Miami is set to host an exciting UFC featherweight title bout, but Ilia Topuria will not be part of it. UFC 314 is scheduled for April 12 at the Kaseya Center, featuring Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes competing for the vacant featherweight championship.
Topuria, the current champion, will vacate his title before the fight begins as he plans to move up to the lightweight division later this year. UFC CEO Dana White mentioned that Topuria feels he has accomplished everything he could in the featherweight category and can no longer make the weight comfortably. The official announcement about Topuria’s next opponent is pending.
Volkanovski, with a record of 26 wins and 4 losses, is looking to rebound after facing two knockouts in a row—to Islam Makhachev and Topuria. He last fought in February 2024 when he lost to Topuria, ending his impressive five-fight title defense streak.
On the other hand, Lopes, who holds a record of 26 wins and 6 losses, has made a remarkable journey from being relatively unknown to a title challenger in under two years. Since his debut setback against Movsar Evloev, he has bounced back admirably with five consecutive wins, the latest being a unanimous decision victory over Brian Ortega in September.
The UFC 314 fight card includes several exciting matchups:
- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes – for the vacant featherweight title
- Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
- Patricio Freire vs. Yair Rodriguez
- Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
- Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
- Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
- Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan
- Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller
- Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero
- Su Mudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
- Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
- Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
This card promises to deliver thrilling action for fight fans. Don’t miss out on these exciting bouts!
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