Diego Lopes delivered a spectacular second-round TKO victory over Jean Silva at UFC Combat Evening 259, marking a profitable return to successful kind for the Brazilian featherweight contender.
The primary occasion at San Antonio’s Frost Financial institution Heart concluded at 4:48 of Spherical 2 when Lopes landed a superbly timed spinning again elbow that dropped Silva, prompting referee Mike Beltran to cease the competition after Lopes adopted up with floor strikes. The occasion drew a sold-out crowd of 18,005 followers and generated a gate of $3,586,669.
Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva
Lopes established management early within the opening spherical, taking Silva down and securing full mount place excessive on his chest. The Brazilian-Mexican fighter unleashed a barrage of 12-6 elbows and punches that opened a reduce on Silva’s head, outstrike him 50-10 within the first body. Silva endured practically three minutes of punishment whereas mounted, bloodied however resilient, earlier than escaping to his toes within the remaining moments of the spherical.
The second spherical noticed Silva take management of the placing exchanges, touchdown efficient combos and showing to unsettle Lopes at instances. Silva tried a number of spinning assaults all through the spherical, together with a number of spinning again elbows that foreshadowed the eventual end. His aggressive placing strategy finally proved to be his downfall when Lopes countered together with his personal spinning elbow as Silva pressed ahead.
Spinning Again Elbow
The decisive second got here when Silva charged ahead with a proper hand, permitting Lopes to time a spinning again elbow that linked flush and despatched Silva crashing to the canvas. The strike opened a big reduce on Silva’s face, and Lopes instantly pounced with follow-up punches earlier than Beltran intervened.
Following the stoppage, tensions briefly escalated when Silva, nonetheless bloodied and disoriented, rose from his seated place and shoved Lopes behind the top whereas the winner was talking to Silva’s nook. UFC workers shortly separated the fighters, and the scenario was resolved when each males shook arms after the official consequence was introduced.
Fighter Backgrounds and Implications
Diego Lopes rebounded from his unanimous resolution loss to Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 in April. The victory marked his return to kind after a five-fight successful streak that earned him his first title shot. Born in Manaus, Brazil, Lopes has represented Mexico for the previous decade, coaching primarily at Lobo Health club in Guadalajara and working his personal Brazilian Warriors health club in Puebla.
Jean Silva suffered his first defeat since 2018, ending a outstanding 13-fight successful streak that included all 5 of his UFC victories by end. The 28-year-old Preventing Nerds consultant from São Paulo had entered because the No. 10-ranked featherweight, making this an vital step-up battle in opposition to the No. 2-ranked Lopes.
Efficiency Recognition
Each fighters earned Combat of the Evening honors for his or her entertaining conflict, with Lopes additionally receiving a Efficiency of the Evening bonus, totaling $100,000 in bonus cash. The victory helped cap off a profitable Noche UFC celebration that honored Mexican Independence Day weekend, with Mexican and Mexican-adopted fighters going 6-0 on the cardboard.
The dramatic end showcased Lopes’ expertise and flexibility, demonstrating why he stays a high contender within the featherweight division regardless of his current title battle setback. For Silva and his Preventing Nerds group, the loss continued a tough 2025 marketing campaign that has seen a number of group members undergo high-profile defeats.
