A few hours before UFC 314 takes place, Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will be in optimal condition to enter the octagon to be part of the main fight of the night. The city of Miami will witness this great fight on Saturday, April 12 at 10:00 PM (US Eastern time) and 7:00 PM (Pacific time). Undoubtedly, both fighters will use all their power to conquer the UFC featherweight title, now vacant, which Ilia Topuria relinquished to venture into the lightweight category.
In the foreground is Alexander Volkanovski, a native of Wollongong, Australia, who is 36 years old and will arrive with a record of 26 wins and four losses. Among his achievements, he has five successful defenses when he was UFC featherweight champion. Meanwhile, Diego Lopes is 30 years old and is originally from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. With less experience, the Brazilian has very good credentials with 13 wins and only 3 losses.
After being on top for over four years, the former 145-pound champion is now back to being a contender after Alexander Volkanovski’s reign was ended by Ilia Topuria. A rematch between them was a big talking point throughout 2024 especially after Volkanovski took the fight in less than ideal circumstances. However, this is no longer the case following the news that Topuria has vacated the title to move up to lightweight leaving Volkanovski to fight for the interim belt. He will now face Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 314 as the Aussie looks to seize the throne for a second time by halting the momentum of a breakout challenger.
Physical Attributes and Fighting Styles
Another topic to visualize this fight is the physical complexion where the Australian has a height of 1.83 meters with a weight of 66.5 kilograms. These data will be a disadvantage for the South American who is 1.80 meters tall. These three centimeters of difference can be vital to keep him at bay. However, recent history indicates that Lopes has managed to beat his opponents regardless of height so there is also a similar detail between the two.
In terms of fighting style and build, they are not alike at all, and the difference is even more pronounced when examining their records, physical issues and even their technical performance in the octagon. Although the type of path traveled, Volkanosvski would have an important factor on his side.
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Alexander Volkanovski is not exactly a prolific finisher, as he has 13 technical knockouts, which represents a 50% knockout rate. Meanwhile, Diego Lopes has achieved 10 TKO, which gives him a lower percentage than Volkanovski, with 38.5%. In terms of submissions, Volkanovski has only three, which represents a percentage of 11.5%. ‘The Great’ has already secured his status as one of the best featherweights of all time but he will now take on the division’s newest star.
Here's a summary of their key stats:
| Fighter | Age | Record (W-L) | Height | Weight | TKO Wins | Submission Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Volkanovski | 36 | 26-4 | 1.83 m | 66.5 kg | 13 (50%) | 3 (11.5%) |
| Diego Lopes | 30 | 13-3 | 1.80 m | N/A | 10 (38.5%) | N/A |
Alexander Volkanovski won’t be afraid to test Diego Lopes anywhere. Alexander Volkanovski has always been confident to compete with any fighter at any range and his win over Brian Ortega was a great example of that. He knew the threat that ‘T-City’ could present off his back and even after coming through some tough situations, he continued to put Ortega on the canvas and reign down ground and pound. In 26 pro fights, Diego Lopes has produced 12 submission wins but only one of them has come in the UFC when he caught Gavin Tucker in a spectacular triangle armbar. The grappling exchanges between these two men are sure to be fascinating with the creative style of Lopes coming up against Volkanovski’s machine-like focus.
Expert Analysis and Predictions
What It Means: Skill for skill, “The Great” is one of the best mixed martial artists on the planet. His best work is done on the feet, but the way he blends in wrestling or defends takedowns when needed makes him all the trickier to solve. On the feet, he is a quick and diverse striker. Despite his smaller frame, he does well to fight on the outside behind a surprisingly long jab and leg kicks. From there, he is masterful at making adjustments in the fight to get into his range and string together combinations.
What It Means: Diego Lopes starts his fights like a bat out of hell, but he does so with an extremely high skill level. He swarms his opponents with pressure and has excellent boxing, especially on the inside. He generates a lot of power without having to overextend himself, and part of that comes from his confidence in his grappling.
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What to Look For in the Fight: Volkanovski took the last 14 months to rest and recharge following two knockout losses in the span of four months, so he will enter the fight with a lot of questions swirling around him regarding rest and his chin. Lopes is an opponent who will ask those questions from “The Great” almost immediately. If the fight can play out over several rounds, Volkanovski has the track record for growing stronger as the fight goes while Lopes has yet to go five rounds in the Octagon. However, Lopes’ finishing record proves he is dangerous in every moment of the fight, and the 36-year-old Volkanovski will have to be mindful of all the dangers coming his way.
Rogan, DC & Anik react to Alex Volkanovski’s UFC 314 win vs. Diego Lopes | ESPN MMA
Alexander Volkanovski and his team have prepared for some of the biggest fights and challenges possible. What made ‘The Great’ such a strong champion in the first place was his well-rounded skillset and ability to adapt to different opponents. Despite his excellent skills, in his title defense against Brian Ortega at UFC 266, it was the resilience of the champion that received the most praise. Volkanovski dominated the fight but had to battle through some incredibly difficult moments where his opponent was able to produce some serious submission attempts in the blink of an eye.
With Diego Lopes also being an incredibly dangerous fight finisher when the fight hits the floor, Volkanovski’s head coach Joe Lopez made reference to this in a recent interview with Submission Radio when he was asked where Lopes presents the biggest threat. “Well look, on the ground, he’s very similar to Brian. He’s very instinctual so he just throws things naturally and naturally knows where he wants to be and where he doesn’t want to be and that sort of makes him dangerous because he’s a bit unpredictable like he just jumps on things. That Movsar (Evloev) fight, the transitions from armbar to triangle and back, very technical stuff.”
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