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Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes are back at it again.
In January, Evloev won a unanimous decision over Arnold Allen at UFC 297 to move to No. 5 in the UFC featherweight rankings. The win put Evloev in a dark horse position to fight for the featherweight title next, but after Ilia Topuria dethroned Alexander Volkanovski, the 145-pound title picture was thrown up in the air.
Now Evloev needs at least one more fight before a title shot, and following UFC 300, it looked like that fight would be against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. The two men both showed an interest in the bout happening next, but on Friday, that blew up as Evloev claimed on Twitter that Sterling’s timeline doesn’t match up with his own.
After all that big talk, Sterling says he won’t be ready until October. I can’t just sit and wait for him. I’m ready to go as early as July. I’ll accept a fight with anyone who thinks they have a chance against me. Is there really no one available who’s up for the challenge?
— Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) June 7, 2024
Lol bruuh. He DMs me and I literally told him Septembe- October the latest. I’ve said in every interview after my fight with Kattar that I want to fight in September. I don’t know why he’s trying to say this like I’m avoiding him. I’m the former champ, you fight when I say so. https://t.co/chD7TSAJPt
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) June 7, 2024
If there’s one thing I hate, it’s lying story tellers. I can’t allow this fake bravado to go on I can’t WAIT to take that “0”! pic.twitter.com/wqNzHITsoc
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) June 7, 2024
“After all that big talk, Sterling says he won’t be ready until October. I can’t just sit and wait for him. I’m ready to go as early as July. I’ll accept a fight with anyone who thinks they have a chance against me. Is there really no one available who’s up for the challenge?”
Evloev and Sterling have gone back-and-forth about this potential fight for months now, so it’s possible this is simply more angling from Evloev. However, one man didn’t take too kindly to it: Evloev’s former foe Lopes.
At UFC 300, Lopes scored another first-round victory, this time over Sodiq Yusuff, to jump into the UFC featherweight rankings at No. 14. After his win, Lopes called for a rematch with Evloev, which Evloev didn’t acknowledge. So when Evloev asked who was “up for the challenge” of facing him, Lopes is more than willing.
Come on bro, I called you out after my fight at UFC 300, to fight at International Fight Week. You didn’t respond or show your face. Now you’re here saying “Anyone you think can beat me” ♂️ https://t.co/eXD3czunLR
— Diego Lopes (@Diegolopesmma) June 7, 2024
“Come on bro, I called you out after my fight at UFC 300, to fight at International Fight Week. You didn’t respond or show your face. Now you’re here saying “Anyone you think can beat me [skeptical emoji]”
Lopes made his UFC debut against Evloev at UFC 288, stepping in on five days’ notice to replace Bryce Mitchell. Despite losing a unanimous decision, Lopes far exceeded expectations, and followed that performance with two first-round finishes, earning MMA Fighting’s 2023 Rookie of the Year honors.
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