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FIGHT CLUB | Apr 07

Stacked! The Fighters You Need to Watch at UFC 314 This Weekend

Take a Look at Some of the Most Exciting Fights This Weekend at UFC 314

Manyun Manyun
- 7 minutes read
Stacked! The Fighters You Need to Watch at UFC 314 This Weekend
A General View of the Octagon During the Strawweight Bout | Carmen Mandato/getty Images/afp

UFC 314 Is Bringing the Heat!

Fans are truly spoilt for choice regarding high-level matchups this weekend…

After much controversy surrounding the UFC’s recent lack of talent-stacked events, we have just five more sleeps until UFC 314 arrives in Miami, Florida, and finally, a schedule of bouts that is brimming with top-tier martial artists, potential title challengers, and legends of the sport.

From Alexander Volkanovski fighting Diego Lopes for Ilia Topuria’s vacated featherweight championship to the always entertaining Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett slugging it out with Michael Chandler, fans are truly spoilt for choice regarding high-level matchups this weekend, and I’m here to guide you to those fighters who you MUST watch at UFC 314.

The Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes

Coming off the first two-fight losing skid of his career, it seems like everyone has forgotten what Alexander Volkanovski (26-4) once accomplished at 145 pounds. The former defending featherweight champion ruled the roost at this weight class with an unbeaten UFC record for six years, while defending the gold on five occasions before eventually surrendering his position via a shocking knockout loss to Topuria.

The fighting pride of Aussie, with Topuria’s exit to a new weight class, has been given a fresh start and a chance to begin his redemption arc this Saturday. He faltered in his attempt to become a two-division champion, losing twice to Islam Makhachev, and alongside the Topuria defeat, he’s now riding a back-to-back loss streak.

However, his home at 145lbs has barely seen him lose a round throughout 14 appearances (Minus the obvious Topuria KO). If anyone has the all-around MMA skills to complete a redemption story, Volk is the perfect example!

With that said, nothing makes Volkanovski’s return to UFC news more intriguing than the fresh new challenger that will stand across the cage from him in Miami on Saturday night.

In-step, Diego Lopes (26-6)… One of Brazil’s fastest-rising title challengers in recent memory.

Lopes, since stepping up on short notice in May 2023 to fight top-ranked contender Movsar Evloev in his UFC debut, has steamrolled the competition. After presenting his heart and desire to compete, despite losing to Evloev, he has avoided defeat since and put that same heart right into his performances, winning five straight fights that also include three stoppages.

With nothing but Volkanovski and one more win between himself and the featherweight title, Lopes, with less than two years spent as a UFC competitor, is on track to make the dream a reality with a win at UFC 314. Better yet, he’s a fan favorite, known for his energetic and entertaining style that consistently delivers each and every time he competes!

Obviously, the UFC 314 featherweight championship main event presents two fighters you cannot afford to miss! Is Volk ready to reestablish himself and begin a second reign, or is a new era at 145 lbs with Lopes about to begin?

If you consider the odds at BetUS, Volkanovski, priced at -140 on the moneyline, is the clear favorite to beat.

‘Ohh, Paddy the Baddy’

Liverpudlian representative Paddy Pimblett is one of the biggest UFC superstars who hasn’t won a gold medal. This moppy-haired blonde lad from the north of England has used his personality and unbeaten win streak to garner a huge following of supporters. Although the haters gon hate, everyone is tuning in whenever a Paddy the Baddy fight is scheduled.

Three years and six appearances under the UFC banner have seen Pimblett remain unbeaten. He has finished four of his opponents inside the distance, and every post-fight interview has been a memorable microphone moment, whether you love him or hate him.

Criticism of Paddy’s long-term ceiling has always been a thing, and despite defeating two legends, Tony Ferguson and King Green, in consecutive fights, he’s still looking to prove himself as a legitimate lightweight contender.

Well, look no further than ‘Iron’ Michael Chandler to give Paddy the respect he desires.

Chandler, despite the less-than-pretty 2-4 UFC record, has been given Fight of the Night on five occasions. That’s a 90% hit rate on FOTN throughout his UFC tenure, thanks to the hard-hitting, always entertaining Missouri native forcing an epic battle out of his opponents, whether he leaves the octagon victorious or not.

Pimblett will thrive and use Chandler’s name as a stepping stone closer to lightweight gold, or Chandler will crush an unbeaten challenger to steal some of the limelight. The betting odds favor the former at BetUS, but ultimately, it’s a five-round war that has the entire MMA community intrigued!

The UFC Debut of Patricio Pitbull

While you might think that the UFC 314 main and co-main events capture a significant portion of the attention, I must remind you that all eyes are also on Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire, a veteran fighter who will make his long-awaited UFC debut this weekend in the Magic City.

Pitbull has long been dubbed as the most talented fighter outside of the UFC, having dominated the Bellator MMA landscape as a former two-division champ.

Here’s the kicker: Pitbull is 37, has fought in countless wars, and with his UFC debut coming in at fight No. 44, could it be a ‘too little, too late’ scenario for this legend?


Yair Rodriguez (19-5), 32, has spent the last decade fighting the best of the best at featherweight, and he’s been elected to fly the flag in this unofficial UFC vs. Bellator showdown.

As fans and pundits speculate about the outcome of his match with Rodriguez in UFC rumors, attention focuses on how ‘Pitbull’ will adapt to the challenges of the UFC and whether his enduring talents can be showcased against a versatile fighter like Yair.

Either way, with these two skill sets matched up, we could very well witness an epic battle, and one filled with so much violence that you won’t want to miss a second!

Will Bryce Mitchell Stop Jean Silva from Barking?

Jean Silva (15-2), representing the Fighting Nerds gym, a gym whose popularity has skyrocketed lately, will bring his knockout capabilities to the octagon at UFC 314 against the always-controversial yet incredibly talented wrestling skills of Bryce Mitchell (17-2), in a top-ranked featherweight clash worthy of its own Fight Night main event position.

Silva has made four 145 lb appearances under the UFC banner since his 2024 debut, and if you’re a believer in déjà vu, four consecutive knockouts from the Brazilian in UFC fights will strengthen those beliefs.

Mitchell will be the more experienced UFC competitor of the two, but multiple losses (including a KO by Josh Emmett and a submission by Ilia Topuria) in the top rankings have cast some doubt over his elite-level ability in recent years.

It’s a classic striker versus grappler matchup, but the elite talents both men represent in their respective disciplines make this UFC 314 main card contest one of the most, if not the most, intriguing bout of the night!

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