Watch: Yet Another Bonus for Diego Lopes? Dana White’s Prospect Finishes Opponent Pat Sabatini at UFC 295

UFC 295 witnessed an exciting fight in the featherweight division. In the first fight of the main card, Diego Lopes faced Pat Sabatini. Although unranked, both fighters have an interesting fighting style. This is why fans were expecting a combat spectacle here.

And surely, this is what they got. However, not everything went as planned. This fight was not only entertaining but also important for the 145 lbs division. A possible entry into the featherweight division’s ranking was at stake, Lopes fought for it with passion! The 5’11” fighter received two bonuses in his first two UFC fights, and he surely is up for a third!

Diego Lopes defeats Pat Sabatini via 1st round KO

Both Lopes and Sabatini are submission specialists. While Lopes has had 12 submission victories, his opponent has won 11 fights via the same method. Therefore, many thought that the UFC 295 bout would end in the same manner. However, it went the opposite way!

From the very beginning of the fight, both combat athletes landed impressive shots. It was Sabatini who landed the first strike of the fight. However, Lopes recovered soon, and both engaged in an aggressive exchange.

Read More: Is Diego Lopes a Black Belt?

Soon, the Brazilian was able to catch his opponent with a right hook. Not wasting the opportunity, he landed a flurry of punches and sent the American fighter to the ground. Soon, the referee stopped the fight and granted Lopes the win!

When UFC CEO Dana White praised Diego Lopes

In UFC 288, Diego Lopes stepped up on five days’ notice to face the 10th-ranked featherweight, Movsar Evloev. Despite Evloev’s dominance, Lopes was constantly threatened with submissions. In the final round, he locked in a deep kneebar, causing visible pain to Evloev, who toughed it out till the bell.

Impressed, Dana White personally commended Lopes after the fight, promising him double earnings. During the post-fight conference, White reiterated his appreciation, announcing a $50,000 Fight of the Night award for Lopes, praising his incredible performance and undeniable heart.

“Awesome. Incredible performance. The kid has got a ton of heart, he’s an absolute dog [and] I loved every minute of it,” he said. With the recent performance, we know that Lopes has a good future ahead of him. What do you think about his latest performance? Let us know in the comments below.

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