Alexander Volkanovski has regained the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) featherweight title after a unanimous decision victory over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in Miami, an event attended by United States President Donald Trump.
The fight was scored 49-46 by two judges and 48-47 by the third, marking a triumphant return for the Australian mixed martial artist in the early hours of Sunday.
Volkanovski (27-4) had successfully defended his championship four times before his defeat to Israel Makhachev on February 11, 2023.
“It feels great to be back,” Volkanovski stated following his win.
In his post-fight comments, Lopes paid his respects to the champion while also emphasizing that this was not the end of his journey.
“It was an honor to face Alexander Volkanovski in the Octagon,” Lopes said. “I’ll return.”
Trump, a longstanding ally of UFC President and CEO Dana White and an enthusiast of the sport, was present in the front row.
Basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal made his way to Trump, shaking hands as they greeted each other. Also in attendance were cabinet officials Tulsi Gabbard, Marco Rubio, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., along with Elon Musk, the owner of X and advisor at the White House.
Volkanovski faced adversity in the second round, suffering a cut below his right eye and getting knocked down by an overhand right. Nevertheless, he dominated the opening three rounds. Lopes managed to catch Volkanovski’s other eye in the fourth round but couldn’t capitalize on his chance.
Heading into the fifth round, Volkanovski was on course for victory, despite Lopes’s efforts to taunt him and entice him into striking exchanges. Despite the theatrics, Volkanovski maintained his role as the aggressor throughout.
Volkanovski was eager for a rematch with Ilia Topuria to avenge his prior loss at UFC 298 over a year ago. However, Topuria’s move to the lightweight division left the featherweight category open.
Lopes, ranked third, seized the opportunity to challenge Volkanovski.
This marked Volkanovski’s tenth consecutive title fight at 36 years old, while Lopes, at 30, was competing for a title for the first time.
Volkanovski ended Lopes’s impressive five-fight winning streak.
With a strong desire to perform, Volkanovski came back after an extended break following his loss to Topuria in February 2024. Additionally, he was looking to bounce back from three defeats in his last four fights.
All four of those bouts took place within a year, allowing him to come into this fight more rested.
In the co-main event, lightweight contender Paddy Pimblett furthered his ascent with a technical knockout of Michael Chandler, finishing the fight in three minutes and seven seconds of the third round. The 30-year-old from Liverpool, UK, has won all seven of his fights since joining the organization, bringing his overall record to 23-3.
“I’m aiming for that world title,” Pimblett declared. “People say I can’t become champion, that I won’t make it into the top 10. Well, what now?”
Chandler, now nearing 39 years old, faces important decisions after winning only two of his last seven contests, with a record of 23-10.
Featherweight Bryce Mitchell, who recently faced backlash for his controversial comments regarding Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust, fought for the first time since the incident. Although he later retracted his statements and faced strong criticism from White, he was not punished.
Mitchell struggled against Jean Silva in their featherweight bout, with Silva winning via guillotine choke submission with just a minute remaining in the second round.
