UFC 314 is on its way, with the pre-fight press conference set for Thursday at 5 p.m. Fans across the globe are excited to find out who will take home the featherweight title Saturday night.
Will surging contender Diego Lopes get the job done against fan favorite Alexander Volkanovski, or will Volk turn back the clock to reclaim his throne in the 145 lb. division?
Matthew Marini and Mike King of Bay State Sports Wire share their picks on how the main card — starting at 10 p.m. eastern time — will pan out.
Nikita Krylov (30-9) vs Dominick Reyes (14-4)
To kick off the main card, No. 8 ranked Nikita Krylov, who’s won three in a row, is taking on former title challenger Dominick Reyes. No. 11 ranked Reyes, who gave former light-heavyweight champ Jon Jones a legitimate run for his money back in February of 2020, has not looked anywhere close to the man we saw in the octagon five years ago.
However, after losing four in a row following his chance at UFC gold, Reyes finally picked up a KO/TKO win against Dustin Jacoby in June of last year. On top of this, Reyes rounded out 2024 with another win when he finished veteran Anthony Smith in the second round. This helps immensely in bringing back Reyes’ momentum and confidence.
If Reyes can keep his distance and use his kicks to throw off Krylov’s timing, Reyes should be able to take the victory in this one, inching him closer to the title picture once again.
- Mike King
This fight is between two light-heavyweight contenders who, in all likelihood, are making their last real attempts at stringing together a UFC title run. On one side, you have Reyes, a guy who, for my money, beat Jon Jones in their fight in 2020. Since then, however, he has basically fallen off a cliff. Despite losing four straight, Reyes has gotten bounce-back wins against veterans Dustin Jacoby and Anthony Smith. I am particularly impressed by his win against Jacoby, as Reyes showed power and athleticism that we haven’t seen from him since pre-COVID.
Krylov, on the other hand, has spent a long portion of his career hovering in the light-heavyweight top 15. Krylov has a balanced game, with the strongest attribute being his submission skills. On paper, Reyes’ takedown defense should give Krylov problems when he inevitably tries to take this fight to the ground.
That said, I ultimately favor Krylov in this fight. I think his ability to be comfortable no matter where the fight goes could give him an opportunity to overwhelm Reyes if he chooses to push the pace like he did in his one-minute execution of Alexander Gustafsson. Give me Krylov by decision.
- Matthew Marini
Yair Rodriguez (20-6, 1 NC) vs Patricio Pitbull (36-7)
Now this matchup might be the most intriguing one of the evening for longtime fight fans. Former Bellator (now PFL) champion Patricio Pitbull spent 30 fights in the promotion, leading to an impressive 24-6 record in his run. Of these fights, 18 had title implications and Pitbull was able to secure an impressive 15 title fight wins.
So Pitbull is no slouch. However he is getting older, turning 38 in July, and this could prove hurtful for the veteran with his opponent being just 32 years of age. He needs to turn back the clock to shock the fans and prove that he’s always belonged among the globe’s best fighters in the UFC.
Rodriguez is a former (interim) champion in the division, meaning he’s been there and done that dance before. El Pantera will need to submit a championship type performance to beat the withered Pitbull. Expect Rodriguez to use teep kicks to keep distance and high kicks for damage. All signs point to a Rodriguez victory, as long as he keeps his game plan and plans his flurries strategically. A one-sided unanimous decision should be in his future if he wants to make another title run at 145 pounds again.
- King
This matchup is one I never thought I’d see as a fight fan, but here we are. Former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull is finally in the UFC, and is slated to face action-fighter Yair Rodriguez.
Rodriguez put together an impressive title run a couple of years ago, with a close decision loss to the legendary Max Holloway, defeating Brian Ortega in Mexico, and submitting Josh Emmett to win the interim featherweight title. Yair fell short in his title-unification bout against Alexander Volkanovski, despite showing how dangerous he is on the feet.
In a rematch against Brian Ortega, I found myself disappointed in Yair’s effort, as he was overwhelmed by Ortega’s grappling prowess as the fight went on. And that’s where I think Pitbull can win.
Pitbull is an older but very savvy veteran who has the ability to dominate opponents in all aspects of the game when he’s at his best. Pitbull has beaten the likes of Michael Chandler and A.J. McKee in Bellator and has 43 professional fights under his name. My prediction for this fight is that Pitbull will weather an early storm from Yair, and as the fight goes on, he will crawl back into the fight and eventually overwhelm Rodriguez. I’m taking the underdog, Patricio Pitbull, to defeat Yair Rodriguez in the fourth round via ground-and-pound T.K.O.
- Marini
Bryce Mitchell (17-3) vs Jean Silva (15-2)
Now this fight has some serious appeal for the hardcore fans.
Recently, featherweight contender Bryce Mitchell has been under hot water, and not for his usual “the earth is flat” antics. Mitchell was on a podcast weeks ago, discussing Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, implying he would likely go fishing with him and that history has remembered him incorrectly.
One fighter, among mass amounts of fans, took particular exception to these antics. Jean Silva, who is 4-0 in the UFC, is coming off a nasty, one-punch knockout over Melsik Baghdasaryan in February.
Mitchell has shown inconsistencies in a complete mixed martial arts game in the past, and I expect Silva to take full advantage of this. I’m predicting a close, back-and-forth first round before Silva starts to chip away at Mitchell’s chin. My pick? Silva drops Mitchell in the second, showboats, then jumps to the finish at the reception of a loud crowd pop.
- King
This fight could signify the end of one featherweight contender’s title hopes and give life to another’s. Bryce Mitchell, who is one of the dumbest human beings you’ll ever see, has been stuck hovering in the lower half of the featherweight top 15 for several years now. Jean Silva, on the other hand, is a surging contender who is 4-0 in the UFC.
This fight is a classic striker vs grappler matchup. Interestingly, Silva, the Brazilian, is the striker in this case while Mitchell, the American, is the grappler. I think Bryce’s striking, particularly his boxing, is very underrated. He has been obliterated by Ilia Tuporia and Josh Emmett, but held his own against Edson Barbosa.
Despite that, I think Silva gets the job done here with a late TKO or decision. Silva’s power will be too much for Bryce to handle down the stretch, and I trust Silvas grappling defense to keep him out of danger.
- Marini
Michael Chandler (23-9) vs Paddy Pimblett (22-3)
The final prequel to the main event is going to be one epic fight, no matter who takes it here.
On one hand, you’ve got lightweight challenger Michael Chandler, who’s been one of the UFC’s most entertaining products since 2021, known for his powerful punches and strong wrestling background. On the other, you’ve got one of the biggest surging prospects the promotion has ever seen in Paddy Pimblett, who’s got slick Brazilian jiu-jitsu and some pop of his own.
Pimblett has looked strong as of late, but his opponents have been nothing to write home about; Tony Ferguson, Bobby Green, etc. Chandler, just 2-4 inside the UFC octagon, has shown serious promise as a title challenger, but has also shown an inability to use his brain when it matters most. I expect Pimblett to take full advantage of this, drawing Chandler into a trap where he can take advantage. I’ve got Pimblett weathering an early storm, later finishing Chandler by submission in round three.
- King
The co-main event is another potential ‘passing of the torch’ type of matchup. I have been a fan of Paddy Pimblett ever since his days with Cage Warriors. Since being in the UFC, however, my feelings on where his skill level was at have diminished.
That was until he ran over Bobby Green in his last bout. Paddy looked way more defensively sound than I’ve ever seen him, and the speed at which he found the finish on the ground was very impressive.
We know what we’re going to get from Michael Chandler. He’s 38, with the speed and athleticism you’d expect out of someone who’s 28, dynamite power, and all-action fighter. The biggest factor in this fight will be Pimblett’s defense and whether he can avoid taking big shots from Chandler. With Chandler’s skills looking regressed in his rematch against Charles Oliviera, my gut is telling me that Pimblett will pull this out with a surprising second round submission.
- Marini
Alexander Volkanovski (26-4) vs Diego Lopes (26-6)
Featherweight championship fight (145 lbs.)
The main event sees two fan favorite fighters going at it for the undisputed featherweight belt. Diego Lopes has been on a roll ever since joining the UFC. Alexander Volkanovski, the former champ, is looking to reclaim what was once his.
Unfortunately for Volk, he’s 1-3 in his last four bouts, and is now 36 years-old. I’m not saying he’s a shell of his former self, but it didn’t take long for the most recent featherweight champion to take him out with a vicious right hand.
Lopes has seemingly gotten better in every fight he’s been in, and I don’t expect this to stop on Saturday. Lopes’ game is more well-rounded compared to Volk, and his durability seems to outmatch the former titleholder. I expect Lopes to get off to a slow start, but once he finds Volk’s jab at range and defends against the leg kicks, I can see Lopes timing a cracking shot to signal the beginning of the end. From there, it’ll be all Lopes until the TKO victory in the later rounds of this one. And new will be crowned.
- King
Future UFC Hall of Famer Alexander Volkanovski is taking on the surging Diego Lopes for the now-vacant featherweight crown. Volkanovski is one of the most skilled fighters we have ever seen in the octagon. There is truly no aspect of the game where he isn’t high-level. However, as Volkanovski’s prime years are now past him, he is coming off back-to-back knockout losses.
Let’s be honest, Volk only got this fight because of his resume and fan admiration. Lopes, on the other hand, had steamrolled his way to this title opportunity. Lopes’ latest victory was a three-round schooling against Brian Ortega, where he nearly became the first person to knock out T-City. Lopes’ style is sloppy but effective. With stones for hands and slick grappling skills, Lopes is a problem for any featherweight.
If this fight happened just a few years ago, I’d easily predict a Volkanovski masterclass. But I don’t think it’s very likely with Volkanovski on the wrong side of 35, against a power puncher like Lopes. As much as I hate to say it, I think Volkanovski will get knocked out for the third time in a row, and it will happen sometime in the mid-rounds.
- Marini
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