<body><div><p><b>With his sights set on working his way up the featherweight rankings, Aljamain Sterling has called out Diego Lopes for a blockbuster clash at UFC 306.</b></p><p>Having already captured the bantamweight title, ‘Aljo’ would love nothing more than to earn his opportunity to become a two-weight world champion.</p><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1M8704_0uI2TI0j00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1M8704_0uI2TI0j00" width="1024" height="683" ><figcaption>Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images</figcaption></figure><h2>Aljamain Sterling wants Diego Lopes at UFC 306</h2><p>After a failed attempt to regain his 135-pound thrown against Sean O’Malley back at UFC 292, Aljamain Sterling made the decision to wave his old weight class goodbye, and step up to a new division that better suits his frame.</p><p>On a historic night, at UFC 300, the Jamaican warrior exhibited his fighting skills, impressing the fans en route to a decision victory over MMA vet — Calvin Kattar.</p><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sQ4OjL1fhu8?feature=oembed" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><p>The performance earned him a #8 ranking in the weight class, with a shot at Ilia Topuria, possibly just two or three wins away.</p><p>Consequently, he’s been going above and beyond in his attempts to goad Movsar Evloev into signing on the dotted line.</p><p><b>WOW:</b> <b>Top 15 UFC middleweight reveals how he uses the power of mathematics to land MMA wins</b></p><p>However, the pair have yet to agree on a deal, leaving the New Jersey-based fighter looking elsewhere.</p><p>Riding a four-fight win streak, Diego Lopes has caught Sterling’s attention, with the gifted athlete recently calling the Brazilian out for a major collision at the Las Vegas Sphere.</p><p>In a video uploaded to his YouTube channel, he said: “I’m thinking about Aljamain Sterling vs Diego Lopes at the Sphere. It has a nice ring to it. </p><p>“Movsar Evloev, I don’t know what he’s doing. I gave him a date and he hasn’t accepted yet, he’s been making all these excuses. Either, you fight on my terms, or I fight somebody else. So, Diego Lopes, if you oblige, let’s make it happen at the Sphere, September 14.” </p><p>However, even his Plan B might not work out the way he’d planned, as the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has another opponent in mind.</p><div style="position:relative;width:100%; height:0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eeGJBCzTjDA?feature=oembed" allowfullscreen frameborder="0" style="width:100%; height:100%;top:0; left:0; position:absolute"></iframe></div><h2>Diego Lopes wants to fight Brian Ortega at UFC 306</h2><p>Whether it’s against Sterling or someone else, Lopes is determined to make his mark at the Sphere. </p><p>After emerging victorious against Dan Ige at UFC 303, the formidable fighter would love the opportunity to go head-to-head with the man he was originally scheduled to face — Brian Ortega.</p><p>The American had to pull out of the contest after a fever and weight-cut issues prevented him from being able to operate anywhere near 100%.</p><p>However, with the appetite for the fight still rife, Lopes has confirmed that the UFC is more than open to giving the match-up a second chance.</p><p>Speaking via MMA Junkie’s Hablemos MMA YouTube channel, the athlete claimed: “They said I could fight at The Sphere, Dana White said at the press conference, and yeah, if they can re-book the fight, that would be great… We do have to see how he [Ortega] is health-wise and if he truly wants to return to 145 pounds and go through all that process.”</p><p>However, ‘T-City’ isn’t the only name he has in mind, with the 29-year-old also taking aim at one of the greatest fighters in UFC history.</p><p><b>Oh No:</b> <b>Alex Pereira warned against move to heavyweight by UFC legend</b></p></div></body>

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‘I want Diego Lopes’… Aljamain Sterling calls out rival featherweight for massive UFC 306 fight at The Sphere

With his sights set on working his way up the featherweight rankings, Aljamain Sterling has called out Diego Lopes for a blockbuster clash at UFC 306. Having already captured the bantamweight title, ‘Aljo’ would love nothing more than to earn his opportunity to become a two-weight world champion.