Diego Lopes may or may not find himself in a UFC championship fight later this month.

The fan-favorite Brazilian will serve as the official backup for the UFC featherweight title fight between champion Ilia Topuria and former champ Max Holloway on Oct. 26 at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. This means Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has been training and will weigh in for the bout, just in case either headliner is forced to withdraw from the bout.

So who would Lopes rather face in an ideal scenario: Topuria or Holloway?

“I definitely would rather fight with Ilia for the undisputed title. That would be amazing,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “We’ve also really analyzed everything. We’ve sat down to analyze both fighters. People might take this the wrong way and say, ‘No, I don’t believe him,’ but I think for me, a fight against Topuria would be a better matchup for my style.

“It’s a fight that suits me. Against Max, it’s a fight where we have to mount a more complex strategy with no errors. With Topuria, as well, I’m not saying no, but I think against him things would be more favorable because I like to exchange and clash, and I hit hard. I’m capable of knocking out people. And since Ilia throws with everything and I throw with everything, we can say it’s a shootout and let’s see who falls first. So the fight against Ilia definitely suits more my style.”

Lopes previously told MMA Junkie that his dream fight would be against Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC). However, under this scenario, if he were to fight Holloway it would likely be for an interim title, given that Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is the champion. This makes a potential fight with Topuria a better choice.

Lopes’ services won’t be needed if both fighters make weight and stay on course. If the fight does go down, Lopes sides with the former champion.

“I’m still giving an edge to Holloway due to all the experience he has in that octagon and all the fighters he’s faced,” Lopes said. “He’s also never been knocked out, but we know anything can happen, and Ilia has power in his hands. However, I’m still giving the advantage to Max.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

Real Madrid prioritise signing Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool and Man City chase Nicolo Barella, Arsenal monitor Benjamin Sesko.

Real Madrid have made Liverpool and England defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, 26, a priority target. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, 27, but the Italy midfielder is also on the radar of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Arsenal are following the progress of Red Bull Salzburg and Slovenia forward Benjamin Sesko, 21, as they begin to plan for next summer’s transfer window. (Football London), external

Crystal Palace are not willing to entertain any offers for 26-year-old Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr in January. (Football Insider), external

Manchester United have added Turkey boss and former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella, 50, to their shortlist of potential candidates to replace Dutch boss Erik ten Hag, 54, at Old Trafford. (Ajansspor – in Turkish), external

Ten Hag will have to oversee an immediate improvement in results and performances at Manchester United if he is to keep his job beyond the next international break. (Mirror), external

Manchester United are lining up midfield replacements for Denmark international Christian Eriksen, 32, as well as Brazil international Casemiro, 32. (Football Insider), external

United are also clear favourites to sign Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, if he leaves Barcelona next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Real Madrid are considering a January move for 18-year-old England youth international Josh Acheampong, with Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham also interested in the Chelsea right-back. (Independent), external

The UFC is heading back down under.

On Wednesday the world’s leading MMA promotion announced that UFC 312 is set to take place on Feb. 9 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.

Australia has become a staple of the UFC’s annual rotation in the past few years with the promotion recently holding UFC 305 at the RAC Arena in Perth.

This is the UFC’s first trip to Sydney since UFC 293 in September of 2023. That evening played host to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history when Sean Strickland put on a masterclass performance to take the UFC middleweight title from Israel Adesanya.

Overall this is the promotion’s seventh trip to Qudos Bank Arena and comes just one week after the UFC heads back to Riyadh for its second ever trip to Saudi Arabia.

At this time no fights have been announced for UFC 312, though there is already speculation that the event could be headlined by a featherweight title fight between former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and the winner of the upcoming main event between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308.

There is now one official date and location on the UFC schedule for 2025.

UFC 312 is official for Qudos Bank Arena on Feb. 8 (Feb. 9 local) in Sydney, the promotion announced Wednesday. No fight revelations coincided with the announcement.

The event marks the second of three pay-per-views as part of a deal between the promotion and New South Wales Government in May 2023 to bring three UFC pay-per-view events to Sydney between 2023 and 2027.

The first event of that deal was UFC 293 in September 2023. That event was headlined by Sean Strickland’s title fight upset over then-champion Israel Adesanya. The card was the first in Sydney since 2017.

Say g’day to summer down under ☀️🇦🇺#UFC312 is coming to @Sydney_Sider!#FeelNewSydney | Feb 09 | Details at https://t.co/A5j1LxWSHS pic.twitter.com/CU46DNUloL

— UFC (@ufc) October 16, 2024

No other events have been revealed for the UFC’s 2025 schedule, though fighters have referenced a potential Jan. 18 pay-per-view in the Los Angeles area. Additionally, a Jan. 11 event has been rumored for the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Max Holloway was a bad motherf*cker well before he was officially granted the title.

The “BMF” champion faces featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 308 on Oct. 26 and ahead of that matchup, the UFC has uploaded a video highlighting some of Holloway’s most memorable in-cage moments.

Watch the video below.

Included in the highlight reel are Holloway’s fight-ending taunt to Ricardo Lamas that started it all, his one-sided beatdowns of Brian Ortega and Calvin Kattar, and his brutal last-second knockout of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 that earned him the BMF belt.

Holloway also provides commentary for these classic scenes.

“I love Gaethje,” Holloway said. “So seeing him go down like that is kind of tough because I respect the shit out of him. Not a lot of guys would accept the call and he did, especially how in that moment he went for it, because I knew if the moment was reversed he would have gave me the moment. What an animal.”

He added that his favorite part of the Gaethje clip actually involved his upcoming opponent, Ilia Topuria, who had a front row seat to the unbelievable knockout.

“It’s of Ilia Topuria looking lost, like he don’t know where he was,” Holloway said. “He didn’t even know if he was in a human dimension.”

We know that Tuesday, Nov. 5, is a hugely important day in America.

Obviously, it’s the NFL trade deadline, and football fans got a sneak preview of what could be ahead with a flurry of moves this week, most notably Davante Adams going to the Jets and Amari Cooper to the Bills.

[2024 NFL trade deadline tracker: Latest deals across the league]

Will there be even bigger names dealt this season? For teams that have disappointed so far, trading a prominent player is a chance to reload with draft picks. If you have a pending free agent you think will sign elsewhere in March, this is an opportunity to get a pick now instead of waiting for a compensatory pick to come in 2026. And if you’re a contender who’s close, this is your chance to push the chips to the middle of the table and make the most of the window ahead.

So we’re offering up 10 of the biggest names who might be traded, where they might end up and what it might cost to get them.

Maxx Crosby, OLB, Raiders

Crosby, 27, is an elite edge rusher, the kind that really doesn’t come available in free agency or trades. He’s made the Pro Bowl three years in a row, led the NFL in tackles for loss the past two years, and is leading in that category again this year. The Raiders trading Adams makes you wonder if they’d listen to offers for Crosby, just because they could get a huge package of picks — a first-rounder and more.

The instinct here is that cooler heads will prevail, and the Raiders will keep him as a foundational player. But if a team like Detroit really sought a substantial replacement for Aidan Hutchinson, who could be out for the season with a broken leg, Crosby would be the brass ring.

Potential match: Crosby to the Lions, for a 2025 first-round pick and a 2026 second-rounder

Bryce Young, QB, Panthers

Would they really cut bait and move on from a No. 1 overall pick? The Panthers have been a different team since they switched to Andy Dalton, and if they’re sticking with the veteran quarterback, it’s probably better to deal Young now than in the offseason.

If you’re a team without a QB of the future, taking a shot on Young is low-risk and low-cost — basically two years and $10 million after this season. The Panthers could wait until they draft a quarterback in April, but the demand might not be as strong then. A team like the Dolphins, unsure if they can count on Tua Tagovailoa due to multiple concussions, would have an inexpensive plan B who would upgrade their backup situation if nothing else.

Potential match: Young to the Dolphins, for 2025 third- and sixth-round picks

Shawne Merriman on Bryce Young: ‘He was doomed walking in the door’

Haason Reddick, OLB, Jets

We’re six weeks into the 2024 season and Reddick hasn’t so much as practiced for New York since the team acquired him from the Eagles. So you don’t know what shape he’s going to be in and if he needs a few weeks to get up to speed. Plus, you’re getting a half-season, and any trade would require a long-term commitment with a new deal.

The Jets have lost all leverage here, so they have to know they won’t get back the third-rounder they sent to the Eagles. At some point, you’re just selling low to walk away with something. Of the contenders, the 49ers have the most cap space to handle a new contract, though they’ll have their own stars to re-sign with that same cap space soon.

Potential match: Reddick to the 49ers, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Titans

Hopkins is 32, and he’s had only modest production this year, totaling 14 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown amid Tennessee’s offensive struggles. He’s a free agent in the spring, so he probably is done with the Titans either way. 

It’s hard to see the Saints as buyers at 2-4 and with four straight losses headed into Thursday night’s game against Denver, but with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed both sidelined by injuries, Hopkins would be a high-volume No. 1 in the short term and a veteran target for Derek Carr once he’s back healthy.

Potential match: Hopkins to the Saints, for a 2025 seventh-round pick

Budda Baker, S, Cardinals

If the Cardinals lose to the Chargers on Monday, they’ll drop to 2-5, which makes them sellers. Baker has played his entire eight-year career in Arizona but will be a free agent in the spring, so he’s a smart addition for a team looking for a veteran leader in the secondary. 

Baker is a three-time All-Pro and a six-time Pro Bowler. At age 28, he’s still a tackling machine, with 60 in six games as well as three tackles for loss. Send him to Minnesota, and the Vikings could pair him with Harrison Smith and Cam Bynum in a big-nickel three-safety look.

Potential match: Baker to the Vikings, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

Mike Williams, WR, Jets

Williams is 30 and the odd man out with the Jets adding Adams to an already deep receiving corps. His $10 million salary and middling production — 10 catches for 145 yards and no touchdowns in six games — mean New York would likely need to eat some of his remaining salary to get a team to take him for the rest of this season. 

Williams could be an experienced presence for a team with a young receiver room. Here’s hoping he gets dealt to a contender, as he’s played only two playoff games in his first seven years in the league.

Potential match: Williams to the Steelers, for a 2026 late-round pick swap

Did Aaron Rodgers cross the line calling out Mike Williams after Jets’ loss?

Greg Newsome, CB, Browns

The Browns are bad enough that they should be sellers here, and they could deal from a surplus at corner. It’s doubtful they’d trade Denzel Ward or Martin Emerson, but perhaps they could dangle Newsome, a 2021 first-rounder who’s fallen into a slot role. His fifth-year option will pay him well in 2025, but for a team that will use him in an every-down role, his versatility could make him a smart upgrade.

Potential match: Newsome to the Packers, for a 2025 fourth-round pick

Diontae Johnson, WR, Panthers

Johnson, 28, is the kind of high-volume receiver the Chiefs need after the injuries they’ve taken at the position. He leads the Panthers with 29 receptions for 340 yards and three touchdowns, but they could deal him and still have rookie Xavier Legette, Jonathan Mingo and veteran Adam Thielen.

Johnson will be expensive as a second-tier free agent next spring, but Kansas City needs reliable targets for Patrick Mahomes in the postseason. Whether he sticks there for the long term or not, it makes sense now.

Potential match: Johnson to the Chiefs, for a 2025 fifth-round pick

Azeez Ojulari, OLB, Giants

He’s only 24 and will be a coveted free agent in the spring, but the Giants already broke the bank on Brian Burns, so Ojulari is likely to sign elsewhere. He has three sacks and is on course for his best season since his rookie year, when he had eight. 

The Giants are 2-4 and if they lose to the Eagles this week, they might be in full sell mode. A team like the Falcons, who are tied for the division lead but dead last in the NFL with five sacks, would make sense here. Even though they already traded for Matthew Judon, they need more pressure up front if they want to be a relevant playoff team.

Potential match: Ojulari to the Falcons, for a 2025 fifth-round pick

Khalil Herbert, RB, Bears

Herbert, 26, rushed for 611 yards last year and has a 4.8-yard career average, but he’s a forgotten man in Chicago, running for only 16 yards all season. The Raiders sure could use help at running back, and Herbert has a connection with Vegas offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, who used to be the Bears’ OC. As long as D’Andre Swift and Roschon Johnson stay healthy in Chicago, dealing Herbert is getting something for nothing.

Potential match: Herbert to the Raiders, for a 2025 seventh-round pick

Greg Auman is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He previously spent a decade covering the Buccaneers for the Tampa Bay Times and The Athletic. You can follow him on Twitter at @gregauman.

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