Alexander Volkanovski survives early knockdown to reclaim title at UFC 314 with Diego Lopes win
Alexander Volkanovski battled back from an early knockdown to defeat Diego Lopes at UFC 314. Volkanovski subsequently reclaimed the featherweight title after the five-round war with Brazil’s Lopes that judges scored 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 to hand the Australian the unanimous decision win. Volkanovski went to war with Lopes in the main event of UFC 314Getty But the Australian got the better of his younger opponent, deservedly taking the decision winGetty The 36-year-old is now the first man over 35 in the lighter UFC weight classes to win a world title, and just one win away from tying MMA legend Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history. This is the second time ‘The Great’ has held the UFC featherweight title after a remarkable four-year reign from 2019 to 2023. After beating Lopes in the first round, Volkanovski continued his dominance into the second, until his opponent dropped him right at the very end. The Brazilian landed a thunderous right hand that sent Volkanovski to the canvas and the Australian was left frustrated in his corner after the round. Both men were more evenly matched at the end of round three, but UFC commentators Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan were convinced Volanovski was up for three rounds, as were most of the MMA community. As we entered the championship rounds, Lopes, for the first time, started to get the better of the champion on the feet. However, both men exchanged found openings from one another in what was shaping out to be an all-out brawl and eventually earned both men a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus. As the final bell approached, both men started to tire and there were clear signs they’ve give it their all. Lopes’ corner could be heard shouting at their fighter, telling him to go for it, but Volkanovski remained composed to see out the victory. “It’s good to be back,” Volkanovski told Rogan in his post-fight Octagon interview. GettyVolkanovski is the 145lb champion once again[/caption] He told Rogan after the fight that adversity is a privilege after suffering two KO’s in his previous boutsGetty “I’ve never felt the love so much. I was saying all week, even to the camera before I walked out, I said, ‘I promise my girls I’ll bring the belt back.’ “But then I was thinking, ‘It doesn’t matter about bringing the belt back.’ “I think the message was that a lot of people counted me out, coming off of two knockout losses, the 35 year old curse, 36 years old etc., a big break. “And come back to beat a gun like Lopes who came and brought it. It feels good to be back. “Adversity is a privilege, you hear people talking about it all the time. It truly is. This moment is incredible.” Volkanovski first won the 145lb strap by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019 and defended it in a rematch with ‘Blessed’ seven months later. Lopes give it his all but didn’t do enough in the endGetty View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/UFC314?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw In what was a dominating spell at featherweight, Volkanovski then defeated Brian Ortega, ‘The Korean Zombie’ and Holloway again at the end of 2021 heading into the following year. The Australian then decided there were no more challenges left for him in his own division, and narrowly lost a unanimous decision to lightweight king Islam Makhachev in his first attempt to become a two-division champion at UFC 284 in February 2023. In preparation for a second meeting with Makhachev, Volkanovski weighed in at featherweight again and finished Yair Rodriguez, who defeated Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire at UFC 314, in their fight three months later. However, he then suffered consecutive defeats in the Octagon, as Makhachev brutally knocked him out in their rematch, before Ilia Topuria followed suit at UFC 298 last February. Now, Volkanovski has shot right back up as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, as well as being the No.1 featherweight on the planet. Lopes, meanwhile, suffered his first defeat in seven bouts, having gone the previous six undefeated. He lost his debut with the promotion in May 2023 after emerging through Dana White’s Contender Series two years prior. His first win came by submitting Gavin Tucker in August 2023, before the Brazilian found success on the feet, stopping Pat Sabatini at UFC 294 just one month later. Lopes then made it back-to-back first round finishes by defeating Sodiq Yusuff at 300, before securing two unanimous decisions against Dan Ige and Brian Ortega, which earned him a title shot.
Alexander Volkanovski battled back from an early knockdown to defeat Diego Lopes at UFC 314.
Volkanovski subsequently reclaimed the featherweight title after the five-round war with Brazil’s Lopes that judges scored 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 to hand the Australian the unanimous decision win.
The 36-year-old is now the first man over 35 in the lighter UFC weight classes to win a world title, and just one win away from tying MMA legend Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history.
This is the second time ‘The Great’ has held the UFC featherweight title after a remarkable four-year reign from 2019 to 2023.
After beating Lopes in the first round, Volkanovski continued his dominance into the second, until his opponent dropped him right at the very end.
The Brazilian landed a thunderous right hand that sent Volkanovski to the canvas and the Australian was left frustrated in his corner after the round.
Both men were more evenly matched at the end of round three, but UFC commentators Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan were convinced Volanovski was up for three rounds, as were most of the MMA community.
As we entered the championship rounds, Lopes, for the first time, started to get the better of the champion on the feet.
However, both men exchanged found openings from one another in what was shaping out to be an all-out brawl and eventually earned both men a $50,000 Fight of the Night bonus.
As the final bell approached, both men started to tire and there were clear signs they’ve give it their all.
Lopes’ corner could be heard shouting at their fighter, telling him to go for it, but Volkanovski remained composed to see out the victory.
“It’s good to be back,” Volkanovski told Rogan in his post-fight Octagon interview.
“I’ve never felt the love so much. I was saying all week, even to the camera before I walked out, I said, ‘I promise my girls I’ll bring the belt back.’
“But then I was thinking, ‘It doesn’t matter about bringing the belt back.’
“I think the message was that a lot of people counted me out, coming off of two knockout losses, the 35 year old curse, 36 years old etc., a big break.
“And come back to beat a gun like Lopes who came and brought it. It feels good to be back.
“Adversity is a privilege, you hear people talking about it all the time. It truly is. This moment is incredible.”
Volkanovski first won the 145lb strap by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019 and defended it in a rematch with ‘Blessed’ seven months later.
In what was a dominating spell at featherweight, Volkanovski then defeated Brian Ortega, ‘The Korean Zombie’ and Holloway again at the end of 2021 heading into the following year.
The Australian then decided there were no more challenges left for him in his own division, and narrowly lost a unanimous decision to lightweight king Islam Makhachev in his first attempt to become a two-division champion at UFC 284 in February 2023.
In preparation for a second meeting with Makhachev, Volkanovski weighed in at featherweight again and finished Yair Rodriguez, who defeated Patricio ‘Pitbull’ Freire at UFC 314, in their fight three months later.
However, he then suffered consecutive defeats in the Octagon, as Makhachev brutally knocked him out in their rematch, before Ilia Topuria followed suit at UFC 298 last February.
Now, Volkanovski has shot right back up as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, as well as being the No.1 featherweight on the planet.
Lopes, meanwhile, suffered his first defeat in seven bouts, having gone the previous six undefeated.
He lost his debut with the promotion in May 2023 after emerging through Dana White’s Contender Series two years prior.
His first win came by submitting Gavin Tucker in August 2023, before the Brazilian found success on the feet, stopping Pat Sabatini at UFC 294 just one month later.
Lopes then made it back-to-back first round finishes by defeating Sodiq Yusuff at 300, before securing two unanimous decisions against Dan Ige and Brian Ortega, which earned him a title shot.
