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UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes has risen to fame in a relatively short time since making his UFC debut in 2023. The Brazilian fighter has impressed the MMA community with a series of outstanding performances, but his habit of touching his throat during fights has particularly drawn attention.
This behavior was evident during Lopes' recent UFC 314 fight against Alexander Volkanovski, sparking fans' curiosity about the reasons behind it again.
Did Diego Lopes suffer a childhood accident?
UFC commentator Jon Anik previously explained that Lopes developed this tendency after experiencing an accident in which steel poles used for construction grazed his throat, leaving a scar that itches when he sweats.
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After his victory over Dan Ige, journalists asked Lopes to clarify the reasons behind his unusual habit of touching his throat during fights. Lopes explained:
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"This goes back a long way. Actually, when I was a kid, I fell once and I actually got caught in the steel stuff. I was actually just caught there and I couldn't get out. So I have a scar here [near the adam's apple]. This kind of goes back a long time. It's always been there. So, during my fights, it starts itching a little bit. So I kind of just touch it, so it's a tic that I have. So it's not a problem but it always happens in my fights." [Via translator]
Check out Diego Lopes' comments below (0:12):
On the professional front, Lopes recently received his first UFC title shot against Alexander Volkanovski when the two competed for the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 on April 12.
Unfortunately for Lopes, Volkanovski outperformed him with superior technique and game plan, winning the fight by unanimous decision to become the two-time UFC champion.
Despite the outcome, Lopes had his moments in the fight and scored the only knockdown of the contest. He also had a significant moment in Round 4 when a combination from him seemed to have impaired Volkanovski's ability to see.
