UFC 314 delivered some memorable moments from Miami on Saturday night, from the crowning of a new (old) 145-pound champ to star-making performances for a few members of the next generation.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from Saturday’s UFC pay-per-view event:
1. Father Time is going to have to work a little bit harder to bring Alexander Volkanovski down. Normally this is where you’d expect to see signs of a sharp decline. On the wrong side of age 35. Coming off back-to-back knockout losses. Up against a hard-charging youngster who’s bigger and stronger. In this situation, a lot of aging greats might end up finding out the hard way that their best years are in the rearview mirror.
But for Volkanovski, who recaptured the UFC featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory in the UFC 314 main event, these were just more challenges to overcome. Against Diego Lopes on Saturday night in Miami, he was the sharper technician and the smarter fighter. He knew exactly when to press and when to hang back and survive. He got his face split open in some inconvenient places and was reminded of a real difference in punching power more than once, but he never panicked or flailed.
He fought like a champion, in other words. And now, once again, he is one.
2. Diego Lopes is better than we thought — and every bit as tough as we expected. At the end of the first round he looked to be in over his head. He’d been too patient, hanging back and letting Volkanovski pick him apart. He seemed lost at times, like he wasn’t even sure where the punches were coming from.
But at some point it was as if Lopes decided he didn’t really care. The punches could come. He almost welcomed them. If he was eating jabs at least that told him that Volkanovski must be out there somewhere, waiting to be hit back. Lopes’ best moments came when he could use his power to create chaos. A clean, orderly fight was not in his interests. And, in brief moments, he almost got the kind of fight he needed. It was only the champ’s veteran savvy that helped him restore order from the brink of bedlam.
There’s no questioning Lopes’ toughness or his heart after this. He still has room to grow in some areas, but already he’s come very far, very fast.
