The UFC featherweight division could look completely different in less than a week, depending on the results of UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes.
With the title vacated, a new champion will be crowned in the main event when former titleholder Alexander Volkanovski faces the surging star Diego Lopes. The main card also features two Top 15 contenders putting their rankings on the line, along with the UFC introduction of international star Patricio Pitbull.
Order UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes
Here’s all the action you won’t want to miss in the 145-pound division:
After taking a year off from competition, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will look to reclaim the throne he once held for over four years. During his reign, he defended the title against Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, The Korean Zombie and Brian Ortega. However, his reign came to a dramatic halt last February when he suffered a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.
With a year off to refocus his mind and recover his body, Volkanovski has the chance to get his title back, but it won’t be easy. He faces Brazilian finisher Diego Lopes, who presents a versatile threat unlike anything Volkanovski has encountered before.
MAIN EVENT: Volkanovski Pre-Fight Interview | Lopes Pre-Fight Interview | Full Fight Marathon
Lopes burst onto the UFC scene in 2023 when he stepped in on just a few days' notice to face Top 15 contender Movsar Evloev. Although he wasn’t victorious that night, his constant submission threats and entertaining fight style immediately caught the attention of fight fans worldwide, showcasing his potential.
The 30-year-old has since won five fights in a row, including finishes over Sodiq Yusuff, Pat Sabatini and Gavin Tucker, an unprecedented victory over Dan Ige on just two hours' notice, and a dominant win over Brian Ortega inside Sphere. If Lopes gets the job done on Saturday, his meteoric rise will be comparable only to a select few in UFC history.
Ask and you shall receive.
After stopping Melsik Baghdasaryan in February to extend his UFC knockout streak to four, Jean Silva called out No. 13 ranked Bryce Mitchell – and he got exactly what he wanted. The Fighting Nerds product has been a force to be reckoned with since his debut last year, and if he can deliver the same kind of performance against Mitchell, he will put the entire division on notice.
MORE: UFC 314 Press Conference Flashback
For Mitchell, this is a crucial matchup to silence his critics and solidify his position in the featherweight rankings. While his loss to Josh Emmett has been played on repeat in highlight reels ahead of Emmett's main event fight against Lerone Murphy, let’s not forget Mitchell’s impressive knockout of Kron Gracie the last time he stepped into the Octagon.
This matchup is already generating a lot of heat, as seen at the first UFC 314 press conference last month, and is a can’t miss bout in the middle of Saturday night’s main card.
While the main event athletes are backstage finishing their warm-ups, they might just take a moment to watch former interim title challenger Yair Rodriguez welcome Patricio Pitbull to the Octagon.
UFC fans have been eyeing Pitbull for quite some time. The former three-time Bellator featherweight champion and former Bellator lightweight champion has had an incredibly accomplished career outside of the UFC, which includes a 61-second knockout of Michael Chandler.
READ: Patricio Pitbull's Journey To UFC
But standing in his way is Rodriguez who, despite losing his last two bouts to Volkanovski and Ortega, remains one of the most formidable 145ers in the UFC. Rodriguez is especially dangerous early in fights, which could be a challenge for Pitbull as he steps into this stage for the first time.
If either fighter delivers a standout performance on Saturday, it could put them in prime position for a No. 1 contender fight later this year.
The UFC 314 prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ will open and close in the featherweight division. The featured prelim will see No. 15 ranked contender Dan Ige, who’s coming off fights against title challenger Diego lopes and undefeated contender Lerone Murphy, collide with Sean Woodson, who’s gone unbeaten in his last seven fights.
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With an impressive victory, Ige, a perennial contender in the 145-pound division, could put him back in the mix with the division’s elite. For Woodson, a victory over Ige would move him into the rankings for what could be a breakout year for the Dana White’s Contender Series grad.
The prelims will kick off with an exciting clash between two all-action featherweights in Darren Elkins and Julian Erosa, who combine for a whopping 39 finishes. Elkins is riding an impressive two-fight win streak, with a submission win over TJ Brown and unanimous decision win over Daniel Pineda last time out. Erosa is also fresh off two wins in 2024, both by first-round guillotine submission against Christian Rodriguez and Ricardo Ramos.
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes took place live from Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on April 12, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
