Alexander Volkanovski is champion once again after a hard-fought win over Diego Lopes in the UFC 314 main event on Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Volkanovski (28-5 MMA, 15-4 UFC) earned a unanimous decision victory over Lopes (27-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC) with scores of 48-47, 49-46, and 49-46 to capture the vacant featherweight title.
Coming into the fight, many questioned whether Volkanovski could bounce back after suffering two straight knockout losses. But the former champ quickly silenced the doubt, pressing forward with aggression from the opening bell. He rocked Lopes early in Round 2 with a powerful shot that sent the Brazilian-born contender stumbling into the cage.
Lopes, however, showed his toughness by responding with a late-round knockdown of his own, dropping Volkanovski just before the horn. Despite the scare, Volkanovski found his rhythm again in Round 3, using crisp striking and elusive footwork to take control.
Lopes had his best moments in Round 4, including a big uppercut and an eye poke that temporarily slowed Volkanovski’s pace. But in the final round, both fighters went for broke. Volkanovski landed the cleaner shots down the stretch, leaving little doubt for the judges.
This marks the beginning of Volkanovski’s second reign as featherweight king. His first title run lasted from December 2019 to February 2023 and featured five successful defenses. He lost the belt to Ilia Topuria earlier this year, but Topuria later vacated the title after moving up to lightweight.
As for Lopes, the loss ends a five-fight win streak and marks just his second defeat in the UFC. The 29-year-old hadn’t lost since his debut in May 2023, and despite the setback, he remains a top contender in the division.
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