In the main event of UFC 314 this past Saturday night, the vacant featherweight title was on the line. Former champion Alexander Volkanovski (27-4) was looking to regain the featherweight title as he took on top contender Diego Lopes (26-7).
Entering the bout, Volkanovski was the betting favorite but there was so much momentum behind Diego Lopes. After falling short to Movsar Evloev in his octagon debut on just a few days’ notice, Lopes had gone 5-0 and he looked sensational along the way. He utterly dominated two-time title challenger Brian Ortega last September.
In the first round, Lopes looked a step behind the great Volkanovski. He got wobbled a couple of times on the feet but he showed incredible toughness. He was getting touched up in the second round but he never stopped coming forward. He dropped Volkanovski to end the second round.
After a tough third round, Lopes shined in the fourth. He landed a perfect shot to the eye of Volkanovski and had him against the ropes. He landed his best shots of the night but he couldn’t quite land the finishing blow. He stood toe-to-toe with Volkanovski in the fifth as well. When the scores were read at UFC 314, Lopes came up short but he proved he can fight with the very best in the world.
What’s next after UFC 314?
In my opinion, Diego Lopes doesn’t lose a lot from this fight. Sure, he didn’t walk away as featherweight champion, but he had a close fight with an all time great and still proved that he’s at the top of the featherweight division. In terms of what’s next, I think what’s next is a fight that materialized earlier in the week.
Lopes and Yair Rodriguez have beef and that showed at the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference where the two men had to be separated. I know Yair Rodriguez wanted a title shot after his win on Saturday night, but I don’t see that happening. Let Rodriguez and Lopes settle the score in what should be a helluva fight.