Why Did the UFC Have Diego Lopes Weigh In for Two Separate Bouts?
Former featherweight title challenger Diego Lopes has weighed in for 2 fights at the UFC White House event’s official weigh-ins. Lopes is scheduled to kick off UFC Freedom 250 this weekend and will take on knockout artist Steve Garcia, who’s riding a 7-fight win streak.
At the UFC Freedom 250 official weigh-ins, both featherweight contenders successfully made weight for their June 14 bout. Lopes came in at 146 pounds, while Garcia also tipped the scales at 146 pounds, making their clash official.
Following his first weigh-in, Diego Lopes stepped on the scales again and weighed in at 154 pounds
The UFC’s official website has mentioned that the Brazilian is “a potential alternate in the lightweight division.” Thus, Diego Lopes will now serve as the official backup fighter for the White House main event, which is a lightweight title unification bout between Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
Originally, Arman Tsarukyan was supposed to serve as backup for the UFC Freedom 250 main event. However, Tsarukyan had previously made it clear that he would only officially weigh in if he were needed to compete. So far, everything is going according to plan. Both Topuria and Gaethje successfully made the championship weight for their title fight.
Tsarukyan thus did not attend the weigh-ins and is now set to face Tony Ferguson later today at RAF 10 at the Chaifetz Arena of Saint Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri.
The 29-year-old had previously told Ariel Helwani that if the UFC wanted him to serve as a backup fighter, he would need to be informed at least a week before UFC Freedom 250 so that he could make weight. He also stated that if “The Highlight” or “El Matador” were to suffer an injury in the final four days before the fight, he would still be willing to step in. However, in that scenario, the Armenian would not be able to cut down to the 155-pound championship limit on such short notice. Thus, the bout would have to take place at a catchweight, with no title on the line.
However, the UFC did not need Tsarukyan’s services, and he will now fulfill his RAF duties.
But to be on the safer side, they have made Diego Lopes the backup for the main event, with Hunter Campbell allowing him to weigh in twice.
In case Diego Lopes is called upon as an 11th-hour replacement, his scheduled opponent, Steve Garcia, would not compete on the South Lawn of the White House. However, “Mean Machine” would still receive his fight purse.
