With Ilia Topuria’s featherweight title vacated, Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will face off in a high-stakes fight at UFC 314 to claim the throne. While ‘The Great’ seeks to recover his reign, Lopes views this as an opportunity to take control. The animosity between the two was evident at the recent UFC 314 press conference. But some analysts believe Volkanovski is entering a dangerous fight.

With back-to-back losses, including a knockout loss to Topuria, the former champion is under intense pressure to prove he still belongs at the top. However, a former UFC fighter, Kenny Florian, believes otherwise.

The UFC veteran recently weighed in on the bout on the Anik and Florian podcast, calling it a fight to handicap, owing to Volkanovski’s current form. “What Volkanovski is going to show up?” Florian questioned the former champion, citing his recent knockout defeats and asking if he would take a cautious, strategic approach or engage in an aggressive stand-up battle.

He recognized Volkanovski’s ground game as a big asset, yet expressed concern about Lopes’s relentless hitting, saying, “He’s going to go out there, and he’s going to try to find that chin of Volkanovski’s early and often until that final bell.”

Diego Lopes has been nothing short of dominant on a five-fight winning streak. While the Australian’s aggressive mindset makes him one of the division’s most dangerous rising contenders, many believe his confidence might be a major issue. ‘KenFlo’ emphasized the first ten minutes will be key for the former champion, as the 30-year-old remains expected to come out strong.

He feels if Volkanovski survives the initial storm, he may take control of the fight. However, it could be disastrous if he started a firefight too soon. “If he tries to knock Lopes out and really counter him, that could be extremely dangerous,” Florian said.

Despite the concerns, Alexander Volkanovski is still one of the most experienced and battle-tested fighters in the UFC. His ability to escape dangerous positions against elite grapplers remains a mystery, but Lopes presents a fresh challenge. With youth, momentum, and strength on his side, Lopes is keen to make his mark by getting atop the featherweight throne.

But while we believe we will witness a fight between the best. However, the former kingpin of the division, Ilia Topuria, thinks otherwise.

Ilia Topuria mocks Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes ahead of UFC 314

UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has thrown shade at the upcoming Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes fight. He called it quite unimportant to the division’s true hierarchy. Yes, you heard that right! As Volkanovski and Lopes prepare to compete for the vacant featherweight throne that was once his, ‘El Matador’ remains unimpressed by the fight. But why?

Well, that’s because, having defeated Volkanovski and successfully defended his belt against Max Holloway, the Spanish-Georgian sees himself as the division’s true king, regardless of the official title picture.

In a video posted by Spanish media MARCA, Ilia Topuria mocked Volkanovski and Lopes as his “children,” meaning neither fighter is genuinely on his level. “I don’t know how to predict the future,” he admitted, adding, “The future of our children is complicated. I wish them both luck, but we know who is in charge of that division.”

Topuria’s dismissive tone implies that he sees the fight as little more than a sideshow. He added, “I have simply left them so they can have fun because it’s important for them.” But who can argue with his opinion?

After all, this level of confidence, bordering on arrogance, has been a defining characteristic of Topuria. It’s helped him cement himself as one of the UFC’s biggest stars. While Volkanovski and Lopes compete for the title, Topuria, left behind, aims for a major lightweight title bout against Islam Makhachev.

If he wins a second UFC championship, the similarities to Conor McGregor will only become stronger. Meanwhile, UFC 314 remains an action-packed event. Matchups such as Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett, Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull, and Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva complete a stacked card.

So, what do you think? Who will win the fight? Let us know in the comments.