How Diego Lopes landed the UFC White House backup role Arman Tsarukyan was supposed to fill

The top 155lb contender recently made it clear that he didn’t plan to weigh in ahead of the UFC White House card, so MMA’s premier promotion was left scrambling for a replacement.

Choose which man will leave the White House as the undisputed UFC lightweight champion on June 14!

Diego Lopes details his chat with Hunter Campbell

Earlier this week, Arman Tsarukyan’s backup replacement was rumored to be Mauricio Ruffy.

The Brazilian knockout artist is set to face Michael Chandler in a lightweight bout at the White House.

However, Tsarukyan’s true replacement was revealed when Diego Lopes made weight twice on Saturday.

The two-time featherweight title challenger hit 146lbs to make his fight with Steve Garcia official.

After rehydrating, Lopes tipped the scale at 154lbs to become the Topuria vs. Gaethje backup.

“People already know how I am,” the Mexican fan favorite said.

“I like a challenge, and when we found out Arman Tsarukyan wasn’t coming anymore, we asked Hunter [Campbell], ‘What can we do? We can offer to be the backup. If you like, we are here.’ Then he said, ‘Alright, if you want to weigh in twice, no problem.’ I said, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’

“So we ended up weighing in twice. Hydrated back up, and we made the weight. 146lbs, let’s fight.

“And now we are also going to make the 154lb weight. We’re ready. Whatever happens, we’ll be there.”

UFC Freedom 250 weigh-in results

All 14 fighters hit their marks ahead of the historic UFC event at the White House on Sunday.

Ilia Topuria (155) vs. Justin Gaethje (155)

Alex Pereira (251) vs. Ciryl Gane (248)

Sean O’Malley (135.5) vs. Aiemann Zahabi (135)

Josh Hokit (231) vs. Derrick Lewis (265)

Mauricio Ruffy (155) vs. Michael Chandler (156)

Bo Nickal (186) vs. Kyle Daukaus (186)

Diego Lopes (146 & 154) vs. Steve Garcia (146)