Lopes promises all-out war with Oliveira at UFC 335 BMF title fight: 'Let's see who goes down first'

Diego Lopes is heading into his UFC 335 BMF title challenge against Charles Oliveira on December 12 in Las Vegas with one clear goal: a firefight. Speaking ahead of the card — the final UFC numbered event of the year — Lopes made clear he has no interest in a tactical chess match.

Oliveira claimed the BMF belt with a dominant, grappling-heavy performance against Max Holloway in March, a showing that drew criticism from fighters, fans, and UFC CEO Dana White alike. Lopes, who has earned seven performance bonuses in just ten UFC appearances, suggested that scrutiny could push Oliveira to come out swinging — and said he would welcome exactly that.

“I hope he does come in with that mindset, because that’s exactly what I want,” Lopes said. “I want to get in there and throw down. Let’s see who goes down first. That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”

Lopes was quick to add that the pressure to entertain does not weigh on him personally. “I don’t think people will ever have any doubts about that when it comes to me,” he said. “Regardless of how my previous fights have gone, even in fights I’ve lost, I’ve always looked to engage and tried to turn the fight into a real war. And for that to happen, you need two people.”

The road to this matchup was anything but straightforward. After knocking out Steve Garcia at UFC White House, Lopes was first lined up to headline UFC Paris against Dan Hooker, before Salahdine Parnasse signed with the promotion to take that slot. A potential booking against Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 344 in Madison Square Garden was also considered. It was only after Mauricio Ruffy stepped in to face Arman Tsarukyan in September that the UFC moved to finalise Lopes versus Oliveira for the BMF title.

Having shared the octagon with Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev, Jean Silva, and Brian Ortega, Lopes said Oliveira stands apart from any opponent he has faced.

“I definitely think so because he’s a guy who can knock you out and submit you, too,” Lopes said. “He’s dangerous both on the bottom and on top when the fight goes to the ground, which makes him a very dangerous opponent. He definitely poses a threat to me in every area, so I’m training specifically to avoid making any mistakes.”

Lopes also addressed the ground game directly, signalling he will not be content simply to survive if the fight hits the mat. “I’m not the kind of guy who’s just going to focus on surviving until the round ends so we can get back to our feet,” he said. “That’s not who I am.”

Oliveira holds the record for the most performance bonuses in UFC history, making a clash between the two bonus magnets one of the more eagerly anticipated matchups on the year-end calendar.