UFC 314 Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes Fight Card Analysis , Best Bets, & Predictions

Written by: Tristan Vieira
Last Updated: Sat Apr 12, 2025, 14:45 PM
Read Time: 11 minutes

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The craziness of media week has come to a close and the UFC is bringing a stacked PPV to Miami tomorrow night ! Weigh ins are complete and it was a nearly perfect session for the UFC with 25/26 fighters hitting their marks.
However it did not with some drama , as Jean silva missed the 146 mark on his first attempt. The prospect returned an hour later a pound lighter to successfully make the featherweight limit.
Main event fighters Diego Lopes and Alexander Volkanovski successfully made the championship limit making the title bout official. The weight cut seemed to affect Volkanovski more then Lopes, but both fighters had no issue making the limit on first attempt.
Ceremonial faceoffs are complete and the action is set for UFC 314 in Miami tomorrow night! MMA fans across the globe excited to find out who will walk away with featherweight gold.
I have created this UFC 314 Best Bets guide to provide deeper analysis on some of the big fights and provide our readers here at Betting News with the best gambling experience possible for UFC 314. Lines are moving, money is coming in and there is less then 24 hours to get our bets in so lets dive into it!
All betting odds are presented by BetOnline.ag as of 4/11/2025 8PM
UFC 314 Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes Analysis, Best Bet, & Prediction

Main Event Fighters Face Off Ahead Of their Featherweight Title Fight
The main event at UFC 314 is set for Featherweight gold tonight between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. With such high level MMA skills on both sides of the octagon, it is sure to be fireworks in Miami tonight.
Alexander Volkanovski is making his long awaited return to the octagon to reclaim the featherweight throne. Taking over a year off to recover, the former champ will try to make a statement and remind everyone why he held the title so long in the first place.
Coming off of back to back knockout losses, Volkanovski has been on a tough run of late. It is hard to tell if father time is catching up to the former champion being as they were both against dominant champions.
His list of accomplishments is impressive, holding the 145 pound belt for 5 years with 6 successful title defenses. Volkanovski has proven he belongs at the top of the division since his arrival.
Volkanovski centers his game around his slick striking and phenomenal movement around the octagon. Not being known as a power puncher, he typically throws with volume out striking his opponents over the course of the fight.
With no wrestling background, it is hard to believe how skilled Volkanovski is in that department. Averaging 2 takedowns per fight, once he gets his opponent down they hardly get back up until the round is over.
In his title run he has shown small holes in his game all though no one has been able to take advantage of them. He has been put into multiple deep submission attempts and somehow fought his way out of them each time.
Even the best fighters cant beat father time, Volkanovskis luck might be running out.
Will the prospect stay hot?

Featherweight Contender Diego Lopes
Tonight we will also see Diego Lopes get his first crack at UFC gold. The prospect has been on a tear since making his debut in 2023, making impressive strides along the way.
Lopes is riding the coat tails of a 5 fight winning streak over top contenders in the featherweight division. Finishing 3 of those fights inside the distance as well , showing off how dangerous he is in the octagon.
The prospect has heavy hands and has fallen in love with his striking as of late. Showing off his power, he has picked up 2 knock out victories and implemented a kill or be killed style.
This has been a tad of switch from the norm considering Lopes has a very grapple heavy background. Lopes is a coral belt in BJJ, one of the highest honors awarded in the sport.
He has thrown up some very sneaky submissions over his tenure, yet picking up 1 submission victory. With the knowledge and IQ to fight for a variety of different submission that may not be an option to most fighters, Lopes has shown he is dangerous wherever the fight goes.
In his tenure there has been one glaring flaw. The cardio seems to become a problem for Diego as fights get extended into the later rounds. He has slowed to a brutal halt in the 3rd round of his last 2 decision victories.
Between Volkanovski’s durability and Lopes tendency to fade later in fights, my focus shifts to the total in this match up.
Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes Prediction: Diego Lopes Wins (+131) at Betonline
Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes Best Bet: Under 3.5 Total Rounds (+115) at Betonline
UFC 314 Co – Main Event: Paddy Pimblett vs Michael Chandler Analysis, Best Bet, & Prediction

Action Packed Lightweight Co Main Event
As if the Featherweight title Main Event wasnt enough, MMA fans get a banger of a Co Main Aswell!
Paddy Pimblett is looking to throw his hat into title contention with a big win over veteran Michael Chandler. Being one of the biggest stars in the UFC right now, a win over chandler would only catapult his career further.
Riding an 8 fight winning streak, Pimblett has been streaking since starting his UFC Career. Picking up several impressive wins along the way, he has proven he belongs at the top of the division.
Centering his game around his grappling, Pimblett is more then dangerous on the ground. With sneaky submissions and good takedown entries , Pimblett is always a factor to finish the fight once it hits the matt.
Paddy does have holes in his game, as he has shown he can be taken down and controlled against the cage as well. His striking defense has also been a question , being hit a lot and even dropped in one of his early UFC fights.
In recent fights Paddy is showing improvements in his game, looking cleaner in the striking exchanges against King green. All though, he is still young and makes questionable decisions at times. It is hard to believe he will have the skills this young to get past a tough test in Chandler.
Will Chandler Get Back In The Win Column?

Lighweight Veteran Michael Chandler
Strapping up the gloves across from Paddy we will see Michael Chandler make his return to the Octagon. Chandler is next level tough, fighting thru murderers row in his UFC tenure and creating a fascinating resume.
A kill or be killed fighter, every time Chandler steps into the octagon fireworks are promised. Putting on exciting fight after exciting fight, despite losing , he has become a UFC favorite due to his willingness to accept hard fights.
On a tough run as of late as mentioned above, he has now lost back to back fights. At 38 years old , time is running out for the veteran to get back into the title picture.
It is also worth to mention he is 1-4 in his last 5 fights and he could quite literally be fighting for his job here. With more motivation then ever, UFC fans should expect to see one of the best versions of Chandler to date.
Chandler is a former D1 wrestler, which has translated to his MMA game well. He has phenomenal takedown attempts with great control when landing them.
Once the fight is on the ground he has shown great scrambling ability, seamlessly transitioning in different situations. He is also abnormally strong for the division and being a smaller fighter with a lower center of gravity, he has been able to use those attributes to his advantage.
In all of his fights Chandler provides relentless pressure and an incredible pace early on. By making his opponents work so hard early, some may find it hard to keep up the defense over and over again.
In this specific Veteran/Prospect match up, I have to side with the Wrestling upside, strength advantage and Veteran Fight IQ of Chandler.
UFC 314 Co – Main Event Paddy Pimblett vs Michael Chandler Prediction: Michael Chandler Wins (+130)
at Betonline
UFC 314 Co – Main Event Paddy Pimblett vs Michael Chandler Best Bet: Michael Chandler Wins (+130)
at Betonline
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UFC 314 Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull Analysis, Best Bet, & Prediction

Debut Match up for former Bellator Champion Patricio Pittbull
In an exciting match up in the featherweight division we will see Patricio Pitbull make his debut against Yair Rodriguez. A former Bellator champion and legend to the sport , his signing is long overdue to some UFC fans.
Patricio comes from a legendary camp and a long lineage of fighters, being the younger brother of Patricky Pitbull another legend of the sport. For years in Bellator, Patricio has shown he belongs with the best of Featherweights.
He is a high level kick boxer with great boxing in the pocket and striking defense. Coming off an impressive knockout in his last fight, he is looking to roll his momentum into his UFC debut.
Being more a volume striker rather then a power puncher, he tends to wear down his opponents over the course of the fight. He shines as the fight goes on, looking better as the fight pushes into the later rounds.
Wrestling is not apart of his usual game plan, as he prefers a stand up fight where he feels most comfortable. In this fight I feel the takedowns could come easy, but it is not likely Pittbull tries as Rodriguez will give him the fight he wants.
His durability has shined throughout his MMA career, with 43 professional fights and only being finished 3 times. He has no problem taking a couple punches in order to get off his own offense.
Across the cage Yair Rodriguez looks to play spoiler to the debut. Being a UFC veteran with over 14 fights under the promotion, he has built an impressive resume over his tenure.
He owns rights to one of the most impressive knockouts in the UFC’s history with his win over The Korean Zombie. Rodriguez puts on a high pace and provides exciting fights every time he steps in the cage.
Yair is a well rounded striker with the tried and true Mexican boxing style. He has very versatile attacks, mixing in leg kicks with his slick boxing. With only 1 true knockout loss and many wars under his belt, his durability has shined through out the years.
With a great ground game, he is very dangerous if the fight hits the matt throwing up multiple submission attempts to break control. Rodriguez is a fast twitch fighter, with lightening fast strikes and movements in the octagon.
Picking up back to back losses in his last 2 fights, Yair needs a big win to get back into the title picture. Rodriguez will need to keep this fight standing in order to look his best and secure the victory.
I expect Patricios striking to match up well with Rodriguez’s and provide an entertaining fight that sees the judges scorecards.
UFC 314 Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull Prediction: Yair Rodriguez Wins (-170) at Betonline
UFC 314 Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull Best Bet: Fight Goes The Distance – YES (-125) at Betonline
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UFC 314 Schedule & FAQ:
When is UFC Vegas 314?
- UFC 314 will take place Saturday, April 12th, 2025.
Where is UFC 314?
- UFC 314 will go down live at The Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
What time does UFC 314 start?
- UFC 314 Preliminary Card start time: 6 p.m. ET
- UFC 314 Main Card start time: 10 p.m. ET
How to Watch UFC 314?
- UFC 314 Preliminary Card Coverage: ESPN+
- UFC 314 Coverage: ESPN+, ESPN PPV
How to Bet on UFC 314?
- Most international and domestic sportsbooks will carry odds for a fight card of this caliber but click here for some sites and applications us bettors here at Betting News recommend for a great UFC betting experience.
If one thing is for sure, Saturday’s card is sure to bring the action. I hope this betting guide helps bring more context to your UFC entertainment experience.
If you want my full card of bets, tune into the Violence Report on our network on Twitch every Saturday, or more gambling content like this make sure to follow me on X or Betting News on all platforms!
Looking for more ways and strategies to bet the UFC? Check out our UFC BETTING GUIDE! Take betting the Octagon to the next level!
Tristan Vieira is a Massachusetts native, that proudly represents the title town of Boston. Avidly watching MMA,NFL,& MLB growing up he was naturally drawn to gambling on those leagues, now he has garnered over 8 years of experience. With a passion to share his knowledge, he enjoys meticulously studying the current betting market & never without his tin foil hat near by or any hestitation to take a plus money bet!
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