Former champion details how Volkanovski can beat Diego Lopes and win back the belt at UFC 314

Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will decide a new featherweight champion at UFC 314. Photo: Reproduction X UFC

This Saturday (12), the Ultimate lands in Miami for the star-studded UFC 314, headlined by the highly anticipated fight for the vacant featherweight belt (up to 65,7 kg) between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. Former middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg) Robert Whittaker, a New Zealander naturalized Australian, believes that his compatriot is ready to overcome the Brazilian and regain the title lost against Ilia Topuria in 2024.

In a recent edition of his 'MMArcade' podcast, Whittaker analyzed the paths Volkanovski can take to overcome the Brazilian based in Mexico and retake the throne of the featherweight division.

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“Volkanovski’s skill set is top-tier. I can see him attacking the calves and following up with his left hand. I can see him pressing Diego back and attacking with double legs against the cage. He stopped using that as much when he was champion, except with names like Yair Rodriguez, but he used wrestling a lot early in his career and it had great effect. I believe we’re going to see a complete Volk, with top-tier skills, and we’ll have another champion in Australia,” Whittaker analyzed.

Former dominant featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is suffering a string of brutal knockout losses against Islam Makhachev in 2023 and Ilia Topuria in 2024. According to Whittaker, this shouldn't be enough for fans to forget the Australian's successful UFC career.

“I think the million-dollar question is which Volk we’re going to see in the octagon on UFC 314 night. Everyone’s talking about his losses to Makhachev, the knockout, the consecutive knockout against Topuria, talking about his age. MMA fans do that. As soon as he lost, they started talking about his age, like he was finished. It’s the silliest thing I’ve ever heard. MMA fans are the best and also the worst for us,” he concluded.