Diego Lopes blames Yair Rodriguez for holding off on UFC grudge match

Diego Lopes is putting the blame on Yair Rodriguez for the lack of movement as far as a grudge match is concerned.

Despite having bad blood with “El Pantera,” Lopes will be fighting Jean Silva in the main event of Noche UFC on Sept. 13. Lopes vs. Silva figures to be an explosive fight with major implications in the featherweight division. Still, many are wondering why Rodriguez wasn’t booked to face Lopes unless he’s receiving the next 145-pound title opportunity.

Regardless, Silva believes Rodriguez’s track record is enough to prove he doesn’t want to fight him right now.

RELATED: DIEGO LOPES CONTINUES TO QUESTION RIVAL YAIR RODRIGUEZ OVER POTENTIAL FIGHT

Diego Lopes Thinks Yair Rodriguez Held Off on Grudge Match

During an interview with Danny Segura for MMAJunkie‘s “Hablemos MMA,” Diego Lopes said he never expected to get Yair Rodriguez to agree to a fight this soon.

“I knew that the fight with Yair was going to be hard to get done, I don’t need to say anything, we know his past record,” Lopes told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. “We know how he sometimes sits out and wants things to fall on his lap like a gift. His past record speaks for itself. I don’t need to name names, but he hasn’t accepted many fights. I’m the opposite, I don’t sit and wait for anything. If you want to fight, accept the fight, and let’s go. So Jean Silva wants to fight, let’s fight then.”

Lopes and Rodriguez exchanged heated words in the buildup to UFC 314. While the two weren’t booked against one another, they did compete on the same card. Lopes fell short in his bid to become the UFC Featherweight Champion against Alexander Volkanovski, while Rodriguez defeated Patricio “Pitbull” Freire. Ahead of fight night, Rodriguez accused Lopes and his team of jumping one of his friends.