Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight finishers Diego Lopes vs. Jean Silva will go to war TONIGHT (Sat., Sept. 13, 2025) at Noche UFC 3 inside Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
There were some issues and flaws in Lopes’ title performance against Alexander Volkanovski, most notably an inability to cut off the cage and track down the former (and current) Featherweight kingpin. It must be said, however, that Lopes still managed to floor “The Great” twice and came reasonably close to capturing gold (watch highlights). He’s just a few minor adjustments from the championship, even as he enters this main event slot as an underdog.
Fall of the “Fighting Nerds” aside, there’s still plenty of hype behind Silva specifically.
“Lord” is a vicious knockout artist who never seems bothered by his opponent’s offense, and he’s quickly put together a five-fight finish streak inside the Octagon. This is a major step up in competition, but thus far, Silva has proven himself capable of competing with the best.
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
Lopes vs. Silva Betting Odds
How Lopes Wins
Lopes is an all-action fighter who’s dangerous everywhere. His best offense on the feet comes from close quarters, particularly when breaking the clinch with big swings. On the canvas, Lopes is an outstanding grappler, capable of locking up quick submissions and forcing his opponents onto the defensive even from bottom position.
In this bout, Lopes faces an interesting dynamic of range. On one hand, he’s the taller and longer fighter, and Lopes certainly has a nasty 1-2 that could capitalize on that length. At the same time, I would argue Silva is actually the more fluid range striker, so standing at distance and getting blasted by kicks and counters might not behoove the former title challenger. To help mitigate some of that smoothness, Lopes needs to feint and chop the lead leg. Silva stands wide, so if Lopes can get him pulling back just a bit, he can looking to chop into the calf. A few low kicks could slow Silva’s explosion and leave him more stationary for that 1-2.
Both men are very destructive in the clinch, so there’s danger there for both athletes. Still, given Lopes’ likely advantage on the ground, it might be worth trying to press into the clinch with strikes then change levels with a double-leg shot.
Indeed, a single takedown from Lopes could really change the dynamic here.
How Silva Wins
He’s utterly unafraid of a one-to-one exchange, fully confident that his power, chin, and composure will win that trade every time. He’s been right so far, even in his Lightweight brawl versus the durable and hard-hitting Drew Dober. Despite bullying his opponents with raw athleticism, there’s definitely craft and skill to Silva’s game as well — he’s no one-trick pony.
Silva has proven himself proficient both at leading and countering, so I’d like to see him drawing Lopes into traps here. Lopes is a naturally aggressive fighter himself, but he and his team have a proven issue with cutting the cage. He has a tendency to follow his opponents into counters, and Silva has the venom to really make those punches sting.
To best take advantage of this flaw, Silva has to be light on his feet, ready to withdraw. A little patience will go a long way in convincing Lopes to reach for him, and he should be bouncing forward with quick shots in the hopes of a touch, pull, return sequence. At any point, Silva can plant his feet and trade with Lopes, but forcing his opponent to first walk through fire will only make his life easier.
Lopes vs. Silva Prediction
I’m somewhat conflicted here.
On one hand, I think the odds are a bit out of whack. Lopes is clearly the most dangerous and most well-rounded fighter Silva has ever faced, and he deserves respect for beating a much better class of opposition. At the same time, I don’t like the style match up for him. It reminds me of his Contenders Series loss to Joanderson Brito in that his game has no real solution to a superior kickboxer who can match his athleticism and deny his takedowns.
Realistically, Lopes needs to a knock down or knockout to win. He certainly hits hard, and Silva is not afraid to take chances himself. However, it feels more likely that Lopes ends up on the wrong side of some powerful shots early on and settles into a punishing defeat.
Prediction: Silva via decision
FEATHERWEIGHT FRENZY! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heads to Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on Sat., Sept. 13, 2025, for Noche UFC 3, celebrating Mexican Independence Day with a stacked fight card. In the main event, former Featherweight title challenger, Diego Lopes, faces dynamic striker, Jean Silva, in a heated cultural rivalry scheduled for five, five-minute rounds. In Noche UFC 3’s co-headliner, Bantamweight veteran, Rob Font, takes on rising Mexican star, David Martinez, both vying for a pivotal win in the 135-pound division. All that and SO MUCH MORE!
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire Noche UFC 3 fight card, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 6 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+).
To checkout the latest and greatest Noche UFC 3: “Lopes vs. Silva” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
