UFC 314 Preview
Alexander Volkanovski lands a powerful left hook on Max Holloway. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
The UFC heads to Miami, Florida, with an outstanding pay-per-view card. The entire card has been filled with high-level matchups and outstanding fighters, all looking to make a name on the biggest stage in combat sports. Two exceptional Lightweights go toe-to-toe in the co-main event when the always-dangerous Michael Chandler takes on rising star Paddy Pimblett. In the main event, the vacant Featherweight title will be on the line when former champion Alexander Volkanovski takes on the red-hot Diego Lopes. First, let’s take a look at the preliminary fights and then at the bouts on the main card.
Prelims
Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
Darren Elkins prepares to unload punches onto Tristan Connelly. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Featherweight Bout
Darren Elkins: 29-11-0, 9 KO/TKO, 6 Sub.
Julian Erosa: 30-12-0, 11 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.
Elkins has won three of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Michael Johnson (24-19-0), TJ Brown (17-12-0), and Mirsad Bektic (13-4-0). Known as one of the grittiest grapplers in MMA, he uses his toughness and relentless pace to wear down his opponents. He’s landing, on average, nearly three takedowns per fifteen minutes and is a relentless wrestler, regularly chaining together takedown attempts. Elkins has heavy top pressure and will constantly look to posture up and land ground and pound. He tends to box on the feet, fighting behind his jab and using his striking to close the distance and set up his grappling. Training at Team Alpha Male, he’s always willing to eat a shot to land one and is easily drawn into a brawl. One of the longest-tenured fighters in the promotion, he holds multiple Featherweight records, including the most unanimous decision wins, takedowns landed, submissions attempted, control time, and top position time.
Julian Erosa locks in a tight guillotine choke on Ricardo Ramos. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Erosa has won three of his last five bouts and has wins over Hakeem Dawodu (13-4-1), Charles Jourdain (16-8-1), and Nate Landwehr (18-6-0). He utilizes an awkward style on the feet, staying upright with his hands down and throwing lots of looping hooks from strange angles. He is seemingly always moving forward, whether to initiate a grappling exchange or land strikes, and has the cardio to do so over three rounds easily. Erosa is willing to get into brawls on the feet, gladly hanging in the pocket and exchanging combinations. Training at Xtreme Couture, he averages over one takedown landed per fifteen minutes and is a slick submission artist, with two UFC victories via D’arce choke, one of which was standing. He has proven to be a bit of a slow starter, but he heats up as the fight goes on. Erosa has found 64% of his finishes after the first round and is always dangerous.
Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
Jim Miller has a bloody exchange inside the pocket with King Green. Credit: MMA Mania.
Lightweight Bout
Jim Miller: 38-18-0, 7 KO/TKO, 21 Sub.
Chase Hooper: 15-3-1, 4 KO/TKO, 8 Sub.
Miller has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #2 ranked Lightweight Charles Oliveira (35-10-0), Clay Guida (38-22-0), and Donald Cerrone (36-17-0). He's among the UFC's most well-respected, well-rounded, and accomplished fighters. He has the most wins in UFC history with 27, the most fights in promotional history with 45, and the second-most finishes with 19. Miller varies his shots excellently, attacking the head and body evenly and possessing devastating leg kicks. He’s excellent at timing counterattacks and will eat a shot to land one. He’s averaging over one takedown landed and nearly two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes. Training at Sussex County MMA, Miller has excellent top control and constantly pursues a finish.
Chase Hooper secures a vicious armbar on Clay Guida. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Hooper has won four of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Clay Guida (38-22-0), Viacheslav Borschchev (8-5-1), and Jordan Leavitt (11-3-0). He is an excellent grappler, holding a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and a dangerous submission game. He’s averaging nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, usually using trips and clinch takedowns to get his opponent to the mat. Hooper has excellent top control when on the ground and uses his length well, making him dangerous in nearly any position. Training at Combat Sport and Fitness, he is a massive Lightweight, standing at 6’1”, and has shown steady improvement in his striking, absorbing just 10 total significant strikes in his last three fights combined. He’ll often throw kicks at range before blitzing in to unload combinations. Hooper has proved impressively durable and is never truly out of a fight.
#1 Yan Xiaonan vs. #3 Virna Jandiroba
Yan Xiaonan drops Strawweight champion Zhang Weili with a right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Women’s Strawweight
Yan Xiaonan: 19-4-0, 8 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.
Virna Jandiroba: 21-3-0, 1 KO/TKO, 14 Sub.
Xiaonan has won three of her last five bouts and has UFC victories over #4 ranked Strawweight Jéssica Andrade (26-13-0), #6 ranked Strawweight Mackenzie Dern (15-5-0), and #10 ranked Strawweight Tabatha Ricci (11-3-0). She has excellent technical kickboxing skills and throws everything in combination. She regularly opens combinations with a lead leg attack, typically a sidekick. Xiaonan never telegraphs her strikes, often keeping her hands down and throwing from her hip. She’s defended 63% of takedowns attempted on her in the UFC and won’t typically initiate grappling exchanges, but she has solid top control and ground and pound. She’s proven to be highly durable and capable of surviving in deep waters on the feet and the ground. Xiaonan lands, on average, about 75 significant strikes per fight in the UFC and pushes a consistent pace throughout.
Virna Jandiroba submits Amanda Lemos with a vicious armbar. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Jandiroba has won four of her last five outings and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Strawweight Amanda Lemos (15-4-1), #9 ranked Strawweight Marina Rodriguez (17-5-2), and #11 ranked Strawweight Loopy Godínez (13-5-0). She’s a tenacious grappler with excellent takedowns and lethal submissions. She’s a bit limited on the feet, mostly throwing straight punches and 1-2 combinations before closing the distance and pursuing takedowns. Jandiroba is averaging over two takedowns landed and nearly two submissions attempted per fifteen minutes and will constantly look to get her opponent in the clinch along the fence. Training at Academia Fight House, she has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, heavy top control, and always works and pursues a finish on the ground. She has excellent sweeps and reversals, almost always ending up in top position when the fight hits the mat. Jandiroba has secured nine of her fourteen submission victories via choke, with six of those being rear naked chokes, and is extremely dangerous if she can get a hold of her opponent’s neck.
#15 Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
Dan Ige stuns Diego Lopes with a cracking right hand. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Featherweight Bout
Dan Ige: 18-9-0, 6 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Sean Woodson: 13-1-1, 4 KO/TKO, 1 Sub.
Ige has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over Edson Barboza (24-12-0), Andre Fili (24-12-0), and Damon Jackson (23-8-1). He is a brawler with serious power inside the pocket and excellent technical boxing. He has great footwork and constantly varies his attacks, going to the head and body evenly. While Ige primarily uses his hands to land damage, he also possesses powerful kicks, often throwing them naked or at the end of combinations. He throws every shot with power and deadly intent and has one-shot knockout ability. Although more known for his striking, he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has landed at least one takedown in seven of his ten victories in the UFC. Ige has also shown great defensive grappling and is always active on the ground, never staying in one spot for long.
Sean Woodson blasts Kyle Bochniak with a right hand. Credit: DraftKings Network.
Woodson has won four of his last five bouts with one draw and has UFC victories over Charles Jourdain (15-7-1), Youssef Zalal (17-5-1), and Alex Caceres (21-15-0). He’s an experienced striker with an amateur boxing record of 46-3, and it shows in the octagon, using fluid boxing to piece his opponents up. He is the tallest active Featherweight in the UFC at 6’2”, and he uses his length well, throwing long punches and kicks from range along with plenty of feints. Woodson is willing to throw wild shots, particularly flying knees, and has an arsenal of kicks to back up his boxing. He’s excellent at varying his strikes, regularly throwing devastating uppercuts to the body, and has finished fights with body shots. Training at Wolves’ Den TC, he has great takedown defense, especially against the fence, using his size to keep the fight on the feet. Woodson has landed, on average, about 73 significant strikes in his last five fights and always pushes a solid pace.
Main Card
#8 Nikita Krylov vs. #11 Dominick Reyes
Nikita Krylov rains down ground and pound onto Ryan Spann. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Light Heavyweight Bout
Nikita Krylov: 30-9-0, 12 KO/TKO, 16 Sub.
Dominick Reyes: 14-4-0, 9 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Krylov has won three of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (20-8-0), #10 ranked Light Heavyweight Johnny Walker (21-9-0), and Ryan Spann (22-11-0). He holds the rank of Master of Sport in Kyokushin Karate, Hand-to-Hand Combat, and Submission Fighting. He’s always willing to eat a shot to land one, regularly brawling and getting into exchanges in the pocket. Krylov has a solid arsenal of kicks in his repertoire but often favors his hands, regularly unloading powerful combinations. Training with Raty Team, he always pushes a heavy pace, throwing with power and volume, and has outlanded his last eight opponents. He’s averaging over two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, has smothering top control, and is always working for a finish. Krylov rarely sees the judges’ scorecards, securing 28 of his 30 victories via finish, with 23 coming in round one.
Dominick Reyes prepares to unload ground and pound punches onto Anthony Smith. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Reyes has won two of his last five fights and has UFC victories over #7 ranked Middleweight Jared Cannonier (18-8-0), #9 ranked Light Heavyweight Volkan Oezdemir (20-8-0), and #15 ranked Light Heavyweight Anthony Smith (38-21-0). He is a lengthy striker who pursues a knockout from the opening bell, with all of his finishes coming in round one. Training at Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai, he often opens up with a barrage of heavy kicks, both high and low, and can land damage at range and in the pocket. Despite Reyes’s tendency to find an early finish, he doesn’t push a crazy pace, typically fading as the fight continues. He has excellent takedown defense, having defended 82% of takedowns attempted on him in the UFC, and he won’t accept bottom position on the mat. He has decent wrestling but tends to resort to it when he’s hurt, and he has only landed two takedowns in his UFC career. Reyes can find a finish without much volume, holding five victories in the promotion in which he landed 20 or fewer significant strikes.
#13 Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva
Bryce Mitchell elevates and prepares to slam Dan Ige. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Featherweight Bout
Bryce Mitchell: 17-3-0, 1 KO/TKO, 9 Sub.
Jean Silva: 15-2-0, 12 KO/TKO, 2 Sub.
Mitchell has won three of his last five bouts and has wins over #15 ranked Featherweight Dan Ige (18-9-0), Edson Barboza (24-12-0), and Andre Fili (24-12-0). He is a high-level grappler with dangerous submissions, landing, on average, over three takedowns per fifteen minutes in the UFC. He typically gets the fight to the mat quickly, possessing a wrestling background and a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Mitchell has excellent top control on the ground and always pursues a finish, whether ground and pound or a submission. Training at Barata MMA, he’s most dangerous early on, with eight of his nine submission victories coming in round one. On the feet, he’s in perpetual motion, cuts off the cage well, and has decent power in his hands. Mitchell has one of three wins in UFC history via twister submission and can produce submissions from anywhere and any position.
Jean Silva lands a devastating left hook on Melsik Baghdasaryan. Credit: MMA Fighting.
Silva is on a twelve-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Melsik Baghdasaryan (8-3-0), Charles Jourdain (16-8-1), and Drew Dober (27-15-0). He’s a flashy striker with power in both hands who constantly hunts for a knockout. He starts slow, looking for openings and throwing heavy, single shots. Silva can get wild on the feet, fighting with his hands low, talking trash, and attempting spinning and jumping attacks. Training with Fighting Nerds, he heats up as the fight continues, gradually increasing his forward pressure and output. His best shots are his right straight and lead hook, and he’ll constantly look to set up either. Silva has finished nine of his twelve consecutive wins in the first round and is dangerous anytime, anywhere.
#5 Yair Rodríguez vs. Patrício Pitbull
Yair Rodríguez pops Brian Ortega with a stiff right hand. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Featherweight Bout
Yair Rodríguez: 20-5-0, 9 KO/TKO, 5 Sub.
Patrício Pitbull: 36-7-0, 13 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.
Rodríguez has won two of his last five outings and has UFC victories over #6 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (24-12-0), #10 ranked Featherweight Josh Emmett (19-5-0), and Jeremy Stephens (29-21-0). He’s one of the most diverse strikers in the UFC, possessing an insane arsenal of kicks and flashy attacks. He throws everything with immense speed and attacks from different angles, constantly moving and switching stances. Rodríguez usually leads with his kicks before letting his hands go, picking his opponent apart at range before entering the pocket to throw combinations. He has excellent distance management and timing and never slows down, consistently putting out a substantial volume of strikes. Training at Valle Flow Striking, he has fantastic clinch striking and some of the most devastating elbows in MMA. Rodríguez won’t usually take the fight to the mat, but he has a great submission game and is dangerous off his back.
Patrício Pitbull fires a right hand at Adam Borics. Credit: Yahoo Sports.
Pitbull has won three of his last five fights and is making his UFC debut. He’s a former Bellator Lightweight and Featherweight champion and is the Bellator record holder for the most fights, wins, title fights, wins in title fights, and finishes. Often considered the greatest Bellator fighter of all time, He’s a powerful, technical scrapper with outstanding distance management and counterstriking. Pitbull does an excellent job of holding the center of the cage and forcing his opponent to the outside, not utilizing much movement but always pressing forward. He throws everything with power but won’t get sloppy or telegraph his strikes, often blitzing forward with looping hooks before quickly returning to range. Pitbull has fought for championships in sixteen of his last twenty fights and is comfortable anywhere the fight ends up.
#7 Michael Chandler vs. #12 Paddy Pimblett
Michael Chandler brutally knocks out Tony Ferguson with a front kick to the head. Credit: MMA Junkie.
Lightweight Bout
Michael Chandler: 23-9-0, 11 KO/TKO, 7 Sub.
Paddy Pimblett: 22-3-0, 6 KO/TKO, 11 Sub.
Chandler has won one of his last five bouts and has UFC victories over #5 ranked Lightweight Dan Hooker (24-12-0) and Tony Ferguson (26-11-0). He is a former three-time Bellator Lightweight champion who entered the UFC in 2021. He’s exceptionally well-rounded, pushes a heavy pace, and is comfortable anywhere the fight goes. Chandler is an excellent wrestler with powerful takedowns, landing, on average, nearly two takedowns per fifteen minutes in the UFC. He’s incredibly dangerous in top position, possessing brutal ground and pound and particularly lethal chokes. Training at Kill Cliff FC, he’s just as dangerous on the feet as he is on the ground, having excellent power in his hands and a great chin. Chandler pushes a heavy pace at all times and is always pursuing a finish, only seeing the judges three times in his last ten fights.
Paddy Pimblett locks up a triangle choke on King Green. Credit: Yahoo Sports.
Pimblett is on an eight-fight win streak and has UFC victories over Jared Gordon (20-7-0), King Green (32-17-1), and Jordan Leavitt (11-3-0). He is a very aggressive striker, always throwing everything with power and using a variety of wild kicks. He throws in combination and is willing to brawl in the pocket, often blitzing forward and swinging wild hooks. Training at Next Generation MMA, Pimblett is an excellent grappler, and in his promotional tenure, he’s averaging about one takedown landed and over two submissions attempted per 15 minutes. He has excellent takedowns and advances position quickly on the ground, always looking to find a finish. He’s very creative on the ground and is one of the most dangerous men in the sport to have on your back, regularly securing chokes with impressive speed. All of Pimblett’s submission victories came via some form of choke, so the fight is practically over if he can get a hold of his opponent’s neck.
#1 Alexander Volkanovski vs. #3 Diego Lopes
Alexander Volkanovski batters Brian Ortega from top position. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Featherweight Title Bout
Alexander Volkanovski: 26-4-0, 13 KO/TKO, 3 Sub.
Diego Lopes: 26-6-0, 10 KO/TKO, 12 Sub.
Volkanovski has won two of his last five outings and has wins over #2 ranked Featherweight Max Holloway (26-8-0), #5 ranked Featherweight Yair Rodríguez (20-5-0), and #6 ranked Featherweight Brian Ortega (16-4-0). He is an excellent technical striker with serious power in both hands and devastating leg kicks. He’s highly accurate, throws every shot with purpose, and quickly moves in and out of the pocket without taking damage. Volkanovski never telegraphs his attacks and is defensively sound, defending 58% of significant strikes attempted on him. Although elusive, he’s willing to eat a shot to land one and will brawl inside the pocket. Training at City Kickboxing, he has excellent cardio and is constantly pressuring forward, averaging 151 significant strikes landed in his last five wins. Volkanovski also averages nearly two takedowns landed per fifteen minutes, has excellent wrestling with heavy top pressure, outstanding control in the clinch, and an incredible ability to escape submissions.
Diego Lopes lands a brutal uppercut on Sodiq Yusuff. Credit: Zuffa LLC.
Lopes is on a five-fight win streak and has UFC victories over #6 ranked Featherweight Brian Ortega (16-4-0), #15 ranked Featherweight Dan Ige (18-9-0), and Sodiq Yusuff (13-4-0). An experienced grappler with impressive striking, he throws every shot with knockout intentions and constantly seeks a finish. He has one-shot KO power on the feet and has excellent accuracy and timing with his hands. Lopes has fast, powerful kicks and tends to get wild with his striking. Training at Lobo Gym MMA, he has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and is dangerous anywhere the fight goes. He has a vicious submission game on top and bottom, constantly transitioning and looking for openings. Lopes has excellent ground and pound on top, which he’ll regularly use to create submission openings.
Best Bets
Yair Rodríguez Moneyline: This is an outstanding matchup of two top-tier strikers. Both have faced off against some of the most talented fighters in MMA and have a bevy of high-level experience. Despite being a relatively short Featherweight, Pitbull relies heavily on distance management and counter striking. This strategy will benefit Rodríguez, who has both a height and reach advantage, but also the youth and speed. Rodríguez is also extremely unpredictable and unorthodox, making counter striking with him a dangerous challenge. Although Pitbull likely has a wrestling advantage, he won't typically shoot for takedowns and will likely be looking for a highlight win in his UFC debut. I expect Rodríguez to stay at range, picking Pitbull apart with long punches and kicks, not allowing Pitbull to hold the center and work his offense. I anticipate many close exchanges on the feet, but ultimately, I believe Rodríguez will walk away with a victory over a legend of the sport.
Michael Chandler Moneyline: This is a bit of a bizarre matchup of two vastly different fighters, and I’m looking forward to it. Chandler is a very gritty, traditional fighter who utilizes vicious boxing and powerful wrestling to damage his opponents. Pimblett, on the other hand, is a very unorthodox, aggressive striker with outstanding BJJ and submissions. I might as well be blunt; despite Pimblett being the odds-on favorite, I struggle to see a path to victory for him in this fight. His only true advantage in this matchup is pure submission offense: he’s outgunned on the feet and doesn’t have nearly Chandler's wrestling pedigree. Chandler has also faced vastly higher-level competition, facing off against champions and fighting for titles inside and outside the UFC. Meanwhile, Pimblett’s likely most formidable opponent has been Jared Gordon, whom he arguably didn’t deserve a victory over. I expect Chandler to overpower Pimblett on the feet, out-wrestle Pimblett in the grappling exchanges, and put himself back into the winning column.
Volkanovski vs. Lopes Over 3.5 Rounds: I am ecstatic about this matchup of two of the most exciting fighters in the Featherweight division and two of my favorites. With that established, I’m frankly terrified at the idea of picking either of these men to lose, and thus, I won’t. Instead, I predict this outstanding fight will make it into the championship rounds. Lopes has proven exceptionally tough and durable, particularly in his debut fight with Evloev. Lopes was repeatedly put into tough spots by Evloev and continued to not only find a way out but repeatedly attempt and nearly finish submissions. Despite a string of recent knockout losses, I believe the over a year Volkanovski took away from the octagon has massively benefitted him, and I expect to see him in top form this Saturday. I anticipate a slower, more methodical start to this fight, with both men feeling each other out and determining timing and distance. As the fight continues, I expect things to heat up, with plenty of spirited, competitive exchanges on the feet and the mat. Regardless of who emerges as the new Featherweight champion, I believe this fight will be a banger and last more than three and a half rounds.
