Diego Lopes explains why fighting Aljamain Sterling next “doesn’t make sense”

UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes doesn’t think he should fight Aljamain Sterling next time out.

Lopes is coming off a decision win over Dan Ige at UFC 303, on a fight that Ige took on just hours notice. Lopes was originally supposed to fight Brian Ortega, but the former title contender was forced out of the bout on the day of the event.

Following the win, former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling called out Diego Lopes but the Brazilian doesn’t think the fight makes sense right now.

“It doesn’t make sense now,” Lopes told Canal Encarada (via MMAFighting). “We were going to fight the No. 3 in the world, then we fought the No. 13 and went up two positions. The UFC has basically guaranteed me a fight with a top-five [opponent] now so Aljamain Sterling makes no sense, and neither does a rematch with Movsar…

“They know I’m in a good spot right now,” Lopes added. “They know I was going to fight the No. 3 in the world and I’m kicking down the door for a title fight, so they want the buzz for themselves. It makes no sense for them to call me out since they’re ranked higher than me. It makes no sense, but they know I’m generating a lot [of buzz] with fans and the UFC.”

It is interesting that Lopes doesn’t think a fight with Sterling or Mosvar Evloev makes sense for him, as both are ranked ahead of him. Instead, Diego Lopes still wants to fight Brian Ortega despite ‘T-City’ moving their fight to lightweight and then pulling out of their bout on the day of the event.

“Since it appears that [Max] Holloway and [Ilia] Topuria will fight, I would like to fight Ortega because he has fought for the title twice and he has a ton of experience against the best of the division,” Lopes said. “A good fight and a good win over him would definitely put me next to a title fight.”

Regardless of who Lopes fights next, the Brazilian believes he is in a good spot in the featherweight division and is closing in on a title shot.