UFC Fight Night: Lopes vs. Silva Preview and Predictions

On Saturday, Sep. 13, the UFC returns to San Antonio, Texas for Noche UFC, which features a featherweight battle between Diego Lopes and Jean Silva, who are both looking to get a crack at the title currently held by Alexander Volkanovski.

Noche UFC airs live on ESPN+ starting at 3 p.m. ET. Combat Press writers Andrew Sumian and Matt Petela preview the action in this week’s Toe-toe-Toe.

Jean Silva has won his last six fights by stoppage; can he make it seven straight finishes and defeat fellow contender Diego Lopes?

Sumian: This overall UFC Noche card may not be what it was compared to last year, but my god this main event is undeniably incredible! This is a huge opportunity for Silva to establish himself as one of the most popular and deserving title contenders in the 145 pound division today. For Lopes, losing to the number ten ranked Silva will put him out of title contention for the foreseeable future.

Jean Silva has already proven that he is something special. The Brazil native is a ferocious, powerful, and hungry contender that truly fears no man in the octagon. He has consistently improved with every performance and backed up the talk with finish after finish since entering the octagon. Silva is incredibly well rounded and has both the striking and submission skills to finish opponents in a variety of ways. As already mentioned, this is a massive opportunity for Silva who made his official UFC debut back in January of 2024. If he is able to defeat Lopes in convincing fashion, he will find himself next in line for a title shot after Volkanovski and Murphy do the dance.

Diego Lopes is a stud and one of the most likable fighters in the UFC today. Yes, he came up short against an aging Volkanovski earlier in the year but that fight was a valuable learning experience for the young contender. Despite the impressive fun since August of 2023, it is clear that Lopes has some improvements to make if he hopes to be a champion. He did not necessarily look great against Dan Ige despite the latter taking the fight hours notice and his win over Brian Ortega has aged poorly given Ortega’s most recent performance. Still, Lopes is a ferocious striker and truly has the ability to put anybody to sleep that dares to stand and trade with him. A win over Silva keeps lopes in the mix and probably positions him for a potential title contender fight against Evloev in the near future.

This is a tough pick because I am truly a fan of both guys. We have not seen enough of Silva just yet to know how much of a threat he is but he is undoubtedly entertaining and fun to watch. Lopes is a great fighter but I question his ability to become champion unless he can make serious strides in the grappling department. It is also important to note that Silva will be giving up a four inch height advantage and a two and a half inch reach advantage. Despite my love for Silva’s rise, the pick is Diego Lopes in a close yet clear 49-46 decision. Lopes will be smart in this fight and utilize his advantages in both reach and height to negate Silva’s consistent forward pressure and brutality. Silva will have his moments but it will be Lopes’s crisp striking and distance management that gets the job done.

Petela: Jean Silva just seems to have “it” whatever it is. He has the ability to stop fights instantly by whatever means necessary. He hits as hard as anyone in the featherweight division and is a very talented grappler as well. He has been mauling anyone the UFC puts in front of him and as good as Diego Lopes is, I think he will become another victim to the high powered style of Silva.

This fight will be about pressure. The man moving forward in this fight will have success and the man on his back foot will be in trouble. Clearly, I happen to think that Silva will be in the driver’s seat throughout this contest. Lopes moves well at angles but I don’t see him being able to avoid the straight forward, phone booth style fighting of Silva.

This main event won’t go the distance. Silva will be on the gas early and he won’t let his foot off until he separates Lopes from consciousness. Second round TKO win for Silva, who will have a valid claim for a title shot after finishing a fighter that the current champion couldn’t put away.

David Martinez is in a high profile spot in just his second UFC appearance; how does the sophomore perform against New England Cartel product Rob Font?

Petela: Font is a good fighter but he has not evolved into a well rounded mixed martial artist. He has great hands and good kicks but his grappling is sub par. That’s unfortunate, because he looked like a contender earlier in his career. I don’t think that Martinez is quite on the same level and this will be a bridge too far for the youngster. He is just twenty-seven years old and has an impressive 12-1 record. However, he prefers to get the job done in the striking realm as he has 10 of his 12 wins by KO/TKO. That’s not the best path to success against Font. I think the veteran schools the up and comer over fifteen minutes and scores a wide decision win.

Sumian: He will not do well, frankly. Font is simply too experienced to lose to a guy like this. Martinez certainly has the capability to make a nice UFC run but it won’t be at the expense of Font. He is an expert in defeating up and coming fighters and this will be no different. Font by decision 30-27.

What one fighter’s UFC career is on the ropes at this event?

Sumian: It is the end of the line for Dusko Todorovic. At one point, he was one of the most intriguing UFC signings given his 9-0 record. Unfortunately, he is currently on a three fight losing streak and has not recorded a victory since October of 2022. It is difficult to imagine him keeping his roster spot after suffering a fourth loss and compiling a 3-7 record since joining the promotion.

Petela: Kelvin Gastelum. He is 2-4 over his last six fights and has really never been the same fighter since his war with Israel Adesanya. He was once a rising star with a chin made of granite, now he has become a punching bag for his opponents who doesn’t have the foot speed he once did. He certainly has a winnable fight against Dustin Stoltzfus but if he can’t get the job done he will likely be on the unemployment line come Monday morning.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

Petela: Tatiana Suarez vs. Amanda Lemos. Let’s see if the thumping that Suarez got at the hands of Weili Zhang in her title shot carries over into her next appearance. She has a tough, but beatable, opponent in Lemos and if Suarez can put on a dominant performance she may have time to get another crack at the belt before the end of her career.

Sumian: The lightweight matchup between veterans Alexander Hernandez and Carlos Diego Ferreira is definitely one of the best fights on this card. Both guys are proven finishers and combine for seven post fight bonuses. They will put on a show and somebody will get finished.

Who takes home the “Performance of the Night” honors?

Sumian: Tatiana Suarez. Neither Suarez or Lemos will ever fight for the belt again but this is a pretty enticing matchup at women’s strawweight. Suarez is going to be able to take Lemos down at will and eventually wrap a choke. It will be dominant and likely quick.

Petela: Jared Gordon. His fight with Rafa Garcia will probably be a boxing match in four ounce gloves. These two will go toe to toe and meet in the center of the cage until one man falls and I expect Gordon to be the one left standing.

Pair this card with…

Petela: It is the celebration of Mexican Independence so I think this fight card absolutely calls for tequila and tacos. Grab your tacos from an authentic Mexican restaurant, sit back, relax, and enjoy an evening full of fists flying.

Sumian: The Matrix Revolutions. For those familiar with the Matrix movies (we do not count the fourth one given it was horrible), the third film was quite long and certainly had moments that were difficult to get through. However, it ends with an epic fight scene between the two main characters. This is precisely how I view this card. It is going to be a standard fight night card for the majority of the evening with a good chunk of forgettable fights. However, the main event is the epic battle that everyone is so desperately looking forward to. It will deliver and ensure that the evening was a success.