Who has the best jiu-jitsu in the UFC featherweight division? Diego Lopez is confident fans will get the answer to that question soon.
Lopez (23-6 MMA, 3-1 UFC) will face former UFC title challenger Brian Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 303 on June 29. The two have a combined 20 submission wins between them and are considered among the most dangerous submission artists in the UFC.
Because of that, Lopez said he thinks their upcoming showdown will be to determine who is the best jiu-jitsu fighter in the UFC's 145-pound division.
“Once the fight gets to the ground, I think that because we're both black belts, we have the skills necessary to neutralize each other and test our strengths,” Lopez told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “I think it will determine who is the best jiu-jitsu practitioner in the division.”
“I remember when I came to UFC and was coming up through the ranks, a lot of people were already wanting this fight. Not now, but in the future to see who has the best jiu-jitsu. I think this comes at a great time. Pay-per-view card, International Fight Week, co-main event. It's the perfect moment to see who has the best jiu-jitsu. This is going to be a war.”
Though Lopez has only been with UFC for 13 months, his career has already skyrocketed. From climbing the rankings to becoming a big hit among fans, Lopez is excited to be co-headlining his first UFC pay-per-view event.
Lopez had had Ortega in his sights for some time and was happy to get the opportunity, albeit on short notice.
“We both have similar styles. He's got punching power, he's good boxing and he's good jiu-jitsu,” Lopez said of facing Ortega. “He's a fighter who started with a high-level ground game and slowly started to evolve. Same with me. I'm a jiu-jitsu fighter, but I'm getting better at punching. It's a very similar style of matchup.”
“I think whoever has the best strategy will win. We only have two weeks. That's not a lot of time to strategize. We'll come up with a strategy during camp and adjust accordingly. But two weeks will fly by. That's why I like this match.”
“As I've said many times, I don't want easy fights, I want the toughest fights and Ortega is one of them. This fight really motivates me.”
For more on the card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC 303 event hub.
For Spanish language videos and an interview with MMA Junkie's Danny Segura, check out the Hablemos MMA YouTube channel.
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