Overview
- Stirling stopped Bruno Lopes by TKO at 4:05 of Round 2 in Seattle, following Saturday's UFC Fight Night 271 at Climate Pledge Arena.
- The finish came after multiple knockdowns and a long spell of ground-and-pound in which referee Keith Peterson waited to intervene as Lopes absorbed heavy damage.
- The 28-year-old improved to 9-0 overall and 4-0 in the UFC, notching his first promotional finish and answering doubts about his earlier run of decision wins.
- In his post-fight interview, Stirling called for Ion Cuțelaba, a veteran coming off a submission win over Oumar Sy who often serves as a gatekeeper near the rankings.
- Coverage noted minor inconsistencies in Lopes’ pre-fight UFC record, with outlets listing him as either 1-1 or 1-2, though the result of this bout is not in dispute.