Bruno Lopes already thinking about next contract after first UFC win
LAS VEGAS – Bruno Lopes beat Magomed Gadzhiyasulov with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC Fight Night 249 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Lopes, who upset a 3-1 favorite to win his UFC debut.
Bruno Lopes def. Magomed Gadzhiyasulov
Result: Bruno Lopes def. Magomed Gadzhiyasulov via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Updated records: Lopes (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), Gadzhiyasulov (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC)
Key stats: Lopes had five takedowns and more than nine minutes of control time.
Lopes on the fight’s key moment
Bruno Lopes def. Magomed Gadzhiyasulov, UFC Fight Night 249 (via UFC)
“The plan was to basically neutralize his strengths. I think that he’s a great athlete. He’s got wrestling and takedown ability. I knew I needed to pressure him. If I was able to take him down or get close to him to inflict some damage, you can notice that he was kind of wearing down and his confidence was beaten down. I think that at the end, you saw what happened.”
Lopes on confidence
“I’m very happy. I think one of the most difficult things for an athlete in the UFC is actually to have his contract renewed. And my plan is to ride out those four fights and always have victory in my mind. It might not have been pretty, but the most important thing there was have my arm raised at the end.”
Lopes on what he wants next
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JANUARY 11: (R-L) Bruno Lopes of Brazil punches Magomed Gadzhiyasulov of Russia in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on January 11, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
“There’s a UFC coming up in Brazil, and I would love to fight in Brazil regardless of a pay-per-view or a Fight Night – have a crowd, the home crowd. yelling my name.”
To hear more from Lopes, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 249.