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Category: UFC

Latest UFC news articles, interviews and more covering the world’s top Mixed Martial Arts promotion.

  • Movsar Evloev Sends A Message To Alexander Volkanovski After UFC 314 Title Win

    Movsar Evloev Sends A Message To Alexander Volkanovski After UFC 314 Title Win

    It didn’t take long for top UFC featherweight contender Movsar Evloev to make his feelings known on Alexander Volkanovski’s return to the throne.

    Volkanovski became a two-time champion in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 314 pay-per-view event, which went down inside the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

    Following consecutive defeats to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, the Australian overcame a knockdown to convincingly outpoint Diego Lopes, capturing the vacant 145-pound belt in the process.

    Before this weekend’s headliner, both title challengers publicly acknowledged Movsar Evloev’s claim to a shot against the victor. And the undefeated Russian hasn’t forgotten that.

    “Congratulations on an excellent performance, you’re a true champion!” Evloev wrote on X. “Now let’s see what your word is worth! @alexvolkanovski#UFC314“

    Evloev has won all nine of his UFC fights to date, most notably beating Lopes, Arnold Allen, and Aljamain Sterling in his last three appearances in the Octagon.

    A failure to record a single finish, however, has seemingly prevented the former M-1 Global champion from being given a title shot, and the entertaining Yair Rodriguez will hope that works in his favor after staking his own claim with a victory at UFC 314.

  • Alexander Volkanovski Regains Featherweight Title With History-Making Win Over Diego Lopes At UFC 314

    Alexander Volkanovski Regains Featherweight Title With History-Making Win Over Diego Lopes At UFC 314

    It was 14 months ago when Alexander Volkanovski lost his third straight fight and suffered his second straight knockout, losing the UFC featherweight world championship in the process.

    Now, with Ilia Topuria moving up to lightweight, Volkanovski made the most of his opportunity to earn back the gold, defeating Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 314 in Miami to win the vacant title.

    Volkanovski made history with his victory by becoming the first UFC fighter 35 years or older to win a UFC championship at a weight class below welterweight. He also becomes the second man, joining Jose Aldo, to regain the UFC’s 145-pound title.

    The two were patient to feel each other out, but Volkanovski was the first to get his striking going, landing a series of low kicks before a right hand. Lopes looked for a flurry, but Volkanovski managed to land another straight. Volkanovski cracked Lopes with less than two minutes into the round, rocking him. Volkanovski managed to score a takedown, and while Lopes was quickly back to his feet, he ate a harsh knee to the face. Volkanovski got Lopes back to the ground and troubled him with ground-and-pound until the horn.

    Despite the rough start, and expert opinions his best chances were rushing forward with offense, Lopes continued to be patient in the second round. Volkanovski’s striking continued to remain on point despite Lopes shrugging off a takedown attempt. With less than two minutes in round two, Volkanovski rocked Lopes again in an exchange, bringing Lopes over to the fence to try for another takedown. Lopes was able to get out of it, and the two had another exchange in the closing seconds. Suddenly, Lopes dropped Volkanovski before the horn with a right-left combination, and thoughts circled as to if momentum would change.

    Alexander Volkanovski Becomes Two-Time UFC Featherweight Champion With Decision Win Over Diego Lopes At UFC 314

    Lopes’ corner begged him for more aggression, according to the commentary team, but the round seemed to be a slower-paced one. Volkanovski, however, continued to have more activity, clipping Lopes with a left hand about halfway through the round. Even when Lopes tried to get something going, including stopping a Volkanovski takedown attempt, the former champion was ready with something.

    The championship rounds saw the fight continue the pace it was on. But with just over two minutes to go, Lopes caught momentum with an uppercut that bothered Volkanovski’s eye and rocked him. Lopes continued to chase Volkanovski down, landing a number of shots despite Volkanovski’s attempts to shake off the cobwebs.

    Lopes landed another right hand early in the fifth round as he looked to find a way to get the win as the minutes slipped away. Volkanovski was firing back, however, sometimes landing a number of jabs before Lopes lands his next strike. Lopes continued to eat jabs as Volkanovski had more activity and got the better of the exchanges. Lopes looked to turn things up in the final minute, but Volkanovski was ready, answering back and keeping distance until the final horn.

    This marked Volkanovski’s first fight since losing the UFC featherweight championship to Topuria at UFC 298 last year. Volkanovski came into this fight with a three-fight losing streak, having lost two lightweight title fights with Islam Makhachev within the year prior to the fight with Topuria.

    After coming up short in his short-notice UFC debut against Movsar Evloev at UFC 288, Lopes entered tonight on a five-fight win streak, scoring finishes of Gavin Tucker, Pat Sabatini and Sodiq Yusuff, as well as decisions over Dan Ige and Brian Ortega.

  • UFC 314 Results & Highlights: Alexander Volkanovski Decisions Diego Lopes 

    UFC 314 Results & Highlights: Alexander Volkanovski Decisions Diego Lopes 

    UFC 314 took place tonight from the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida and MMA News has you covered with all the results and highlights! 

    In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes faced off for the vacant featherweight title. While in the co-main event, Michael Chandler faced Paddy Pimblett in a lightweight matchup. 

    UFC 314 Results: Main Card

    • Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46×2)
    • Lightweight: Paddy Pimblett def. Michael Chandler via TKO: R3, 3.07
    • Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez def. Patricio Pitbull via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Featherweight: Jean Silva def. Bryce Mitchell via submission: R2, 3.52
    • Light Heavyweight: Dominick Reyes def. Nikita Krylov via KO: R1, 2.24

     
    Preliminary Card

    • Featherweight: Dan Ige def. Sean Woodson via TKO: R3, 1.12  
    • Women’s Strawweight: Virna Jandiroba def. Yan Xiaonan via unanimous decision (30-27×3)
    • Lightweight: Chase Hooper def. Jim Miller via unanimous decision (29-28×2, 30-27)
    • Featherweight: Julian Erosa def. Darren Elkins via TKO: R1, 4.15

     
    Early Preliminary Card

    • Middleweight: Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Sedriques Dumas via TKO: R1, 2.49
    • Flyweight: Sumudaerji def. Mitch Raposo via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
    • Middleweight: Marco Tulio def. Tresean Gore via TKO: R2, 3.16
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle def. Hailey Cowan via submission: R2, 1.52

    Preliminary Card Highlights

    Nora Cornolle def. Hailey Cowan

    Nora Cornolle earned the first finish of UFC 314 with a rear-naked choke submission of Hailey Cowan.

    Marco Tulio def. Tresean Gore

    In this middleweight bout, Marco Tulio stopped Tresean Gore in the second round.

    Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Sedriques Dumas

    Michal Oleksiejczuk earned a first-round TKO in his middleweight bout with Sedriques Dumas.

    Julian Erosa def. Darren Elkins

    Julian Erosa got it done in the first round against Darren Elkins.

    Main Card Highlights

    Dominick Reyes def. Nikita Krylov

    In this light heavyweight bout, Dominick Reyes earned a first-round KO of Nikita Krylov.

    Jean Silva def. Bryce Mitchell

    Jean Silva submitted Bryce Mitchell in the second round of their featherweight bout.

    Yair Rodriguez def. Patricio Pitbull

    Yair Rodriguez got it done on the scorecards against Patricio Pitbull.

    Paddy Pimblett def. Michael Chandler

    In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett earned a TKO of Michael Chandler in the third round.

    Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes

    In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski got it done on the scorecards to regain his featherweight title against Diego Lopes.

  • Watch Paddy Pimblett Batter Michael Chandler For Third-Round TKO In UFC 314 Co-Main Event

    Watch Paddy Pimblett Batter Michael Chandler For Third-Round TKO In UFC 314 Co-Main Event

    If you didn’t believe before, you may have to now.

    Paddy Pimblett scored the biggest fight of his career in the co-main event of UFC 314, brutally finishing Michael Chandler.

    Pimblett, as he has previously, started his attack with a leg-kick focus. Chandler landed a long jab before Pimblett tried to get his own striking going — only for Chandler to grab and score a takedown. Pimblett looked to stand and grab a kimura, but Chandler brought him back down briefly — also landing a couple of strong strikes to Pimblett’s head. Pimblett jumped for a triangle, and despite it failing, brought the fight back to the feet seconds later.

    Pimblett got off to a strong start in the second round, keeping his distance and working combinations on Chandler. Chandler scored another pair of takedowns about two minutes into the round, but Pimblett was almost immediately back to his feet both times. Pimblett landed a series of elbows, but Chandler looked to answer by getting to Pimblett’s back. He rode too high, however, and Pimblett reversed the position.

    Paddy Pimblett Makes Statement At UFC 314, Stops Michael Chandler

    Pimblett threatened an arm-triangle choke before getting to Chandler’s back. Pimblett rained down elbows as Chandler tried to escape before Chandler gave his back up again. Pimblett rained down blows with a body triangle locked around Chandler as the second round ended.

    Pimblett busted open Chandler and rocked him with a jumping knee early in the third, looking to finish the fight with a flurry before quickly returning the fight to the mat. After a couple of minutes of control, Pimblett’s ground-and-pound proved to be too much, forcing a referee stoppage in the middle of round three.

    Since jumping to the UFC from Cage Warriors in 2021, Pimblett is a perfect 7-0 in the UFC.

    Chandler, meanwhile, has lost three straight and five of six. His sole win in this span was his UFC 274 knockout of Tony Ferguson.

  • Fans Ponder If Patricio Pitbull ‘Made The Move Too Late’ After Yair Rodriguez Spoils His Debut At UFC 314

    Fans Ponder If Patricio Pitbull ‘Made The Move Too Late’ After Yair Rodriguez Spoils His Debut At UFC 314

    The long-awaited UFC debut of former two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull ended in major disappointment, as he suffered a dominant decision loss to former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 314.

    Rodriguez started out the aggressor, with a kick-focused attack. Rodriguez landed a number of kicks, including a low kick combined with a quick right hand, while Pitbull stayed patient and calculating. Pitbull finally clinched up with Rodriguez with 90 seconds left in the first round, but Rodriguez was able to easily slip away. Pitbull landed a low kick that slipped up Rodriguez, with Pitbull scrambling to get on top and ending in side control despite a lack of offense.

    Pitbull started to pick things up in the second round, answering Rodriguez’s kicks with a pair of strong left hands. Rodriguez, however, continued to have the better pace, forcing Pitbull into retreat with a series of kicks. Pitbull scored a takedown about halfway through the round, only for Rodriguez to quickly return to the feet. Rodriguez continued to keep distance and land kicks — mixing in some combinations — and even scored a takedown on the former Bellator champion before the end of the round.

    Pitbull seemed to pick things up in the third round, as both men landed their strongest strikes during the round. Rodriguez scored a knockdown on Pitbull — only for Pitbull to nearly lock up an armbar seconds later. Rodriguez, however, escaped and got the upper hand by nearly scoring a leg lock. Though Pitbull escaped, he quizzically did nothing for the last 20 seconds, as Rodriguez cruised to 30-27s across all three scorecards.

    Yair Rodriguez Cruises To Decision Win Over Disappointing Patricio Pitbull At UFC 314

    Rodriguez scores his first win since his interim title win over Josh Emmett at UFC 284. Since then, he had unsuccessfully attempted to become undisputed champion against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 290 and was submitted by Brian Ortega in Mexico City in February 2024.

    Pitbull was a longtime face of Bellator prior to its purchase by the Professional Fighters League (PFL). This was his first fight since retaining the Bellator featherweight championship with a finish of Jeremy Kennedy at Bellator Champions Series 1 in Dublin in March 2024.

  • ‘Funniest Possible Result’ – Fans React As Jean Silva Chokes Bryce Mitchell Unconscious At UFC 314

    ‘Funniest Possible Result’ – Fans React As Jean Silva Chokes Bryce Mitchell Unconscious At UFC 314

    The Fighting Nerds continue to deliver.

    After Michal Oleksiecjzuk was successful in his fight on the UFC 314 preliminary card, Jean Silva went into a highly anticipated showdown with Bryce Mitchell and dominated, scoring a submission.

    Mitchell looked to get out to a strong start early, taking the upper hand in striking. But when Mitchell went for his grappling strength, Silva was ready. Silva stuffed a takedown attempt and countered another with a choke. Silva attempted three different chokes on Mitchell in the final minute of the first round.

    At that point, Mitchell spent a significant amount of time on the back foot, as Silva became the aggressor, landing notable strikes, including a spinning backfist. Silva was able to get a hold of Mitchell again and continued to search for the choke. Finally, in the middle of the second round, Silva locked in a ninja choke, getting Mitchell to tap just before he passed out.

    Jean Silva Brutally Chokes Out Bryce Mitchell At UFC 314

    Silva has now won 13 straight fights in his MMA career, and he’s unbeaten in the Octagon since arriving from Dana White’s Contender Series. Silva’s other victories have come against Westin Wilson, Charles Jourdain, Drew Dober, and Melsik Baghdasaryan. “Lord” may be in line for a notable contenders’ bout now in his next fight.

    Mitchell, meanwhile, has lost two of his last three. His most recent fight had been the dud against Kron Gracie at UFC 310 — which marked his first fight since the devastating knockout loss to Josh Emmett in December 2023.

  • Amanda Nunes Announced For Hall Of Fame During UFC 314 Broadcast As Comeback Talk Intensifies

    The woman widely considered the greatest women’s fighter in the history of MMA, let alone the UFC, will now get to take her spot in the UFC Hall of Fame.

    Former UFC women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes was announced as the newest member of the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025, as announced at UFC 314.

    Nunes was emotional Octagon-side, having been surprised by the announcement, greeted with the hugs from UFC CEO Dana White, Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer, and UFC Chief Business Officer Hunter Campbell.

    This induction comes just a day after Nunes appeared to tease a comeback at a press conference. With Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison on the press stage, a reporter asked of the chance Nunes returns to the Octagon to challenge the winner. Nunes then appeared nodding on camera.

    Pena and Harrison face off for the women’s bantamweight title — a title Nunes held for a long time — during the co-main event of UFC 316 on June 7.

    Amanda Nunes Joins UFC Hall of Fame 2025 Class

    After going 7-3 to start her career, including fights in Strikeforce and Invicta, Nunes joined the UFC in 2013. She went on to lose just twice in the Octagon, ending her stellar career with a 23-5 record.

    Nunes submitted Miesha Tate in the UFC 200 main event to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title. She then went on to retain the title six times between two reigns, defeating the likes of Ronda Rousey, Valentina Shevchenko, Raquel Pennington, Holly Holm, Germaine de Randamie, and Irene Aldana. Though Nunes lost the title in upset fashion to Pena at UFC 269, she’d win the belt back in a rematch at UFC 277.

    Between those defenses, Nunes defeated Cris Cyborg to win the UFC women’s featherweight championship at UFC 232. Nunes to this date is still the sole woman to be a champ-champ — and the only UFC champ-champ to retain both championships at least once and retire as champ-champ.

    Nunes defended her 145-pound title against Felicia Spencer and Megan Anderson.

    The UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2025, in addition to Nunes, includes Robbie Lawler, longtime producer Craig Piligian, and the UFC 236 fight between Israel Adesanya and Kelvin Gastelum.

  • VIDEO: Dominick Reyes Continues Career Resurgence With Devastating McGregor-esque KO At UFC 314

    VIDEO: Dominick Reyes Continues Career Resurgence With Devastating McGregor-esque KO At UFC 314

    “The Devastator” really is back. And if his words ring true, better than ever.

    Dominick Reyes pulled off yet another knockout in his attempted career resurgence, needing just one round to defeat Nikita Krylov in the opening main card bout for UFC 314.

    As the two were feeling each other out and slowly finding their rhythm, Reyes landed a right hand that seemed to stun Krylov. Krylov was able to recover quickly.

    Later on in the round, Krylov charged forward with a one-two. Reyes dodged it and landed a sudden left hand that dropped Krylov out cold.

    Dominick Reyes Wins Third Straight With Brutal Finish Of Nikita Krylov At UFC 314

    https://twitter.com/Haduuuucken/status/1911244166350127309

    As noted by the UFC commentary team, the punch looked similar to the knockout Conor McGregor had of Jose Aldo that won him the UFC featherweight title at UFC 194 in December 2015.

    Reyes has now won three straight after suffering a four-fight losing skid that included a pair of unsuccessful bids at the UFC light heavyweight championship (starting with a controversial decision loss to Jon Jones). Since his return from a year-and-a-half absence in June 2024, Reyes has scored finishes of Dustin Jacoby and Anthony Smith, in addition to tonight’s win.

    This was Krylov’s first fight since March 2023. Krylov had been on a three-fight win streak that saw him score victories over Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir and Ryan Spann.

  • Dan Ige Overcomes Opponent’s Huge Height Advantage To Secure Controversial Stoppage At UFC 314

    Dan Ige Overcomes Opponent’s Huge Height Advantage To Secure Controversial Stoppage At UFC 314

    The performance of Dan Ige in the featured prelim bout of UFC 314 cannot be denied, but his stoppage win over Sean Woodson left a bitter taste in the mouths of fans.

    Ige’s striking was on point, pressuring Woodson despite facing a significant disadvantage in height and reach. Though Woodson’s jabs get Ige at bay briefly, Ige turned up the heat in the second round, bringing increased power with his strikes and mixing things up with takedown attempts.

    Ige landed a crisp body shot during the third round that caught Woodson’s attention, hurting him, as Ige delivered a flurry of punches. Woodson looked for a takedown, and Ige rained punches down to his head. The referee intervened to stop the fight, though Woodson was in the midst of standing up — and he immediately protested as the crowd rained down boos.

    Dan Ige Looks Strong In UFC 314 Win But Performance Marred By Controversial Ref Stoppage

    This wasn’t the first controversial referee moment in the night, as Mike Beltran has come under fire for allowing Darren Elkins to take excessive unnecessary damage from Julian Erosa before a stoppage — and the decision to not take a point from Yan Xiaonan despite a fence grab (as much as it didn’t stop a Virna Jandiroba takedown).

    Ige snaps a two-fight losing skid with his victory, coming in off losses to Diego Lopes and Lerone Murphy. Ige’s most recent victory prior to tonight came against Andre Fili in February 2024.

    Woodson sees a seven-fight unbeaten streak (6-0-1) snapped at Ige’s (and the ref’s) hands tonight. Woodson’s victories in this stretch had included wins over Charles Jourdain and Alex Caceres.

  • Zhang Weili’s Potential Next Opponent Emerges As Top Contender Delivers Breakout Performance At UFC 314

    Zhang Weili’s Potential Next Opponent Emerges As Top Contender Delivers Breakout Performance At UFC 314

    Virna Jandiroba may very well be next in line to challenge UFC women’s strawweight champion Weili Zhang after she came away with a dominant unanimous decision win over former title challenger and No. 1-ranked contender Yan Xiaonan at UFC 314.

    Grappling was the key for Jandiroba in this one. Though her initial attempts to get the fight to the ground were denied, when she was able to, she was dominant and had significant top position time. What else was notable was how each round ended similaly — with Jandiroba threatening an armbar, and Xiaonan being saved by the horn.

    Virna Jandiroba Dominates Yan Xiaonan En Route To Decision Win At UFC 314; Is She Next For Strawweight Title Fight?

    Xiaonan looked to bring her striking on display, especially on the third round, but it was not enough. Jandiroba had been the clear aggressive fighter for nearly all of the fight, forcing Xiaonan on the defensive nearly all fight.

    All three judges scored the fight for Jandiroba 30-27.

    Jandiroba has now won five straight after a 3-3 start to her Octagon career.

    Xiaonan was coming off a win over Tabatha Ricci. She challenged Zhang for the strawweight title 364 days ago at UFC 300, losing a decision.

  • Middleweight Veteran Lands Quick Knockout At UFC 314 In First Fight Since Joining Surging Fighting Nerds Team

    Middleweight Veteran Lands Quick Knockout At UFC 314 In First Fight Since Joining Surging Fighting Nerds Team

    Michal Oleksiejczuk has been looking for a career resurgence, and if his UFC 314 performance will be anything to go by, he may have found it.

    In his first fight since joining the Fighting Nerds team, Oleksiejczuk scored a first-round finish of Sedriques Dumas in the featured bout of the early prelims. After dropping three straight, Oleksiejczuk had been looking to reform his style, namely his striking, and reached out to Caio Borralho, having taken an interest in the Fighting Nerds.

    That appeared to be on display in this fight, as the Polish fighter targeted the body throughout the short time of the fight. An overhand and elbow rocked Dumas, with a hook dropping him. Oleksiejczuk then followed it up with ground-and-pound until the referee stepped in.

    Michal Oleksiejczuk Scores TKO At UFC 314 In First Fight Since Camp Switch

    This marks Oleksiejczuk’s first victory since finishing Chidi Njoukani in August 2023. Since then, he had lost to Michel Pereira, Kevin Holland, and Shara Magomedov.

    Dumas, a 2022 alumnus of Dana White’s Contender Series, has now lost two of his last three. He had entered the UFC with a perfect 7-0 record and is now 3-3 in the Octagon.

  • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Rebooked To Headline UFC’s Debut In Azerbaijan

    Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree Rebooked To Headline UFC’s Debut In Azerbaijan

    The UFC is set to venture into brand-new territory this summer with its promotional debut in Azerbaijan.

    On Friday, the UFC announced a collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Azerbaijan and the Baku City Circuit Operations Company to bring a Fight Night event to the Baku Crystal Hall on June 21.

    The upcoming event will be headlined by a high-stakes clash between top-ranked light heavyweight contenders Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree.

    The pair were originally slated to meet in the main event of UFC Kansas City on April 26, but the bout was scrapped last week after Hill withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.

    “Sweet Dreams” last stepped into the Octagon at UFC 311 this past January, where he was stopped by former champion Jiří Procházka via a third-round knockout. That defeat came on the heels of another setback at UFC 300 in April 2024, where Hill’s bid to reclaim the 205-pound crown ended in a first-round finish at the hands of Alex Pereira.

    Meanwhile, Rountree Jr. is also looking to rebound from a knockout loss at UFC 307 last October, where he challenged “Poatan” for the light heavyweight title. Prior to that bout, “The War Horse” was riding a five-fight winning streak.

    Hill and Rountree Jr. were initially slated to square off at UFC 303 in June 2024, but the matchup was called off after “The War Horse” tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid DHEA, resulting in a 4.5-month suspension.

    UFC Baku will see the long-awaited return of former RIZIN double champ Kyoji Horiguchi, nearly nine years after his last UFC appearance. “The Typhoon” is set to face No. 10-ranked flyweight contender Tagir Ulanbekov.

    The Azerbaijan event now features the following confirmed fights:

    • Jamahal Hill vs. Khalil Rountree: light heavyweight
    • Kyoji Horiguchi vs. Tagir Ulanbekov: flyweight
    • Curtis Blaydes vs. Rizvan Kuniev: heavyweight
    • Ismail Naurdiev vs. JunYong Park: middleweight
    • Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Mohammed Usman: heavyweight
    • Irina Alekseeva vs. Klaudia Sygula: women’s bantamweight
    • Daria Zhelezniakova vs. Melissa Mullins: women’s bantamweight
  • Watch Alexander Volkanovski, Diego Lopes Face Off At UFC 314 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    Watch Alexander Volkanovski, Diego Lopes Face Off At UFC 314 Ceremonial Weigh-Ins

    UFC 314 takes place on Saturday night, and MMA News is here to bring you the final faceoffs from the ceremonial weigh-ins!

    The upcoming pay-per-view event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, provides a chance for ex-UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski to commence a second title reign. To return to the throne in the April 12 main event, the Australian is tasked with spoiling the ambitions of top contender Diego Lopes.

    Co-headlining will be former three-time Bellator champ Michael Chandler, who will look to bounce back from his second setback to Charles Oliveira by getting the better of the surging Paddy Pimblett.

    Elsewhere on the card, MMA great Patricio Pitbull debuts in the Octagon against Yair Rodriguez, Bryce Mitchell looks to stall Jean Silva’s surge up the ladder, and Dominick Reyes hopes to continue his resurgence at the expense of Nikita Krylov.

    Ahead of the event, all but one of the fighters set to compete tomorrow night successfully made weight, with Nora Cornolle’s 1.5-pound miss marking the sole indiscretion on the scale.

    Nevertheless, every fight is still intact, and all that remains on Friday is for the athletes to face off one final time at the UFC 314 ceremonial weigh-ins!

    Check out a live stream via the official UFC YouTube channel below, commencing at 5 PM ET.

    UFC 314 Ceremonial Weigh-In Video

  • UFC 314 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Volkanovski vs. Lopes, Chandler vs. Pimblett, And More

    UFC 314 Betting Odds: Current Favorites For Volkanovski vs. Lopes, Chandler vs. Pimblett, And More

    UFC 314 is almost upon us, and MMA News is here to keep you updated with the current odds for this weekend’s lineup.

    The upcoming pay-per-view takes place Saturday, April 12, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    Topping the lineup will be former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who is tasked with getting the better of Diego Lopes if he’s to return to the throne after Ilia Topuria vacates it.

    Before they go to battle, the co-main event will see former Bellator champion and two-time UFC lightweight title challenger Michael Chandler attempt to hand the charging Paddy Pimblett his first defeat inside the Octagon.

    Also set to make the walk on Saturday will be the likes of Jean Silva, Bryce Mitchell, Yair Rodriguez, Patricio Pitbull, Dominick Reyes, Yan Xiaonan, Dan Ige, and Jim Miller.

    UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes Betting Odds

    Listed below are the latest betting odds for UFC 314 (as of 11/4), courtesy of DraftKings.

    Main Card:

    • Alexander Volkanovski (-142) vs. Diego Lopes (+120)
    • Michael Chandler (+120) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-142)
    • Bryce Mitchell (+170) vs. Jean Silva (-205)
    • Yair Rodriguez (-205) vs. Patricio Pitbull (+170)
    • Nikita Krylov (-175) vs. Dominick Reyes (+145)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Dan Ige (+145) vs. Sean Woodson (-175)
    • Yan Xiaonan (+120) vs. Virna Jandiroba (-142)
    • Jim Miller (+600) vs. Chase Hooper (-900)
    • Darren Elkins (+260) vs. Julian Erosa (-325)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Sedriques Dumas (+164) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (-198)
    • Sumudaerji (-175) vs. Mitch Raposo (+145)
    • Tresean Gore (+300) vs. Marco Tulio (-380)
    • Nora Cornolle (-175) vs. Hailey Cowan (+145)
  • UFC 314: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes Full Weigh-In Results

    UFC 314: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes Full Weigh-In Results

    UFC 314 takes place tomorrow night, and MMA News is here to bring you the official weigh-in results!

    After staging fights in Los Angeles, Sydney, and Las Vegas to open its pay-per-view schedule for 2025, the mixed martial arts leader’s next port of call comes in Miami.

    One title will be on the line at the top of the card, with Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes battling for the vacant featherweight belt. Co-headlining, meanwhile, will be a crucial clash at 155 pounds between Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett.

    Also on the main card will be returns for former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, Fighting Nerds standout Jean Silva, and longtime light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes.

    UFC 314 Weigh-In Video, Results

    UFC 314 takes place Saturday, April 12 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The main card begins at 10 PM ET/7 PM PT, with the preliminary card starting at 6 PM ET/3 PM PT.

    See above for a replay of the UFC 314 Weigh-In Show, and check out the full results below.

    Main Card:

    • Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski (145lbs) vs. Diego Lopes (145lbs)
    • Lightweight: Michael Chandler (156lbs) vs. Paddy Pimblett (156lbs)
    • Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell (146lbs) vs. Jean Silva (146lbs)
    • Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez (146lbs) vs. Patricio Pitbull (145lbs)
    • Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov (206lbs) vs. Dominick Reyes (206lbs)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Featherweight: Dan Ige (146lbs) vs. Sean Woodson (146lbs)
    • Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan (116lbs) vs. Virna Jandiroba (116lbs)
    • Lightweight: Jim Miller (156lbs) vs. Chase Hooper (156lbs)
    • Featherweight: Darren Elkins (145lbs) vs. Julian Erosa (146lbs)

    Early Preliminary Card:

    • Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas (185lbs) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (186lbs)
    • Flyweight: Sumudaerji (126lbs) vs. Mitch Raposo (126lbs)
    • Middleweight: Tresean Gore (186lbs) vs. Marco Tulio (186lbs)
    • Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle (137.5lbs)* vs. Hailey Cowan (136lbs)

    *Nora Cornolle missed the bantamweight limit by 1.5 pounds, fine TBA

  • Diego Lopes And Yair Rodriguez Nearly Come To Blows At UFC 314 Press Conference

    Diego Lopes And Yair Rodriguez Nearly Come To Blows At UFC 314 Press Conference

    Diego Lopes and Yair Rodriguez aren’t booked to face each other at UFC 314, yet tensions flared between them in the lead-up to the event.

    Lopes is poised to fight former champion Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight title in the headlining bout of UFC’s pay-per-view event this Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Meanwhile, on the undercard, Rodriguez will welcome promotional newcomer Patricio Pitbull in a highly anticipated matchup.

    Ahead of this weekend’s matchups, all the main card fighters gathered on stage for the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference on Thursday, where the atmosphere remained relatively calm as only Bryce Mitchell and Jean Silva traded barbs. However, around 25 minutes into the presser, things started to heat up between Lopes and Rodriguez.

    The tension began when a journalist inquired whether Lopes would be open to facing Rodriguez in the future, assuming he defeats Volkanovski. This came after “El Pantera” had earlier voiced his displeasure with Lopes representing Mexico, despite being born in Brazil.

    In his response, Lopes sharply reminded the former UFC interim featherweight champion of his consecutive stoppage losses, which led Rodriguez to spring to his feet. The situation escalated as Rodriguez yelled at Lopes, branding him a coward, and stirred up personal grievances involving fighters from both of their gyms.

    The fiery exchange raged on, with the fighters exchanging words in Spanish as security intervened, struggling to keep them apart and avoid an all-out brawl on stage. For a brief moment, it seemed like the situation had cooled.

    Initially, it appeared that the situation had been defused, but as the press conference wrapped up and the fighters prepared for their customary face-offs, Lopes and Rodriguez couldn’t help but continue their verbal sparring, reigniting the animosity once again before facing their respective UFC 314 opponents.

    This was a stark contrast to the camaraderie Lopes and Rodriguez displayed during the first UFC 314 pre-fight press conference in March, where the two were seen sharing a moment of mutual respect.

  • Diego Lopes Sees Multiple Paths To Victory Over Alexander Volkanovski At UFC 314

    Diego Lopes Sees Multiple Paths To Victory Over Alexander Volkanovski At UFC 314

    Diego Lopes believes his arsenal is simply too diverse and dangerous for Alexander Volkanovski to handle.

    Lopes is set to collide with Volkanovski for the vacant featherweight crown in the headlining bout of UFC 314, taking place this Saturday at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.

    Although he came up short in his Octagon debut at UFC 288 in May 2023, Lopes has been on a meteoric rise ever since — stringing together five consecutive victories, three of which came during a relentless run of form over the past year. Now, the Brazilian is taking that confidence into the most significant fight of his career.

    During the UFC 314 media day on Wednesday, Diego Lopes made it clear he has the skill set to defeat “The Great,” claiming he’s capable of winning by knockout, submission, or on the judges’ scorecards, no matter where the fight goes.

    “I think whichever opportunity shows up first,” Lopes said through a translator. “I have heavy hands to put him down, and my jiu-jitsu is also dangerous – both on top and on bottom. We’ve seen that he obviously hasn’t been finished on the ground, he has really good ground defense, but guys have been able to lock submission on him. I think I just need one opportunity to finish.”

    Diego Lopes enters UFC 314 riding the momentum of a dominant unanimous decision victory over Brian Ortega at UFC 306 this past September.

    Meanwhile, Volkanovski last competed at UFC 298 in February 2024, where his long-standing reign as featherweight king came to a sudden halt after suffering a second-round knockout loss to Ilia Topuria. “The Great” has dropped three of his last four appearances.

  • Watch UFC 314 Press Conference Video Featuring Volkanovski, Lopes, Pimblett, Chandler, And More

    Watch UFC 314 Press Conference Video Featuring Volkanovski, Lopes, Pimblett, Chandler, And More

    We’re deep into UFC 314 fight week, meaning it’s time for the fighters set to be in action on April 12 to take to the stage and answer some questions.

    The MMA leader’s fourth numbered event of the year takes place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, where the main attraction will see former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski challenge for the vacant gold against Diego Lopes.

    Setting the stage for the UFC 314 headliners will be a key bout at 155 pounds. Former title challenger Michael Chandler will look to emerge victorious from his first fight since Charles Oliveira sent him to a 2-4 UFC record last November, as puts his top 10 spot on the line against Paddy Pimblett.

    Also on pay-per-view will be a clash of light heavyweight contenders between Nikita Krylov and Dominick Reyes, the debut of MMA legend Patricio Pitbull against Yair Rodriguez, and the settling of a heated feud shared by Bryce Mitchell and Jean Silva.

    As is customary during major fight weeks, the athletes will take to the stage on Thursday for the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference. The latest edition will see every main-card fighter with mic in hand.

    Check out a live stream of the presser below via the UFC’s official YouTube channel, commencing at 5 PM ET.

  • Paddy Pimblett Hopes For Strong Refereeing vs. ‘Dirty’ Michael Chandler at UFC 314

    Paddy Pimblett Hopes For Strong Refereeing vs. ‘Dirty’ Michael Chandler at UFC 314

    Paddy Pimblett has intensified the build-up for his UFC 314 co-main event against Michael Chandler, branding him a “dirty bastard” and voicing concerns about the officiating leading into it.

    Speaking to reporters during media day, Pimblett didn’t mince words regarding Chandler’s fighting tactics, explicitly citing the eye poke in his fight against Tony Ferguson.

    “He’s the nicest man in the world outside the cage. And when he gets in there, he’s a dirty bastard, isn’t he?” Paddy Pimblett said. “But I always say if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. So I understand what he’s trying to do, he wants to win, and that’s the main thing when it comes to this game.”

    Pimblett mentioned his jiu-jitsu and cardio, envisioning a scenario where he takes Chandler into the deeper rounds and secures a finish. He dismissed Chandler’s belief of being a “different animal” at welterweight, reminding him that their bout is contracted at lightweight.

    Despite Chandler’s experience against elite competition, Pimblett remains unfazed, viewing this matchup as his platform to demonstrate his own top-tier credentials.

    “As I said, Chandler’s a real nice fellow outside the Octagon,” Pimblett added. “I’ve bumped into him yesterday and had a chat with him. But in there, he’s a very, very dirty man.”

  • Paddy Pimblett Went Viral After Submitting 10 US Marines Back-To-Back

    Paddy Pimblett Went Viral After Submitting 10 US Marines Back-To-Back

    In a video that has garnered over 13 million views since its uploaded two years ago, UFC star Paddy Pimblett showcased his impressive grappling skills by submitting 10 US Marines consecutively at Camp Pendleton.

    During his visit to the USMC Martial Arts Program, Pimblett shared his jiu-jitsu knowledge and took part in a grueling grappling contest.

    The video captures Pimblett undergoing intense combat conditioning with the Marines before demonstrating his expertise on the mat. He faced 10 Marines one by one, forcing each to tap out. Despite the Marines’ fitness and strength, Pimblett’s skill proved dominant, securing a perfect 10-0 record. 

    While he admitted to being exhausted after the challenge, he joked about his unusual physique and grappling skills. Pimblett has continued his success in the Octagon, securing three UFC victories since the video was made. 

    He is set for his first fight against top 10-ranked opposition at UFC 314 against Michael Chandler this Saturday.

  • Patricio Pitbull Tells UFC Fans To Expect ‘The Most Violent Featherweight In The World’ At UFC 314

    Patricio Pitbull Tells UFC Fans To Expect ‘The Most Violent Featherweight In The World’ At UFC 314

    MMA legend Patricio Pitbull has vowed to give UFC fans who are unfamiliar with his career an emphatic and impressive introduction this weekend.

    Pitbull, who entered the year holding the Bellator featherweight title, was officially released by the Professional Fighters League (PFL), bringing an end to his tumultuous saga with the organization.

    He quickly had his wish to sign for the sport’s leading promotion granted, and the Brazilian great will debut at this weekend’s UFC 314 pay-per-view in Miami.

    And at the expense of former interim UFC featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, an extremely “motivated” Pitbull expects to introduce himself to a new audience in a major way.

    “I feel very motivated,” Pitbull said during an interview with Thomas Gerbasi for UFC.com. “I’ve always been motivated, but I’ve never been this motivated before. This is something that I always wanted to do; I want to be here and to get that belt. And I don’t think any fighter on the planet is more motivated than me. It’s not just motivated to fight; it’s even to train. You can be sure that no one wants this more than I do right now.

    “The most violent and complete featherweight in the world. That’s what they (UFC fans) are going to see,” Pitbull added.

  • Top UFC Welterweight Sends Advice To Michael Chandler After Grappling With Paddy Pimblett

    Top UFC Welterweight Sends Advice To Michael Chandler After Grappling With Paddy Pimblett

    A former UFC welterweight title challenger and longtime teammate of Michael Chandler’s has outlined the American’s key to victory over Paddy Pimblett this weekend.

    Following another loss at the hands of Oliveira last November, which has left him 2-4 in the UFC, Chandler’s opening contest of this year will be an important one.

    The ex-Bellator titleholder is set to co-main event the UFC 314 pay-per-view in Miami on Saturday, April 12. Inside the Kaseya Center, the challenge of handing rising Scouser Paddy Pimblett his first loss in the Octagon will await.

    During episode two of the UFC 314 Embedded: Vlog Series, Chandler can be seen training in a session led by fellow Kill Cliff FC standout Gilbert Burns.

    “Durinho” briefly addressed the camera, advising his man against grappling Pimblett, whom he shared the mats with during a trip to Manchester, England last year.

    “Michael’s ready,” Burns said. “He’s facing a guy who’s very tough. I had the honour to grapple with Paddy when I was in Manchester. The guy has high-level grappling skills.

    “The key to Michael is keep the fight on the feet. If he has to grapple, has to take this guy down, take him down and ground-and-pound. We don’t want to grapple the grappler,” Burns added.

  • Daniel Cormier Names The Only Fighter With More Pressure On Them Than Alexander Volkanovski At UFC 314

    Daniel Cormier believes Michael Chandler faces more pressure than headliner Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314.

    Speaking on his Good Guy/Bad Guy show with Chael Sonnen, Cormier argued that while Chandler’s UFC losses have been to top-tier opponents, a defeat against Paddy Pimblett would be a significant setback.

    “You cannot lose to the next generation guy,” Cormier stated.

    Cormier highlighted Chandler’s history in the UFC, noting his two wins and four losses against fighters like Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Justin Gaethje. He believes that another loss to a rising star like Pimblett would change the narrative surrounding Chandler’s career.

    With that, “DC” thinks Chandler has more pressure on him in Miami than Volkanovski, who is coming off two consecutive knockout losses.

    “I asked you earlier if the most pressure was on Volk, it’s not, and I said I believe Chandler has more pressure,” Cormier said. “You want me to tell you why? Michael Chandler has found himself in a very, very hard-to-reach bit of company. He’s that guy that, win or lose, nothing really affects him, right? If he wins, people go, ‘Wow, that’s amazing.’ Knocked out Dan Hooker, kicked Tony Ferguson in the face. If he loses – man, him and Charles Oliveira, he had him. It was this close, about to become the champion, Charles got him.

    “Eh, not that big of a deal. Him and Dustin Poirier, he loses. ‘Oh, that was a great fight,’ but Dustin got the job done, submitted him. He fought Justin Gaethje, that was a tremendous fight, but Gaethje won. Charles Oliveira, he stood up with him and slammed him backwards. What I’m getting at, Chael, is Michael Chandler has fought in the UFC six times. He’s won twice. If he loses again, now you’re not losing to Justin Gaethje, Dustin Poirier, Charles Oliveira. You’re losing to the next generation. You cannot lose to the next generation guy.”

    Dustin Poirier will be an analyst at UFC 314, adding another layer to the event, given his past rivalry with Chandler.

  • Bryce Mitchell Reacts To Odds For Jean Silva Fight At UFC 314: ‘Bet The Farm!’

    Bryce Mitchell Reacts To Odds For Jean Silva Fight At UFC 314: ‘Bet The Farm!’

    UFC featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell expects to make a mockery of the betting odds for his upcoming showdown with Jean Silva.

    After going 2-2 across his last four fights, Mitchell has the chance to return to a winning streak this weekend when he squares off with Silva on the main card of the UFC 314 pay-per-view in Miami, Florida.

    Plenty are expecting that to be an uphill task for “Thug Nasty,” however.

    The controversial American is currently a +215 underdog on DraftKings, a betting line that Mitchell is excited to prove wrong come fight night inside the Kaseya Center.

    “I believe so,” Bryce Mitchell said when asked by Mike Bohn at UFC 314 media day whether he’s being unfairly discounted. “This is a great time for all my friends to bet and make a tremendous amount of money off of me.

    “Go ahead and bet the farm. This is the best odds I’ve had,” Mitchell added.

    In Jean Silva, Bryce Mitchell is coming up against one of the standout members of the surging Fighting Nerds team. The Brazilian has won 12 fights on the bounce, including four consecutive knockouts in the UFC.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Promises To ‘Take Risks’ Second Time Around vs. Sean O’Malley

    Merab Dvalishvili Promises To ‘Take Risks’ Second Time Around vs. Sean O’Malley

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili has suggested that fans can expect things to play out differently when he runs it back with Sean O’Malley.

    After successfully pushing past the challenge of Umar Nurmagomedov this past January, “The Machine” will put his focus back on the man from whom he took the 135-pound gold last September.

    Dvalishvili used his grappling dominance to convincingly outpoint O’Malley inside the Sphere. But when the pair renew hostilities in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7, the Georgian is seemingly looking to use other tools to have his hand raised.

    During an appearance on Tuesday’s episode of The Ariel Helwani Show on Uncrowned, Dvalishvili outlined his intention to display more of his striking in the rematch with “Suga.”

    “I’m going to take some risks and I’m going to show my striking, too. That’s what I’m thinking right now,” Merab Dvalishvili said. “Sometimes I’m a little crazy, so in some fights I’m gonna show my craziness.”