Diego Lopes established himself as one of the fiercest contenders in the featherweight division. However, after coming up short against Alexander Volkanovski twice, at UFC 314 and UFC 325, the Brazilian-Mexican appears ready to embark on a new chapter in his career.

According to AgFight, the 31-year-old is in advanced talks for his next fight and is targeting a move to the lightweight division. The 31-year-old is reportedly hoping to make his 155-pound debut at the UFC’s upcoming event at Madison Square Garden in November, with a deal potentially being finalized soon.

“We’re already in pretty advanced talks about the next opponent,” Lopes said. “We’re hoping we can get it finalized this week. I want to fight in November at MSG. I think that’s a good date for me, and it also gives me enough time to adapt my weight a little more for 155.” 

Diego Lopes’ move to lightweight seemed inevitable after his last fight. The former two-time title challenger knocked out surging contender Steve Garcia at the UFC White House event in June to prove that he’s still a force to reckon with in the featherweight division. However, his two losses to Volkanovski, combined with rising contenders like Jean Silva, Movsar Evloev, and Aljamain Sterling at 145 pounds, have made his chances of getting another shot at gold in his current division increasingly slim.

The Amazonas native understood the complexity of his situation, and that’s why he had already expressed his interest in moving up. Right after knocking out Garcia, Lopes sat down with Ariel Helwani for an interview, where he expressed his desire to ascend to the lightweight division and fight the “top six.” In that case, Lopes’ decision isn’t random. It’s a well-thought-out move.

The Brazilian-Mexican was open to fighting Charles Oliveira after ‘Do Bronx’s’ original opponent, Rafael Fiziev, withdrew from last year’s UFC Rio Fight Night event. Though the fight never materialized, with the UFC ultimately choosing Mateusz Gamrot for the event, Lopes’ willingness to move up and face Oliveira further highlights his long-standing interest in the lightweight division.

Coming to the UFC’s event at Madison Square Garden this year, nothing has been confirmed so far. But the promotion usually holds the marquee event in mid-November. However, some reports indicate that the event is provisionally targeted for November 14. Also, Lopes isn’t the only fighter targeting a spot on the card, as UFC veteran Stephen Thompson is eyeing a final UFC appearance at MSG.

With Diego Lopes eyeing stellar clashes in a bigger division, a curious question arises: Can he actually hang with the big boys at 155 pounds? Well, he has already sort of shown that he can. 

Diego Lopes can seamlessly transition to lightweight

So far, Diego Lopes hasn’t actually competed in a lightweight fight in the UFC, but he came remarkably close. Two years ago, he was set to fight Brian Ortega at UFC 303 in a featherweight showdown. However, Ortega had a hard time making 145 pounds, and the bout was subsequently shifted to 155 pounds. Both fighters successfully made the lightweight limit, but Ortega’s weight-cutting struggles continued, as he fell ill just hours before the clash.

As a result, Dan Ige answered the UFC’s call to fight Diego Lopes on just three to four hours’ notice, with the bout eventually taking place at a 165-pound catchweight. Despite all the weight changes, the former title challenger successfully defeated Ige and later settled his unfinished business with Ortega by beating him at UFC 306 in the Sphere in a featherweight bout.

Lopes has never actually fought at lightweight. But since he defeated Dan Ige at 165 pounds and looked impressive doing so, he shouldn’t face too many difficulties transitioning to 155 pounds. Plus, Lopes also has a frame built for the division, standing at 5’11” with a 72-inch reach. Still, if those reasons aren’t enough, the UFC actually had Lopes as a backup for Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje at the UFC White House, a day when he had to weigh in twice.

Now, the only question is who will welcome him to the lightweight division.

If Diego Lopes gets his wish and makes his debut at Madison Square Garden in November, he could immediately find himself in some of the most intriguing matchups of his career. For a fighter who has already challenged for UFC gold twice, the move to 155 pounds could provide the fresh start he needs to make another run at a championship.