Garcia Reveals Son's Reaction After Lopes KO Loss

Steve Garcia opened up about the emotional toll of his knockout loss to Diego Lopes at UFC Freedom 250, revealing that his young son broke down in tears when he learned his father had lost.

Garcia, who had not been beaten in four years entering the featherweight bout, told MMA Fighting that his son did not know what defeat looked like. "When I got home, my son asked me 'Daddy, did you win?'" Garcia said, per MMA Fighting. "I was like no, dad didn't win. He started crying. It broke me. It hurt me."

Garcia Uses Loss As Teaching Moment For Son

The UFC featherweight turned the conversation into a lesson, drawing on how he coaches his son through video game losses. He reminded the boy of his own advice: when you lose, you try again. "That's me breaking it down," Garcia said. "At the end of the day, everybody has it coming."

Lopes stopped Garcia in the second round of their July clash, derailing what the outspoken featherweight had positioned as a title run. Garcia had been one of the division's most confident voices heading into the matchup, but ran into a surging opponent who left him unconscious on the canvas.

Garcia vowed a different version of himself moving forward, telling the outlet that he tasted life at the top and wants more of it. The loss marked his first setback since 2022, when he was still building his name on the regional circuit.

No timeline has been announced for Garcia's return to the octagon.

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• BJPenn — Steve Garcia reveals heartbreaking conversation with his son after recent loss