Jorge Masvidal questions UFC choice of Diego Lopes for Charles Oliveira’s first BMF title defense at UFC 335

The UFC’s plan for Charles Oliveira’s first Baddest Motherf - er (BMF) title defense at UFC 335 has drawn pushback from Jorge Masvidal, a former BMF champion who believes the promotion selected the wrong direction for its next title storyline. According to Yahoo Sports, Masvidal prefers a different opponent for Oliveira than Diego Lopes, who has been reported as the choice for the champion’s initial defense.

The debate matters because the BMF title is not handled like a typical belt with a rigid, contender-by-contender ladder. Instead, it is marketed as a status prize and matchup showcase, and the first defense often sets the tone for how the division is framed for the next chapter. If the champion’s opening opponent does not land with a key figure in the sport, it can raise questions about how the UFC balances rankings, fan interest, and stylistic matchups when it builds a pay-per-view main event picture.

Oliveira’s status entering this defense is also important context. Even when a champion’s reign is new, the opening defense typically becomes a reference point for whether the promotion is prioritizing the most compelling matchup available, the most marketable name, or the cleanest competitive narrative. Masvidal’s comments, as reported by Yahoo Sports, suggest he thinks Oliveira’s first title act could have been framed more effectively with a different opponent than Lopes.

Masvidal’s perspective carries weight because he is not speaking abstractly about matchmaking. He is a former BMF champion, which means his critique is rooted in how the title is supposed to function within UFC storytelling. In other words, the disagreement is not simply “who should win,” but “what should the BMF title stand for in this moment,” and whether Lopes is the right choice to advance that identity for Oliveira’s reign.

For UFC 335, the practical issue is less about who is deserving in theory and more about the UFC’s stated and implied intent for Oliveira’s next step. A first defense against a particular opponent can influence the momentum of the surrounding contenders, shape what kind of fight the champion is expected to take next, and determine which fights become logical follow-ons for the winner of the bout.

At the same time, the reported preference from Masvidal is still one viewpoint, and the final matchup picture depends on the UFC’s negotiations, availability, and overall event construction. Without additional confirmation from official UFC materials in this case, Masvidal’s comments should be treated as commentary on matchmaking rather than proof that the promotion made a miscalculation.

What to watch next is whether the UFC or Oliveira’s camp addresses the criticism directly, and whether Lopes’s involvement is framed publicly as part of a longer-term plan for Oliveira’s reign. If the fight goes forward as scheduled, the result will largely determine whether Masvidal’s concerns become a talking point only, or whether they prove to be a sign that the UFC reached for the wrong first defense narrative.