Welcome to the live blog for the UFC 314 featherweight championship main event clash between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. The action unfolds Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Volkanovski and Lopes are competing for the vacant title after Ilia Topuria, the former champion, announced his move to the lightweight division.
In the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, Volkanovski is positioned at No. 2, with Lopes closely following at No. 5. Volkanovski also holds the No. 13 spot in the MMA Fighting pound-for-pound rankings.
Volkanovski is aiming to become a two-time champion after losing his belt to Topuria via knockout in February 2024. Despite the time off potentially benefiting the 36-year-old Hall of Famer, history presents a challenge. No fighter in UFC history has ever captured an undisputed title after suffering two consecutive losses (Volkanovski`s prior loss was also a knockout against lightweight champion Islam Makhachev).
If anyone can defy the odds, it`s Volkanovski. He has already cemented one of the most impressive reigns in featherweight history, defending his UFC title five times consecutively between 2020 and 2023. His record includes victories over legend Max Holloway multiple times, as well as wins against Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega, Chan Sung Jung, Jose Aldo, and Chad Mendes.
Lopes` list of accomplishments is not as extensive, but the 30-year-old possesses youth and strong self-belief. Since his debut as a short-notice replacement, where he put up a competitive fight against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev, Lopes has secured five straight wins, establishing himself as a compelling title contender. He has the opportunity to solidify his rising star status with a dominant performance against Volkanovski on Saturday.
Follow along with the UFC 314 live blog for real-time updates on the Alexander Volkanovski versus Diego Lopes fight below.
