Diego Lopes faces Steve Garcia at UFC White House event

Diego Lopes kicked off the UFC White House event with a bang.

Diego Lopes started slow but finished emphatically with a devastating knockout over Steve Garcia

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 14: Diego Lopes of Brazil walks to the Octagon in a middleweight fight during the UFC Freedom 250 event on the South Lawn at the White House on June 14, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Diego Lopes was down but never out after he started slow but then delivered a devastating knockout over Steve Garcia to kick off the UFC White House card on Sunday. After getting backed up by Garcia for the entire first round and then the start of the second, Lopes finally threw caution to the wind and just started marching forward, gunning for the finish. The strategy paid off after Lopes drew Garcia into a dog fight and blasted him with a hard left hand that staggered the Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter. A moment later, Lopes unloaded another brutal left hook that sent Garcia crashing to the canvas. Lopes followed him to the ground with some vicious punches that put Garcia out as referee Mike Beltran rushed in to stop the fight with the end coming at 2:42 in the first round. OH MY DIEGO LOPES JUST KNOCKED OUT STEVE GARCIA TO KICK OFF #UFCWhiteHouse 🤯 [ LIVE NOW ON @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/FpCM32D3GO — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) June 15, 2026 “This is unbelievable,” Lopes said after his win. “The whole week I don’t believe this happening but this happened. I’m the first guy to take a great win here. I know Steve is so dangerous in the first round. Nobody can beat me … if you come in the middle of the fight, I’m sorry guys I’m knocking everybody out.” Garcia was on the attack early and he caught Lopes with a stiff right hand but it wasn’t long before the two-time title challenger connected with one of his own. Lopes was also loading up on kicks going to the head and body but Garcia defended effectively. It appeared Lopes was a little hesitant in some of the exchanges with Garcia staying strong on a lead jab before going to the body with a hard shot. Garcia closed the opening round with a nasty straight left as he continued pursuing Lopes around the cage. Garcia was just chipping away and staying more active, especially with his right hand repeatedly tatting Lopes and then following with a powerful left behind it. But then in an instant, Lopes decided enough was enough and he just went on the attack as he marched forward and started blasting away with huge punches. Lopes clipped Garcia with a left hand that spelled the beginning of the end. As soon as Garcia was rocked, he just bit down on his mouthpiece and started throwing but Lopes was ready and he connected with another nasty left hook that put his opponent down and out. A few more punches on the ground separated Garcia from consciousness and Lopes got the victory. A constant threat to anybody at 145 pounds, Lopes may be out of the title picture for now after two losses to reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski but with performances like these, it may not take him lon to get back into championship contention again.

Diego Lopes and Steve Garcia face off at UFC White House