Tag: UFC 314

UFC Matchmaking Bulletin: Potential No. 1 Contender Fight For Zhang Weili’s Title Booked

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards. With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week. Between Monday, February 3, and Sunday, […]

MMA News has you covered with this week’s UFC matchmaking bulletin, featuring all the additions to upcoming fight cards.

With events being held most weekends, Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby have their matchmaking work cut out if they’re to fill them, meaning new bouts are confirmed each and every week.

Between Monday, February 3, and Sunday, February 9, a number of fights were made official by the UFC or reported as being in the works by reputable sources.

For those matchups, including one that could determine the next challenger to UFC 312 winner Zhang Weili’s strawweight title, check out the list below:

But it wasn’t all positive, with two fights falling through or being adjusted:

Report: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France Set For UFC 314 In Miami On April 12

The card for April’s UFC 314 pay-per-view is beginning to take shape, and it looks to have had its first title fight added. Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is slated to return to the Kaseya Center in “The Magic City” on April 12, when its fourth numbered event of 2025 will go down. While the […]

The card for April’s UFC 314 pay-per-view is beginning to take shape, and it looks to have had its first title fight added.

Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is slated to return to the Kaseya Center in “The Magic City” on April 12, when its fourth numbered event of 2025 will go down.

While the lineup is in its early days of being formed, one of the most prominent spots on the card has seemingly been filled, with UFC Flyweight Champion Alexandre Pantoja (29-5) taking the co-main event for his fourth defense of the title.

Per Benny P — an insider when it comes to Oceanic fighters who has broken news such as Khamzat Chimaev’s withdrawal from the Robert Whittaker fight last June and, more recently, Jack Della Maddalena’s upcoming headliner in London versus Leon Edwards — Pantoja will run it back with Kai Kara-France (25-11, 1 NC) at UFC 314.

“The Cannibal” is riding a seven-fight win streak, during which he’s captured the crown from Brandon Moreno and successfully retained it at the expense of Brandon Royval, Steve Erceg, and Kai Asakura.

His first challenger of 2025 looks set be a familiar face in Kara-France, whom the Brazilian defeated by decision in a quarterfinal bout on The Ultimate Fighter 24 back in 2016.

Despite suffering consecutive losses to Moreno and Amir Albazi ahead of his return to action in 2024, “Don’t Blink” looks to have earned his first shot at an undisputed belt at UFC 314 with a thunderous first-round knockout of Erceg at UFC 305 in Perth last August.

With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at UFC 314 on April 12 are as follows:

  • Alexandre Pantoja (C) vs. Kai Kara-France (flyweight championship)
  • Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
  • Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes (light heavyweight)
  • Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan (women’s strawweight)
  • Chase Hooper vs. Jim Miller (lightweight)

Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 ‘Official’ For UFC 314, Claims Insider

According to one UFC fighter, the second dance between featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is officially in the calendar. The two standouts at 145 pounds collided almost 12 months ago in Anaheim, where Topuria secured his crowning moment as an undefeated fighter with a thunderous knockout of “Alexander the Great.” After a break […]

According to one UFC fighter, the second dance between featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is officially in the calendar.

The two standouts at 145 pounds collided almost 12 months ago in Anaheim, where Topuria secured his crowning moment as an undefeated fighter with a thunderous knockout of “Alexander the Great.”

After a break from competition, Volkanovski outlined his plans to return straight into another title fight, be it a rematch with the Spaniard or Max Holloway, who challenged the champ in Abu Dhabi last October.

With “El Matador” keeping possession of the gold, his Australian rival has been expected to receive the next shot. And while talk of a lightweight move briefly put doubt over that, it would appear that all signs are pointing to a rematch.

During the latest episode of the Nickals and Dimes podcast on his YouTube channel, Bo Nickal stoked that flame by going as far as to state that the bout is “official” for UFC 314 in Miami on April 12.

“April, 314. … It’s official, I know for a fact,” Nickal said. “I don’t know that it was announced as a fact, but I know that (Topuria vs. Volkanovski 2) is happening.”

Nickal, who has gone 4-0 in the UFC to date and most recently defeated Paul Craig, went on to outline his own plans to compete on that card.

The American’s claim comes shortly after Dan Hooker, an occasional training partner of Volkanovski’s, alleged that Topuria had turned down the rematch for UFC 313 in March due to weight concerns.

Ilia Topuria vs. Alexander Volkanovski 2 ‘Official’ For UFC 314, Claims Insider

According to one UFC fighter, the second dance between featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is officially in the calendar. The two standouts at 145 pounds collided almost 12 months ago in Anaheim, where Topuria secured his crowning moment as an undefeated fighter with a thunderous knockout of “Alexander the Great.” After a break […]

According to one UFC fighter, the second dance between featherweight champion Ilia Topuria and Alexander Volkanovski is officially in the calendar.

The two standouts at 145 pounds collided almost 12 months ago in Anaheim, where Topuria secured his crowning moment as an undefeated fighter with a thunderous knockout of “Alexander the Great.”

After a break from competition, Volkanovski outlined his plans to return straight into another title fight, be it a rematch with the Spaniard or Max Holloway, who challenged the champ in Abu Dhabi last October.

With “El Matador” keeping possession of the gold, his Australian rival has been expected to receive the next shot. And while talk of a lightweight move briefly put doubt over that, it would appear that all signs are pointing to a rematch.

During the latest episode of the Nickals and Dimes podcast on his YouTube channel, Bo Nickal stoked that flame by going as far as to state that the bout is “official” for UFC 314 in Miami on April 12.

“April, 314. … It’s official, I know for a fact,” Nickal said. “I don’t know that it was announced as a fact, but I know that (Topuria vs. Volkanovski 2) is happening.”

Nickal, who has gone 4-0 in the UFC to date and most recently defeated Paul Craig, went on to outline his own plans to compete on that card.

The American’s claim comes shortly after Dan Hooker, an occasional training partner of Volkanovski’s, alleged that Topuria had turned down the rematch for UFC 313 in March due to weight concerns.

Gilbert Burns Set For UFC 314 Return In Miami, Faces Undefeated Prospect

A big fight in the welterweight division is the first major matchup to have been reported for the UFC’s return to Miami on April 12. Ag. Fight revealed that the former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns will be back in Miami for the second consecutive year to take on the undefeated Michael Morales. Burns […]

A big fight in the welterweight division is the first major matchup to have been reported for the UFC’s return to Miami on April 12. Ag. Fight revealed that the former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns will be back in Miami for the second consecutive year to take on the undefeated Michael Morales.

Burns is currently coming off the biggest winless streak of his career after losing his last three bouts inside the Octagon. In May of 2023, he suffered an injury in his defeat to Belal Muhammad, returning the following year in Miami where he was finished by Jack Della Maddalena. His difficult run of form continued last September where he lost a unanimous decision to Sean Brady over five rounds at the UFC Apex.

In order to return to the win column, the #8-ranked contender will need to be the first man to defeat Ecuador’s Morales in 17 fights. The 25-year old arrived in the UFC back in 2022 after earning his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series and he has made quiet the impression ever since.

He has since beaten the likes of Neil Magny, Jake Matthews and Max Griffin to put together a five-fight winning streak inside the Octagon which has earned him the #12-spot in the top 15. With 12 wins via knockout, Morales is a dangerous contender who will be hoping to earn the biggest win of his career to date in Miami.

For “Durinho”, beating a highly regarded rising star like Morales could be the confidence boost that he needs to re-establish himself as a serious player at the top of the welterweight division.

Though the fight was not a done deal at the time, Burns recently spoke about the potential matchup during an episode of the Show Me The Money Podcast. He gave Morales plenty of praise before saying that despite it being a tough fight for both of them, like his friend Renato Moicano, he “cannot afford to lose”.