Former featherweight title contender Diego Lopes will look to return to the winning track against Jean Silva in the main event of UFC Fight Night, Saturday from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio. The prelims will start at 6 p.m. ET, and the prelims at 3 p.m. on ESPN+. Lopes, currently ranked number 3 in the featherweight rankings, suffered a defeat against Alexander Volkanovski in his last appearance in the octagon. Before that loss, Lopes had a streak of five consecutive victories.
On the other hand, Silva comes to this UFC matchup undefeated, having finished his last five opponents (four by knockout and one by submission).
Main Event Analysis
Silva is difficult to take down, his takedown defense has been solid. He submitted a dangerous black belt in his last fight. Diego is not a great grappler and is vulnerable to strikes. But Silva is someone you can’t take too many punches from. Something that gets lost in all of Silva’s antics is his technical ability. He has his hands down and is playful, but he is a technician who has a lot of power. Not only will Silva win this fight, but I think he will go far in this division.
Anthony Smith
It’s hard to go against Silva. Lopes takes too many shots and Silva is too precise. I don’t think he’ll knock out Lopes because Lopes is tough, and if it comes to it, he’ll take the fight to the ground and play guard before allowing himself to be knocked out.
Din Thomas
Betting Analysis
The odds are accurate as of September 11. For the most up-to-date odds, visit ESPN BET. Parker: Over 2.5 rounds (-150). Lopes vs. Silva has everything you could want from a main event: two well-rounded fighters with great endurance who are always looking for the finish. Although I expect this fight to have many moments of contention, I see it going into the championship rounds. Each of Lopes’ last three fights has gone the distance, but Silva hasn’t had a fight go to a decision since competing on “Dana White’s Contender Series” in 2023. However, Silva hasn’t fought anyone ranked in the UFC’s top 5, and Lopes hasn’t yet been finished in his UFC career. I believe Lopes has a big advantage if he can put Silva on his back, but standing, the striking is almost even. Take the over 2.5 rounds here.Parker’s Best Bets for the Rest of the Card
Lightweight: Rafa Garcia vs. Jared Gordon Gordon to win by KO, TKO, or decision. This is the perfect matchup for Gordon, who comes into this fight after a first-round knockout of Thiago Moises. Gordon is a better fighter than Garcia, both standing and on the ground, but Garcia is more durable. Gordon is a -255 favorite by ESPN BET, and I don’t mind betting here because I don’t see how he could lose the fight. If the money line odds are too expensive for you, pick Gordon to win by KO, TKO, or decision. Lightweight: Claudio Puelles vs. Joaquim Silva Silva to win (par). Despite coming into this matchup with a two-fight losing streak, Puelles is a surprising betting favorite over Silva. Puelles’ only path to victory is to secure a leg lock, and I just don’t see it for him. Silva is the better athlete and the better striker. I expect him to keep this standing and outstrike Puelles throughout the fight. If Silva can keep the pace as he did against Clay Guida last December, look for Puelles to tire and potentially be finished. Men’s Flyweight: Alessandro Costa vs. Alden CoriaCosta to win (-400). Costa has had ups and downs inside the octagon, but his two losses have been against tough competition in Steve Erceg and Amir Albazi. When he fought lower in the rankings, he knocked out Jimmy Flick and Kevin Borjas.
With odds close to 3 to 1, look to put Costa in your parlay. Coria is a good prospect with an equal balance of knockout and submission finishes, but this is a big step up in competition, and I don’t see him doing well. Costa will keep the fight standing, if he is successful, but if necessary, he can also take it to the ground. As long as he doesn’t make a mistake, expect Costa to get the victory.
