years old, he did so with the confidence he could build a better life for his family. Now he is doing that, literally, helping his mother build a house. He also recently helped organize visas for two of his students.
“It is very important to me,” Lopes told foxsports.com.au of giving back. And now, having made so many sacrifices along the way, Lopes is on the verge of the ultimate reward. “It’s been a short but long trip,” he said. “I’ve worked a lot throughout my life to do this. I was this guy who was a prospect… and a guy who was an unknown in my first fight. And after the first fight, people started looking at me.
“Then, I guess, fight after a fight I started delivering on the promise and here I am fighting for the title.” It’s also fitting that Lopes, who was offered and took on a last-minute fight against undefeated Movsar Evloev at UFC 288, comes up against a former champion in Volkanovski who has also made a name for himself through his career by always putting his hand up. “I’ve never backed down from a challenge. I’ve had 32 fights in my career. I fought everybody that I needed to. So I don’t shy away from that,” Lopes said. “I followed his (Volk) career before the UFC together... I mean, to have the opportunity to fight against him, again, a guy who is always active. It’s interesting because you work so hard and you get to a point where your idols become your rivals and people that you’re challenging.”
As for any suggestions that this is not the same Alexander Volkanovski, that the once unstoppable king of the featherweight division is on the decline, Lopes made his feelings clear. “I think people make a mistake of paying attention to that side instead of the other side, which is basically he had one loss in the division and that’s what I see,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect him, especially because he took some time off during the last one. I am waiting and have trained for the best Alexander Volkanovski.”
Meanwhile, Volkanovski, who hails from Wollongong, Australia, is looking to reclaim the UFC featherweight title after a challenging period in his career. With a record of 26-4, Volkanovski is currently 1-3 in his last four fights, having attempted to win lightweight gold twice against Islam Makhachev and recently losing the featherweight belt to Ilia Topuria. After taking a year off from action, Volkanovski aims to return to his former glory in this pivotal matchup against Lopes.
UFC 314 is set to take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, with the main card starting at 1 p.m. AEDT on Sunday, April 13, 2025. The prelims will kick off at 11 a.m. AEDT, and the main event is expected to begin around 3:30 p.m. AEDT. This highly anticipated clash not only serves as a title fight but also features other exciting matchups, including a co-main event between Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett, and a debut for Patricio Freire against Yair Rodriguez.
As the fight night approaches, betting odds reflect Volkanovski as the favorite at $1.69, while Lopes is listed at $2.18. The stakes couldn’t be higher as both fighters prepare for what promises to be an unforgettable night in Miami.
With the culmination of their respective journeys leading to this moment, Lopes and Volkanovski are set to showcase their skills and determination in the octagon. Fans around the world will be eagerly watching as these two athletes battle not just for the championship title, but also for their legacies in the sport of mixed martial arts.
UFC 314 promises to be a landmark event, with the air thick with anticipation and excitement as the fighters step into the arena.
