Most of the time, it’s the gym and the coaches that make a fighter. Take a look at the American Kickboxing Academy, or the American Top Team. Gyms like these have harbored fighters who dominated the Octagon and won championships. Achievements like these were also the reason fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov and others came to the AKA to train under Javier Mendez. But what’s the story for Diego Lopes? The Brazilian experienced a sleek change in his MMA record after losing his UFC debut.
And this has intrigued the MMA fans to wonder if he moved to a different gym after the loss. So today, let’s take a look at the gym, coach, and teammates responsible for ensuring Lopes’ impressive success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Diego Lopes gym – Is he a coach himself?
Diego Lopes’s journey in martial arts started early due to a family tradition where everyone had to fight in one way or another. He started training in BJJ when he was just a kid and started competing by the age of 7. At the age of 16, he got his purple belt and transitioned to MMA for better opportunities. He made his professional debut back in 2012 in Brazil. Eight fights into his professional career, Lopes was invited by his coach to train people at a gym in Mexico.
Is he a coach himself? Well, the answer to this question is a big yes. Diego Lopes trains people at his father’s gym as a hobby, apart from his regular BJJ and MMA training back in Mexico. If we were to talk about where he trains, he predominantly trains at Lobo Gym MMA, which is his go-to gym to train striking, although his primary gym is Legacy MMA / Brazilian Warriors.
Now that we know about his gym, let’s have a look at his teammates. After all, it’s the teammates that push fighters to even greater heights, right?
A long list of Lopes’ teammates
The Lobo Gym has recently produced some big names in the promotion. Diego Lopes chose this gym after careful consideration. Some of the big names coming out of Lobo gym are the former UFC women’s flyweight champion, Alexa Grasso, UFC’s bantamweight contender, Irene Aldana, UFC’s strawweight title prospect, Lupita Godinez, and Álvaro Herrera. He is often spotted in their corners, too.
Some of his other teammates are Alessandro Costa, Imanol Rodriguez, Caleb Moctezuma, Francesco Patrón, and many more. In conclusion, Diego Lopes’ journey in the world of MMA, shaped by dedication and teamwork, exemplifies the spirit of MMA. Training with some of the best in the sport while teaching others in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has certainly worked wonders for the Brazilian featherweight contender.
Now, the #3-ranked featherweight contender is set to lock horns with Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314. With only 6 fights and 5 victories in the UFC, Lopes has the chance to fight for the featherweight championship belt against a former 2-time champion. Needless to say, this is a feat that not many have achieved. And we can certainly expect Lopes to go “Super Saiyan” at the event.
Meanwhile, what’s your take on Diego Lopes’s journey? State your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Where Does Diego Lopes Train? Gym, Coach, Teammates, and More appeared first on EssentiallySports.
