This is the UFC 314 live blog for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes, the featherweight championship main event Saturday at Kaseya Center in Miami.
Volkanovski and Lopes battle for a vacant title following champion Ilia Topuria announcing a move up to lightweight.
In the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, Volkanovski (26-4) holds the No. 2 spot, while Lopes (26-6) is close behind at No. 5. Volkanovski is also tied for No. 13 on the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound list.
Volkanovski aims to become two-time champion after dropping the belt to Topuria via a brutal knockout in February 2024. The time off could do the 36-year-old future Hall of Famer some good, though history is against him. No fighter has ever won an undisputed UFC title coming off of two straight losses (prior to losing to Topuria, Volkanovski also lost via knockout to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev).
If anyone can make history, it’s Volkanovski, who already authored one of the greatest runs in featherweight history when he defended his UFC title five consecutive times from 2020-2023. He holds a trio of wins over fellow legend Max Holloway, and has also defeated the likes of Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega, Chan Sung Jung, Jose Aldo, and Chad Mendes.
Lopes’ hit list isn’t nearly as decorated, but the 30-year-old has youth on his side and no shortage of confidence. Since making his short-notice debut in a competitive loss to undefeated contender Movsar Evloev, Lopes has rattled off five consecutive wins to turn himself into a popular title challenger. He can complete his star turn Saturday with an impressive performance against Volkanovski.
Check out the UFC 314 live blog for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes below.
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