MIAMI — Alexander Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight championship early Sunday morning, defeating Diego Lopes by unanimous resolution at UFC 314.
Two judges scored the struggle 49-46 and the opposite had it 48-47.
Volkanovski (27-4) had efficiently defended his belt 4 instances earlier than dropping to Israel Makhachev on Feb. 11, 2023.
Within the co-main occasion, No. 12 light-weight contender Paddy Pimblett continued this rise with a technical knockout of No. 7 Michael Chandler at 3:07 of the third spherical. Plimbett, a 30-year-old from Liverpool, England, has gained all seven of his bouts since transferring to the group, giving him a 23-3 report total.
“I need that world title,” Pimblett stated. “Some say I am going to by no means be champ, I am going to by no means get run, I am going to by no means be within the prime 10. However what now?”
At almost 39, Chandler has some choices to creating after profitable simply two of his most up-to-date seven bouts. He’s 23-10.
Featherweight Bryce Mitchell, who fought for the primary time since praising Adolf Hitler and denying the Holocaust on a podcast, was additionally on the cardboard. He later backed off his feedback and although White closely criticized Mitchell, he didn’t self-discipline him.
Mitchell was little match for Jean Silva of their featherweight struggle. Silva gained by submission with a guillotine choke with 1:08 left within the second spherical.
Volkanovski, regardless of getting reduce beneath his proper eye within the second and being floored by an overhand proper in that spherical, dominated the primary three rounds. However Lopes’ glove caught Volkanovski’s different eye within the fourth spherical after which pounced, however did not put him away.
That arrange the fifth spherical and, barring a knockout, Volkanovski appeared on his method to victory although Lopes spent a lot of the struggle verbally difficult him and welcoming him to field. Theatrics on the contrary, Volkanovski was the aggressor.
Volkanovski had hoped to get one other shot at Ilia Topuria and avenge his loss from greater than a yr in the past at UFC 298. However Topuria moved as much as the light-weight division, leaving the featherweight class vacant.
In stepped Lopes, the third-ranked challenger, to tackle Volkanovski.
This was the tenth consecutive title struggle for Volkanovski, the 36-year-old top-ranked contender from Australia. Lopes, a 30-year-old from Brazil, was in first title bout.
Volkanovski was a -160 favourite at BetMGM Sportsbook to defeat Lopes (26-7), whose five-match profitable streak ended.
In getting ready for Lopes, Volkanovski stated he absolutely dedicated himself by starting coaching camp sooner than typical and specializing in the exercise restoration course of and weight-reduction plan along with the bodily calls for. He stated he has by no means been this lean going right into a bout.
Volkanovski had loads of cause for desirous to get to work. He took an prolonged layoff after dropping in February 2024 to Topuria. Greater than that, he’s coming off defeats in three of his previous 4 fights, together with dropping the 2 most up-to-date matches. All 4 fights occurred in lower than a yr, so he was rather more rested.
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