Alexander Volkanovski beats Diego Lopes

Alexander Volkanovski is atop the throne as soon as once more.

Within the UFC 314 most important occasion Saturday, Volkanovski (27-5 MMA, 14-4 UFC) defeated Diego Lopes (27-6 MMA, 6-1 UFC) by way of unanimous determination (48-47, 49-46, 49-46). The vacant featherweight title combat occurred at Kaseya Middle in Miami.

Coming into the combat, questions had been raised about Volkanovski’s chin and the way he’d bounce again from back-to-back knockout losses. Nonetheless, from the opening bell, Volkanovski confirmed no worry. He marched towards Lopes in an aggressive assault.

In Spherical 2, he shocked Lopes with a punch that despatched the Brazilian-born Mexico resident flying backward into the cage. Simply when it regarded like a transparent Volkanovsk spherical, nonetheless, Lopes muddied the waters. Within the remaining seconds, he dropped Volkanovski who scrambled again as much as his ft.

Volkanovski regained clear management in Spherical 3, as he went again to his technical hanging, agile footwork, and fast head motion. Lopes had his strongest spherical in Spherical 4, as his glove dug in Volkanovski’s eyelid. He then cracked Volkanovski with an enormous uppercut that however the former (and now present) champion on the retreat.

Within the fifth spherical, each males landed good licks. Nonetheless, when the mud settled it was a clear-cut determination for Volkanovski, who enters his second stint as champion. His first championship reign stretched from December 2019 to February 2023 and included 5 title defenses.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT REIGNS AGAIN 🏆

VOLK BEATS DIEGO LOPES BY UNANIMOUS DECISION AT #UFC314 👏 pic.twitter.com/fRjrLpxZjf

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 13, 2025

Volkanovski misplaced the title in February 2024 to Ilia Topuria, who later vacated the title after a knockout win vs. Max Holloway with intentions of transferring to light-weight.

For Lopes, the loss snaps a five-fight successful streak. Previous to Saturday’s combat he had not misplaced since his UFC debut in Might 2023.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 314 outcomes embrace:

• Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes by way of unanimous determination (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)
• Paddy Pimblett def. Michael Chandler by way of TKO (strikes) – Spherical 3, 3:07
• Yair Rodriguez def. Patricio Freire by way of unanimous determination (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jean Silva def. Bryce Mitchell by way of submission (ninja choke) – Spherical 2, 3:52
• Dominick Reyes def. Nikita Krylov by way of knockout (punches) – Spherical 1, 2:24
• Dan Ige def. Sean Woodson by way of TKO (punches) – Spherical 3,
• Virna Jandiroba def. Yan Xiaonan by way of unanimous determination (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Chase Hooper def. Jim Miller by way of unanimous determination (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Julian Erosa def. Darren Elkins by way of TKO (strikes) – Spherical 1, 4:15
• Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Sedriques Dumas by way of TKO (strikes) – Spherical 1, 2:49
• Su Mudaerji def. Mitch Raposo by way of cut up determination (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Marco Tulio def. Tresean Gore by way of TKO (strikes) – Spherical 2, 3:16
• Nora Cornolle def. Hailey Cowan by way of submission (rear-naked choke) – Spherical 2, 1:52

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 314.