Diego Lopes entered the octagon at Noche UFC 3 in San Antonio, brimming with confidence. In interviews and on social media in the week before the fight, Jean Silva had been loud about his predictions: that he would overwhelm Lopes, dominate the distance, and show he was a cut above. The crowd buzzed with expectation; many wanted to see Silva’s streak of finishes continue. But midway through the second round, the script flipped.

Lopes, reading Silva’s timing perfectly, unloaded a spinning back elbow that dropped Silva. As the Brazilian staggered, Lopes pounced with hammer-fists and ground strikes until the referee stepped in. Silva lay against the cage, bloodied, his face swollen, his breathing heavy. When Lopes moved in, Silva’s head still shook slightly, disbelief painted across his features— this was his first loss under the UFC banner and his first pro MMA defeat since 2018, not what he (or many fans) had expected.

Then came the moment that risked everything. Silva, gathering himself, leaned forward and knocked away a stool that had been set near Lopes’s corner. As Lopes turned to exit the cage, Silva, still dazed, still raw from the knockout, tried throwing a punch at the back of Lopes’s head as the victorious Brazilian-Mexican featherweight was turning away. Security and UFC staff immediately wedged themselves between the fighters, escorting Lopes to his corner while Silva’s own team tried to restrain him. In that fleeting moment, Silva’s rage and frustration, translating into a cheap shot, threatened to cross into serious misconduct.

In UFC history, it has carried real consequences: Paul Daley was famously cut from the promotion after punching Josh Koscheck post-fight at UFC 113, and Sean Strickland was suspended six months in 2025 for attacking a fighter after a regional bout he was cornering. By comparison, Silva’s swing looked less forceful and landed glancingly, but under Nevada and Texas commission rules, even a glancing “cheap shot” after a stoppage can trigger fines or a ban. In that instant, Silva’s spotless UFC record and his surging hype threatened to dissolve into a disciplinary headline.

Yet, Silva’s glancing swing at Lopes ultimately went unpunished. No press release from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the commission overseeing Noche UFC 3, mentioned disciplinary action, and the UFC itself has stayed silent. According to multiple reports from officials on site, they treated the incident as a heat-of-the-moment outburst, especially given Silva’s otherwise clean record, rather than an intentional assault. 

And Lopes, unhurt, didn’t press for penalties either, but he did have some conciliatory advice for Silva. 

Diego Lopes has advice for Jean Silva

Lopes’ celebration was cut short by Silva, but he chose not to retaliate in the moment. Later, during the Noche UFC post-fight press conference, he broke down what went through his mind in the moment.

“I’m surprised he did this, too,” Lopes said. “I felt the punch in the back of my head. I’m turning like, ‘Did Jean punch me in the back of my head?’ I didn’t understand why. It’s OK. This is maybe the emotion of this time, because the guy is a little bit angry because he lost the fight. But it’s OK. I feel good now. This is my moment. … I’m not going to pay that price for that victory.” When asked afterward what message he had for Silva, Lopes had a small four-word response: “Talk less, train more.” 

As for Lopes, all the training he says he did has translated into a first win since losing to Alexander Volkanovski in April and earned him two post-fight bonus checks.