5 Burning Questions for UFC 314
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UFC 314 is shaping up to be one of the most pivotal cards of the year, headlined by a high-stakes featherweight title bout between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. With big names, rising contenders, and legacy fights sprinkled throughout the lineup, the event carries major implications for several divisions. As always, we ask five burning questions to help break down the most compelling storylines heading into fight night.
We take a look at Volkanovski’s future, Pimblett’s pressure to perform well, and which bouts could steal the show at UFC 314:
#1. After suffering consecutive brutal KOs, and now 36, how concerned are you that Alexander Volkanovski is ‘washed’?
Lee: This is an interesting question with a simple answer. As of today, I would say Volkanovski isn’t washed. He lost to two of the best fighters in the UFC and the first loss was on short notice. I would say he needs to add some new tricks to his fight game. Watching him in his last few fights, he has become a little predictable in his approach to fighting. He’s mentioned retirement, and when a fighter has one foot in and one foot out, it naturally raises questions about whether they’re still fully committed to winning.
Evan: I think Lee’s got the right perspective here. Volkanovski is coming off brutal KO losses, but it was at the hands of arguably the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport: Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev. There’s really no shame in losing to those guys whatsoever. It’s hard to make a definitive statement on Volk’s future off that alone. I’m not sure I’d go as far to say the Aussie legend is washed just yet. With that being said, it feels like he’s undoubtedly on the down slope of his career. I’m very concerned about his durability after his last two fights, and don’t believe those losses were mere coincidences.
#2. With Ilia Topuria vacating the featherweight title, what does Volkanovski vs. Lopes signify for the state of the division?
Lee: The clash for the vacant featherweight title is a step in the right direction. Normally, the UFC allows current champions to chase another champion which holds up the division. With the title being vacated, the division gets to move forward with other fighters getting a chance to fight for the title and become household names. Now that Topuria and possibly Holloway moving up, the featherweight division has a chance to birth some new stars. Hopefully, the addition of Pitbull to the division can add some juice to as well.
Evan: Topuria vacating the title in the prime of his career, after dispatching two iconic champions, puts the division in a very strange place. It feels like it’s pivoted to a transition period currently. But if Lopes were victorious, it would also be a changing of the guard moment fully at 145 pounds. This will signify a true passing of the torch to the next generation of featherweights. A Volkanovski win on the other hand would be a reclamation point for one of the greatest champions the division has ever had. However, Ilia’s somewhat sudden departure leaves an unfulfilled seismic void in the featherweight landscape. It will be a heavy burden for the new champion to carry, regardless of who wins at UFC 314, and for the rest of the contenders in the division to push it forward into its next chapter.
#3. Who is under more pressure to perform well and win at UFC 314, Michael Chandler or Paddy Pimblett?
Lee: Paddy Pimblett is under the most pressure to perform. He is looking to move up in the rankings and hopefully get in title contention. Chandler is known for fighting the best but his better days may be behind him. He has built up a Hall of Fame resume… But, I would say he has two or three fights left in him. In contrast, Pimblett being the younger fighter and viewed as a star needs to show he can compete with the top guys in the division. A Pimblett win keeps the hype train on the tracks and his star status on the rise.
Evan: I’m 100% on the same page with Lee here, it’s Paddy Pimblett. He’s one of the few rising stars who the UFC has tried to build up. But his most notable victories are over Bobby Green and Tony Ferguson. He’s been a beneficiary of extremely favorable matchmaking, which has led to an increased growth in people being skeptical of his actual capabilities. An impressive win over a former title challenger, would really help legitimize Pimblett as a contender. We already know Michael Chandler’s ceiling at this point, he’s 2-4 in his six Octagon appearances. At 38 years old, he has solidified himself as a crowd pleasing, action fighter who is here for a good time, not a long time. I don’t think a loss really changes much. So, this is an important opportunity for Pimblett to defeat an aging, vulnerable, yet still dangerous named opponent like Chandler.
#4. Which fight on this stacked card do you feel is being overlooked and has you most excited?
Lee: I am excited to see the ageless wonder Jim Miller take on the youngster Chase Hooper. Miller is looking to put a halt to Hooper’s four-fight win streak. He will be a true step up in competition for Hooper. Miller is good on the feet and his submission game is next level, so Hooper is going to be tested. But, Hooper is a skilled fighter who happens to be long at 6’1 and will own a three-inch reach advantage. Miller will look to use his experience to exploit any weaknesses in Hooper’s game. Both fighters have great ground games and will not shy away from a grappling match. This fight should be higher on the card, and is must-see!
Evan: I’m going to go with Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson. This is incredible matchmaking and a matchup that easily could headline any UFC Apex card. Ige is 1-3 in his last four outings. But, all three losses were close, competitive decisions to Bryce Mitchell, Diego Lopes, and Lerone Murphy. For my money, he’s still one of the most well rounded, consistently exciting, durable, and underrated fighters in the featherweight division. Woodson meanwhile, is surging currently, going 6-0-1 in his last seven octagon appearances. The lanky striker really has seemed to turn a corner in his career. A win for him over an extremely credible opponent in ’50K’ Ige, would fully launch Woodson into the contender stratosphere. Whereas if Ige can stop Woodson’s momentum, it could take him out of this gatekeeper territory he’s trending towards. This fight should be a high level, high stakes, showdown filled with entertaining moments.
#5. Outside of the main event of UFC 314, what fight has the highest stakes?
Lee: Yair Rodríguez taking on the new UFC signee, Patrício Pitbull has the highest stakes in my opinion. Pitbull is looking to make a statement in his debut fight against a very game Rodriguez. Rodriguez has fought and fared well against most of the top guys in the division. Pitbull could immediately be ranked in the top 10 with a win. The former Bellator champion will be looking to show he can also be the man in the UFC. Rodríguez, with a win, will keep his featherweight title hopes alive and solidify his top 5 ranking.
Evan: I’m in lockstep with Lee once again, I’m also going to choose the Yair Rodríguez-Patrício Freire matchup. Not only do their styles clash in what should be an exciting, fantastic way… But, this is a bit of a crossroads fight for both. Pitbull is of course a former two-division Bellator champ, and arguably the best fighter in that promotion’s history. However, he’ll be 38 in July and the clock is seemingly ticking on his chance to be a significant title threat in the UFC. Yair however, is riding a two-fight losing streak, after getting finished by Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega. He’s struggled to compete with the elite of the division, and more importantly beat them. The magnitude of what this bout means to the trajectory of this pair’s respective futures is immense. This one has barnburner written all over it.
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