UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will face Diego Lopes in a relatively immediate rematch in the UFC 325 main event next month in Sydney. Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision to win the then-vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 earlier this year.
But after Lopes rallied to defeat Jean Silva at Noche UFC, UFC matchmakers gave Lopes the green light to sign Movsar Evloev, Lerone Murphy and others for another title shot. The UFC 325 fight announcement left many fans and pundits scratching their heads after the first fight between Volkanovski and Lopes was a lopsided affair.
A UFC legend took it a step further when he blasted the UFC matchmakers, accusing them of damaging the credibility of the sport.
Demetrious Johnson slams UFC decision for Diego Lopes title shot
In a recent video about him YouTube channel, UFC legend Demetrious Johnson weighed in on Volkanovski vs. reaction. Lopes 2.
“You had a chance to fight for the title. You lost. It was four (rounds against) one. I feel like everyone feels comfortable saying that,” Johnson said of Lopes. “I felt Alex Volkanovski won that fight in dominant fashion. Then Diego Lopes goes on to beat Jean Silva. He gets rocked there. It’s a back-and-forth fight. It was a war. It’s one fight, and he gets the opportunity to get another shot at the title. Is it because he’s very popular? Is it because he sells a lot of tickets? I don’t know.”
“But are we doing this for popularity, or are we doing this because someone is better? That’s where I like to question the legitimacy of this thing we call a ‘sport’.” That’s why I always say it’s not a sport. It’s picking and choosing.
“I’m going to push this athlete because he has a market that I want to infiltrate, he has a market that we haven’t been able to get a foot in yet or that we’re not rooted in, and we’re not really worried about that,” Johnson continued on Lopes. “That’s fine. Just let me know.” (h/t MMA junkie)
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