Jesse Holland is among the longest-tenured media professionals in the combat sports news space, covering MMA, professional wrestling and boxing on a full-time basis since early 2004.
Former UFC featherweight champion, Alex Volkanovski, will have an opportunity to reclaim the 145-pound crown when he collides with No. 3-ranked contender, Diego Lopes, atop the UFC 314 pay-per-view (PPV) event on Sat. night (April 12, 2025) at Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Both combatants came face-to-face earlier this week in “The Sunshine State” as part of the promotion’s UFC 314 “Embedded” preview, registering a quick fight week face off before moving on to other press-related activities. You can check out the entire UFC “Embedded” video (Ep. 3) below.
Volkanovski, 36, has not competed since losing his title to Topuria at UFC 298 back in early 2024, which came less than four months after a knockout loss to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev. As for Lopes, 30, he improved to 26-6 by outlasting Brian Ortega as part of the UFC 306 fight card last fall in Las Vegas, his fifth straight win.
The title was vacated when Ilia Topuria jumped to lightweight.
LIVE! Watch UFC 314 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
FEATHERWEIGHT MADNESS! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) continues its 2025 pay-per-view (PPV) schedule on Sat., April 12, 2025, with a high-stakes clash between Featherweight standout, Alexander Volkanovski, and rising contender, Diego Lopes, battling for Ilia Topuria’s vacated Featherweight title in the five-round main event. In UFC 314’s electrifying co-headliner from inside Kaseya Center in Miami, Fla., Lightweight fan-favorite Michael Chandler will face the brash Paddy Pimblett in a five-round co-main event. UFC 314 will also feature a must-watch, bad-blood Featherweight showdown between Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva, alongside another 145-pound clash with Yair Rodriguez taking on promotional newcomer, Patricio Pitbull, and so much more! UFC 314’s start time is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (“Prelims” undercard) and 10 p.m. ET (PPV main card).
Don’t miss a single second of EPIC face-punching action!
MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 314 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN+)
To check out the latest and greatest UFC 314: “Volkanovski vs. Lopes” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 314 fight card and PPV lineup click here.
