Aljamain Sterling targets Diego Lopes if fight against Movsar Evloev is not rebooked: “I would risk it for this guy”

Aljamain Sterling wants Diego Lopes next.

Sterling was scheduled to face Movsar Evloev in a crucial featherweight bout on October 5 at UFC 307. However, Sterling suffered an injury in training earlier this month that forced him out of the fight. According to Sterling, he suffered a minor tear in his elbow that will not require surgery, so he is hoping to return in December, but in the meantime he is rehabbing and trying to stay ready for Evloev.

“Right now I'm just doing a lot of physical therapy, trying to get healthy and training despite my injury,” Sterling told The Schmo. “I need to stay in shape in case Movsar decides to take the fight in December. I don't want to start training camp without doing any cardio. I want to make sure I build and maintain that momentum so that when we fight in December, whether it's against him or someone else, I'm in shape and ready to go.”

But Evloev may no longer be an option. Given Sterling's injury, both Evloev and the UFC are looking for a replacement opponent for UFC 307, although nothing has been officially announced yet. If Sterling is replaced, he already has another potential opponent in mind.

“Maybe Diego Lopes?” asked Sterling. “Maybe it will be a fight for the [No.] 3 [ranking]. I think Diego's rise to stardom, his rise in the UFC has been tremendous and, to be honest, nothing short of inspirational. I'm happy for the guy…

“If we're talking about the next best fight, if Movsar declines, I just don't know who else he should fight. But if you give me the choice: I always wanted Brian Ortega so I could get the next spot at the top and now the next best guy is Diego Lopes. That's all it is. It has nothing to do with what that guy has done, it's about name value, what he brings me, risk vs. reward. If I was going to risk it for the cookie, that's the guy I'd risk it for.”

Lopes recently earned the biggest win of his career, winning a unanimous decision against Ortega earlier this month at UFC 306. The win moved Lopes up to No. 5 in the featherweight division in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, and the 2023 Rookie of the Year has already rejected Evloev's demand for a rematch as he instead seeks either a title shot or a title eliminator.

Sterling most recently competed at UFC 300, where he won a unanimous decision over Calvin Kattar in his featherweight debut. The former UFC bantamweight champion has an overall record of 24-4 in his MMA career.