UFC 314: Volkanovski and Lopes to Compete for Vacant Featherweight Title

A new featherweight champion will be crowned at the upcoming UFC event in Miami. UFC CEO Dana White has announced that Ilia Topuria has relinquished his title, paving the way for former champion Alexander Volkanovski to face rising star Diego Lopes for the vacant belt. This highly anticipated matchup will headline UFC 314 on April 12 at the Kaseya Center.

The co-main event features an exciting lightweight clash between Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett in a five-round bout. Additionally, former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull makes his UFC debut against ex-interim champion Yair Rodriguez.

Volkanovski returns to the octagon after a 14-month hiatus, following his loss to Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024. The Australian fighter had previously defended his title five times, including two victories over Max Holloway.

Lopes enters his first title fight on a five-fight winning streak, most recently dominating Brian Ortega at UFC 306 last September.

Chandler aims to bounce back from two consecutive losses, while Pimblett looks to extend his perfect 6-0 UFC record, coming off a swift submission victory over King Green at UFC 304 in July.

The card also features a welterweight bout between Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates, as well as a featherweight contest pitting Dan Ige against Sean Woodson.