With 'El Matador', Ilia Topuria, now setting his sights on conquering the lightweight division, it means that the vacant featherweight belt will be snapped up by the winner of Volkanovski vs Lopes, which is the feature event at UFC 314 in Florida on April 12.
Alexander Volkanovski is attempting to regain the crown he first won in December 2019 when beating Max Holloway. The awesome Aussie remained glued to the featherweight throne for over 4 years, making 5 successful defenses. The belt was finally prized from his clutches by Topuria in February last year, which is the last time we saw ‘The Great’ in action.
The Topuria defeat may have put Volkanovski’s featherweight unbeaten run to the sword, but that was his third UFC defeat in his last four visits to the octagon, having been beaten twice in the space of 8 months during 2023, by lightweight legend, Islam Makhachev. It means Volkanovski, now 36 years old, has a lot to prove when he returns to the fray after a lengthy 14-month absence from the game.
While Volkanovski is competing in his 10th consecutive title fight, Diego Lopes is getting his first crack at a belt. Despite an inauspicious start to his UFC career, when losing to Movsar Evloev on his promotional debut in May 2023, the Brazilian bounced back well racking up five straight wins, and now gets his shot at stardom following a unanimous decision win over two-time UFC title challenger Brian Ortega at UFC 306 last September.
Getty ImagesThere are some intriguing encounters elsewhere on the Miami card. The co-main event sees the former three-time Bellator lightweight champ, Michael Chandler, take on Britain’s Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett, who is on a six-fight winning streak since joining the UFC ranks. Another fighter who blazed a trail in Bellator, Patricio Pitbull, will make his UFC debut at the tender age of 37 when he clashes with Yair Rodriguez in a featherweight bout.
Let GOAL show you all you need to know ahead of UFC 314 in Florida, including the full main card bout details, how you can watch all the action live, and much more.
When is UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes?
Date | Saturday, April 12 |
Location | Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida |
Start time | The ESPN show starts at 8 pm ET 1 am GMT, Sun on TNT Sports |
Main event walks | 11.30 pm ET 4.30 am GMT, Sun |
The Kaseya Center is a multi-purpose arena in Miami, Florida. It opened in 1999 and was originally named the American Airlines Arena until 2021. Since April 2023, the naming rights to the venue have been owned by Kaseya under a 17-year, $117.4 million agreement. The arena has been home to the NBA's Miami Heat since 2000.
Aside from basketball, the Miami arena has hosted multiple sporting and musical events. Four major WWE pay-per-view events have been held at the arena including the 2006 Royal Rumble and 2013 WWE Hell in a Cell, Numerous world artists have played concerts there, such as Selena Gomez, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and Madonna.
In 2003 the arena hosted the first UFC event in Florida; UFC 42: Sudden Impact. UFC returned to the arena after a 20-year gap in April 2023, for UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2. Before UFC 314, the last time Dana White’s ring warriors took center stage at the Kaseya Center was for UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 in March last year.
Looking for tickets for UFC 314? Head to Ticketmaster - Prices range from $350 - $1,300.
How to watch UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes in the US
In the United States, UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes will be broadcast live on ESPN PPV, with streaming available via the ESPN+ app. This is a standalone service from regular ESPN, so you don’t need to be an existing TV subscriber to buy a PPV card. You can download the app for PC, Apple, Android, Fire TV, Roku, Smart TV and many others. The whole event costs $79.99.
How to watch UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes in the UK
UFC 314 coverage will be shown live on TNT Sports in the UK. You can live stream on discovery+ and watch via TNT Sports' TV channels on Sky, BT, and Virgin Media platforms. Discovery+ Premium is £30.99 per month and available on a monthly rolling contract. This includes TNT Sports and other entertainment channels. Existing BT broadband customers can access TNT Sports for £20 per month. The package consists of TNT Sports and Discovery+.
Watch UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes from anywhere with a VPN
If UFC 314 isn't available to watch live in your area or if you're traveling, you can use a VPN to tune into the action from wherever you are. A VPN creates a secure connection to bypass geographical restrictions and access your favorite streaming services from anywhere.
We recommend NordVPN if you're unsure which VPN to choose, but you can also check out our in-depth VPN guide to determine which one is best for you.
UFC 314: Volkanovski vs Lopes Fight Card
Main Card
Weight class | Fight |
|---|---|
Featherweight (Title) | Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes |
Lightweight | Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett |
Featherweight | Bryce Mitchell vs Jean Silva |
Welterweight | Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates |
Featherweight | Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull |
Alexander Volkanovski MMA stats
- Age: 36
- Height: 5'6" (168cm)
- Reach: 71.5" (182cm)
- Total fights: 30
- Record: 26-4-0
Diego Lopes MMA stats
- Age: 30
- Height: 5'11" (180cm)
- Reach: 72.5" (184cm)
- Total fights: 32
- Record: 26-6-0