Jon Jones will “greater than possible” retire after his UFC 309 conflict with Stipe Miocic on Nov. 16, and the UFC was near signing one other “Jon Jones” by Dana White’s Contender Sequence.
Arthur Lopes battles fellow Brazilian heavyweight Tallison Teixeira on Tuesday’s DWCS card on the UFC APEX searching for a contract with the group, and he was nicknamed “Jon Jones” when known as for the chance. Lopes, nevertheless, determined to vary his nickname to “Demolidor” earlier than flying to Las Vegas.
“That was my nickname as a result of our combating fashion was sort of comparable, and I seemed like him on the time, so individuals began calling me Jon Jones,” Lopes mentioned in an interview with MMA Combating. “I hated it at first [laughs], I gained’t misinform you, however individuals favored it, so there was no escape.”
Lopes is 6-1 as an expert with all wins coming by stoppage, with 5 knockouts and one DQ, and selected to eliminate the nickname to make a reputation for himself contained in the octagon.
“There’s already a Jon Jones, and we don’t have to proceed another person’s story,” Lopes mentioned. “Let’s write a brand new story, one thing totally different, so right here comes ‘Demolidor.’ We’ll make historical past, and also you’ll all hear about this title for a very long time. God keen, I wish to construct a profession higher than his. I wish to be one of the best, all the time. I don’t wish to be like him. I wish to be enjoyable, athletic, and do new issues.”
Lopes began his profession again in 2015, and gained 4 of 5 fights in simply over a yr, after which returned in 2018 to gather one other pair of finishes earlier than leaving the game for good. Lopes solely returned in March 2024, knocking out Daniel Bucher in simply 20 seconds to earn a shot at DWCS.
“I stayed out for a very long time however selected Jan. 1st that I’d grow to be an athlete once more,” mentioned Lopes, who labored as a automotive mechanic whereas combating in MMA. “I labored exhausting for six months and got here out victorious to get this chance on the Contender. It’s nice to see that I nonetheless have wooden to burn and dwell my dream.”
“It’s exhausting to dwell as an athlete in Brazil,” he continued. “Typically you even should pay to battle as a result of the purse is so low it doesn’t cowl your prices. I’m a father of 4 and it was exhausting to pay the payments with no sponsors or assist. I wasn’t paid for my final battle [in 2018] so I simply give up combating. However I suppose God heard considered one of my prayers of wanting one thing higher, so I made a decision to return again.”
Lopes give up his job as automotive mechanic to give attention to his combating profession forward of DWCS and moved from Uberlandia to Tres Rios to coach at ATS, and sees heavier, larger and undefeated Teixeira as a troublesome however beatable foe.
“[His size] makes no distinction to me,” Lopes mentioned. “I wanna see if he’s all that. I feel he talks to a lot. Too cocky. Let’s finish that [tonight]. I’d moderately not battle a Brazilian, but it surely’s the chance I’ve, so I’ll stroll by anybody to earn my spot within the UFC. … I wish to win by knockout, however I’m a black belt in luta livre, and we’ll battle wherever we have to win this. I’m prepared for all the pieces.”