Photo via @OktagonOfficial on Twitter
Gustavo Lopez “Going to go out there and just destroy people”
Gustavo Lopez bested Filip Macek at Oktagon 38 on December 30th via a first-round guillotine choke to win interim bantamweight gold.
Lopez returned to Bowks Talking Bouts and discussed unifying the title next, a possible fight with the Oktagon MMA featherweight champion, and more. Excerpts from our recent chat are below.
Gustavo Lopez
Winning a title belt on ten days’ notice after a fifteen-month layoff and overall thoughts on the fight itself
“Everybody wants to see the belt. It’s a lot heavier than we imagined. Everybody’s like wow, didn’t expect it to be this heavy. Oktagon for the promotion that they are, they did a really amazing job… All the guys out there did such a great job getting me out there, getting me set. It felt like it was ran very, very well. So I’m very happy with the promotion. Very happy with everybody out there, they took care of me, and just had an amazing time.”
“It’s not just about just getting the win. That confidence, I know that I’m good. I know that I’m one of the best in the world. It’s just some days it just don’t work out for you. But I do everything I need to do to make sure that we’re ready and I’m ready for this big opportunity. I know I train with the best in the world. So it’s not like we’re not doing what we need to do. It’s just, it’s hard. There’s a lot of doubt in your head after you lose and after you get draws. But deep down I knew I had what I needed to be ready to take a fight.”
Oktagon 38
2023 goals for Gustavo Lopez in MMA with the context of the lineal bantamweight champ being injured and Lopez getting called out by Oktagon’s featherweight champion Mate Sanikidze as well
“I literally want to fight against the best guys in the world to tell you the truth. I feel like I’m going to go out there and just destroy people. Am so confident in my skill. I’m not worried about it, I know I put in the work. Xtreme Couture does an amazing job… I keep getting better. This year off, actually, it could have been a blessing because I feel incredible right now. I really do and I’m just going to want to keep that momentum alive. Keep going and keep winning. Trying to make as much money as possible because that helps.”
“I would eat that guy alive if he (Mate Sanikidze) comes down to bantamweight. If it makes sense, man. If the company are willing to pay enough money to make that possible (a Sanikidze fight) yeah, that would be a fun thing to do.”
