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Does Diego Lopes fight like a Mexican? Brazilian UFC star said this before last Noche UFC

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow
By Christopher De Santiago | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 7:36 PM ET

Two Brazilians headline this weekend’s Noche UFC, an event commemorating the Mexican fighting spirit.

Former UFC title challenger Diego Lopes returns after a five-round loss to current champion Alexander Volkanovski in April when he takes on ‘Fighting Nerds’ star Jean Silva.

Originally slated for Guadalajara, Mexico, the third annual Noche UFC event takes place in San Antonio, Texas, where the Battle of the Alamo took place between the Mexican army and Texians (Texas settlers) in 1836.

While neither headliner is Mexican, Lopes lives and trains out of Mexico and the Brazilian proudly carries both flags into battle.

Lopes is one of the most exciting fighters on the UFC roster today for his pressure-heavy style on the feet.

A native of Manaus, Brazil, Lopes was once asked if he fights like a Mexican, who are sometimes said to have a different kind of ferocity or resilience in the ring.

Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Diego Lopes says coach taught him how to fight like a Mexican

Lopes says he doesn’t fight like a Mexican because he’s lived there for so long, but rather because of his coach Francisco Grasso.

Lopes said this following a hard-fought win over Dan Ige, who he fought on just a few hours’ notice at UFC 303, prior to his win over Brian Ortega at last year’s Noche UFC at the Sphere.

“He has taught me how to fight like a Mexican,” Lopes said of coach Grasso at a post-fight press conference.

“He’s put the chip in my head to fight like a Mexican.

So he’s shown me videos back when he was fighting and I’ve seen this and I think he’s just gotten that [through to me].

“It’s ingrained right now. It chipped my head that even though I was born in Brazil, I do fight like a Mexican,” Lopes added.

Diego Lopes could take out the last undefeated Fighting Nerd

Three Fighting Nerds have lost in the UFC and there’s only one more to go.

Jean Silva is part of the core four Fighting Nerds team featuring Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates, and Mauricio Ruffy.

San Antonio, LET'S HAVE A WEEK! @DiegoLopesMMA vs @JeanSilvaMMA96 headline #NocheUFC!

[ B2YB: @BudLight ] pic.twitter.com/NLnZs0d4lo
— UFC (@ufc) September 8, 2025

The team entered 2025 with undefeated UFC records, but Prates would go on to lose to Ian Machado Garry and both Borralho and Ruffy lost their fights at UFC Paris last weekend.

Silva is currently a perfect 5-0 in the Octagon. Lopes could very well change that on Saturday night in the main event of Noche UFC.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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