Brian Ortega and Diego Lopes meet on the main card of UFC 306 at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday. Check out this quick analysis of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
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Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes UFC 306 Preview
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier may have hit the nail on the head when he recently said that a victory by Lopes (25-6 MMA, 4-1 UFC) over Ortega (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) would be “a bit of a changing of the guard” considering where both fighters are in their careers. … Ortega, 33, has struggled to be active since challenging for the featherweight title, going 2-3 over the past six years. He is coming off a Performance of the Night submission win over Yair Rodriguez last February. Ortega was scheduled to fight Lopes at UFC 303 in June but was forced to withdraw after a tough weight cut. … Lopes, 29, has been turning heads since joining the UFC last year, having been named the 2023 Newcomer of the Year by MMA Junkie. He has won four fights in a row, including a decision victory over Dan Ige, who accepted the fight at UFC 303 just hours after Ortega’s withdrawal.
Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes UFC 306 expert tip, prediction
The two were initially booked for UFC 303 until Ortega was forced to withdraw due to health issues following a weight cut, which in turn led to a memorable last-minute booking between Lopes and Dan Ige.
Although Ortega and Lopes have completed almost the entire training camp this time around, it is still difficult to be clear about the health status of the two fighters given the quick turnaround and the context of this once-in-a-lifetime event that cannot be missed.
For this reason, given the X-factors that play a big role in silence, I’m almost inclined to consider things like age and durability.
On paper, Ortega is the more proven product in everything from his skills to his experience, but Lopes still has some stylistic advantages (which I detail in the comprehensive analysis I published on this fight in June) that could be useful in this fight.
Whether Lopes counters Ortega’s kicks or attacks him with straight punches to the midsection, I suspect the Lobo Gym representative can add to the damage that “T-City” has already done throughout his career.
I stick to my original prediction that Lopes will force a stoppage with punches in round 2.
Brian Ortega vs Diego Lopes UFC 306 odds
The bookmakers and the public prefer the younger fighter and list Lopes (-188) and Ortega (+146) via FanDuel.
Start time of Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes UFC 306, how to watch
As the main card main event, Ortega and Lopes are expected to enter the Octagon at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. Las Vegas time). The fight will be streamed on ESPN+ pay-per-view.
For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
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