UFC 314 will be headlined by a featherweight title bout, but champion Ilia Topuria is not on the fight card.
Former champion and top contender Alexander Volkanovski and No. 3 ranked Diego Lopes headline UF 314 with the vacant featherweight title on the line. The event takes place April 12 at Kaseya Center in Miami. The fight promotion made the announcement on Wednesday.
Current titleholder Ilia Topuria will vacate the title and move up to the lightweight division. He’s expected to make his lightweight return later this year. Topuria has previously fought once as a lightweight in the UFC, defeating Jai Kyle Herbert by knockout in 2022.
Volkanovski (26-4) will look to rebound from back-to-back knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Topuria. Volkanovski held the 145-pound championship from December 2019 util February 2024 and successfully defended the belt five times. During his title reign, Volkanovski also fought for the lightweight championship twice, losing to Makhachev both times.
Lopes (26-6) will enter the title bout against Volkanovski riding a five-fight winning streak. He last fought at UFC 306 last September, defeating former title challenger Bian Ortega by unanimous decision.
The event will mark the fight promotion’s fourth time hosting an event in Miami.
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