Diego Lopes may have clinched victory in a thrilling showdown, but his triumph was marred by an unsportsmanlike incident involving Jean Silva immediately after the match.

The battle unfolded dramatically, with Lopes leveraging his skills to dominate early on. However, Silva mounted a fierce comeback in the second round. Just as he seemed to build momentum, Lopes delivered a jaw-dropping spinning back elbow that decisively ended the fight just moments later.

Despite blood streaming down his face and immediate evidence of the damage from Lopes' blows, Silva protested the referee's stoppage. But Lopes' celebration took an unexpected turn when Silva retaliated, striking him in the back of the head as he walked away.

In an exclusive post-fight interview, Lopes recounted the incident, expressing his bewilderment at Silva's behavior: "After the fight, Jean hit me in the back of my head. I said what happened? I don’t know. Next, this guy tried to act friendly with me. Why? I can’t understand. You hit me in the back of my head, that’s not nice."

However, tensions appeared to ease after Lopes was declared the winner with a second-round TKO, and Silva seemed to attempt a reconciliation. Despite the post-fight fracas, Lopes revealed he was ready to channel his emotions, especially after his rival's weeks of trash talk leading up to the event.

Reflecting on the fight, Lopes stated, "This guy talked a lot during the lead-up. I remained calm, choosing to let my skills speak for themselves in the octagon. After the fight, I went to his corner and told his coaches to put some respect on my name. It's time to recognize who’s who in this sport."

Ultimately, Lopes executed his game plan flawlessly, showcasing his training and readiness for the challenge. "I knew this fight had levels, and today, I proved that," he declared. "Each time he threw, I found openings. I had practiced that spinning elbow backstage with my team, and I’m grateful for their support and strategy."

With this highlight-reel victory under his belt, Lopes is now back on the winning track following his previous bout against featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Fans can expect Lopes to continue making waves in the octagon as he gears up for his next challenge!