Diego Lopes is lining up a move from featherweight to lightweight and says the UFC is on board with the plan.
The 28-8 MMA veteran, who is 7-3 in the UFC and currently competes at 145 pounds, revealed he recently spoke with the promotion about competing at 155. Lopes is coming off a win and is now targeting “a couple of fights” in his new division.
"I want to move for 155 to make a couple of fights," Lopes said, adding that recent talks with the organization were positive. "This week, I talked with the UFC about this. The UFC liked the idea, too. I just need to figure out what the best option is. I think in the top-five, all fights are a good one for me."
Lopes pointed to both competitive and physical reasons for the shift, noting his two defeats to current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and the challenges of making 145.
"I really like the idea more because I'm so honest. I just lost two times to Volkanovski. He's still here in the division. I don't think I have a shot for the title soon," Lopes said. "... I think I have the (body) type for 155. I'm tall. I'm 5-foot-11. I have a lot (of room) to put more weight on my body, too. I fight in 145. I need to cut out a lot of things."
Looking ahead, Lopes sees lightweight as a stylistic fit.
"If you see the top-five to the champion, the whole guys are exciting," he said. "I think at 155 I have the guys with styles that make for a great show for everyone."
