Diego Lopes opens the historic UFC White House card on Sunday against steve garcia, and he expects the 145-pound opener to end well before the final bell. Lopes said the matchup has the ingredients for the kind of fight that can grab the spotlight on a card built around a rare setting.
Diego Lopes And Steve Garcia
Lopes said Garcia is the right kind of opponent for that stage. "Steve Garcia, now he’s in a great position too," Lopes said, pointing to the seven-fight win streak that brought Garcia into this bout. He also tied Garcia’s climb to his own earlier path, saying, "This happened with me before I come to the top-five."
The matchup comes with real stakes for both men. Lopes is coming off a decision loss to Alexander Volkanovski in a rematch at UFC 325 at the beginning of the year, while Garcia arrives after a first-round knockout of David Onama at UFC Vegas 110 in November and a lopsided decision win over Calvin Kattar during the run.
Garcia’s Seven-Fight Run
Garcia’s recent results give the opener its edge. Lopes said, "I know he has a lot of confidence in himself — seven straight wins, six knockouts." He added that Garcia carries real force, saying, "I know he has a lot of power in the hands," and described him as aggressive enough to make the fight move fast.
Lopes also framed the matchup as a meeting of two finishers. "Always, I look for the finish, Steve Garcia, too," he said, adding, "I have more like 22 finishes in my career." Garcia’s own line, in Lopes’ estimate, sits at about 15 knockouts and finishes, a number that fits the style he expects from both sides.
Volkanovski Loss, White House Stage
For Lopes, the bigger point is experience. He said he has fought for his position in the UFC, fought for the belt, and defended his place against hungry newcomers, and he called that background a major factor in this fight. "Yeah, I think [experience], it’s a big deal for me," Lopes said. "It’s a big factor, and think it’s the big difference for this fight."
That is why he is so firm about what Sunday should look like. Lopes said, "Oh man, the fans can expect like the best fight they’ve ever seen," and then shut the door on a cautious approach: "I think, 100 percent, this fight is not going to go for the distance." On a historic card, the opener already carries the one thing that fills a rare slot fast — two fighters who both want the finish.
