Movsar Evloev has expressed strong criticism of Diego Lopes’ recent performance and questioned the justification for granting him a second title rematch. Lopes faced Alexander Volkanovski again last month at UFC 325, where Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight championship. Evloev, highlighting the lack of progress in Lopes’ approach, believes the Brazilian did not deserve another chance at the title.
Volkanovski’s Strategy and Title Defense Against Lopes
At UFC 325, Alexander Volkanovski retained his featherweight title in a rematch against Diego Lopes, mirroring their initial bout at UFC 314. Known as ‘The Great,’ Volkanovski adopted a tactical game plan by avoiding Lopes’ attacks, waiting patiently for openings, and landing precise combinations when Lopes committed to his strikes. This careful approach led to a decisive defense and maintained Volkanovski’s reign as champion.
Background on Title Contention and Fight Decisions
In 2025, after claiming the vacant featherweight title by defeating Lopes and becoming a two-time champion, Volkanovski planned to defend his belt against either Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy—both undefeated contenders. Nevertheless, the UFC opted to give Diego Lopes a second title opportunity following his knockout victory over Jean Silva at Noche UFC 2025, a decision that surprised Evloev.
Evloev’s View on UFC’s Title Shot Choices
Evloev initially expected Lerone Murphy to earn a title shot after Murphy defeated Aaron Pico by knockout in the first round of Pico’s UFC debut. Instead, Lopes was selected for a rematch with Volkanovski. Reflecting in a recent MMA Junkie interview, Evloev said,
“And then Murphy win by good performance, then he’s supposed to fight for the title. Then they gave the title shot to Diego again, and okay, no problem. I will wait.” ?Movsar Evloev, UFC Featherweight Contender
Evloev then sharply criticized Lopes for failing to improve from their initial encounter, stating,
“Then he showed us nothing changes from the first title fight with Volk. It was no reason to give him that title shot again. But now we know and everybody know also the UFC knows. So now me and Murphy will share the place for number one contender for the title.” ?Movsar Evloev, UFC Featherweight Contender
Upcoming Bout Between Evloev and Murphy Determines Next Challenger
Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy are scheduled to meet in the main event of UFC London on March 21. Their fight will likely determine who receives the next opportunity to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight championship. Both fighters are undefeated, intensifying the anticipation around this matchup as it will shape the division’s future title contention.
Controversy Over Title Shot Selections Persists
Meanwhile, Jean Silva, who recently bounced back with a win, has voiced his desire to challenge Volkanovski. This raises questions about whether the UFC will continue to overlook top contenders like Evloev, Murphy, and Silva in favor of other fighters in title shot decisions. The division remains tense as fans and fighters alike hope for merit-based opportunities going forward.
