Diego Lopes details why he is backing Justin Gaethje to beat Ilia Topuria

Diego Lopes said he now favors Justin Gaethje to upset Ilia Topuria in the UFC Freedom 250 main event, noting the bout's title-unification stakes. Speaking with Ariel Helwani, he argued that Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje is closer than odds suggest and that Gaethje's power could decide it. He contrasted prior foes—Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and Charles Oliveira—as less one-punch oriented in assessing UFC Freedom 250, calling the fight "like a car crash…50-50." UFC Freedom 250 is set for Sunday, June 14, on the White House south lawn in Washington, D.C., with Alex Pereira vs. Ciryl Gane in the co-main. Lopes is scheduled to open against Steve Garcia.