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Diego Lopes scored the biggest victory of his career with a dominant decision win over Brian Ortega in their highly anticipated matchup at UFC 306. Originally scheduled for June, the fight lived up to expectations, as Lopes delivered relentless punishment throughout three rounds, securing a unanimous decision. Judges scored the bout 30-26, 30-27, and 30-27 in favor of Lopes, who now moves to 5-1 in the UFC.
Lopes wasted no time in asserting his dominance, catching Ortega with a powerful overhand right and a left hook just seconds into the fight. The blows put Ortega, a two-time featherweight title challenger, in immediate trouble. Lopes capitalized on the opportunity by taking Ortega to the ground, where he continued to land heavy strikes, opening a cut over Ortega’s left eye. Despite the damage, Ortega showed incredible toughness, managing to fight his way back to his feet.
“First of all, Mexico, this is for you,” Lopes shouted to the crowd. “I needed to have a clear and dominant victory, and I feel I got a dominant victory. I think I just got the No. 3 in the world.”
As the fight progressed into the second round, Ortega began finding some rhythm on the feet, matching Lopes with striking exchanges. However, Lopes continued to land significant blows, including a massive head kick and repeated leg kicks, which left Ortega’s calf visibly swollen. Ortega fought back valiantly, using his lead jab to keep Lopes at bay, but Lopes’ power punches were unrelenting.
In the final moments of the fight, Lopes unleashed a devastating combination, punctuated by a left hook that sent Ortega crashing to the canvas for the second time. Although Ortega survived until the final horn, Lopes' dominance was evident, and he earned the lopsided victory.
With this win, Lopes has positioned himself for a potential title shot in the UFC featherweight division, as he now looks to face even higher-ranked opponents.
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