Ilia Topuria’s reign as UFC featherweight champion is already over.
UFC CEO Dana White announced Wednesday night that Topuria has decided to vacate his title. As a result, former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and top contender Diego Lopes are set to battle to become the new 145-pound beltholder in the main event of the promotion’s return to Miami’s Kaseya Center on April 12 at UFC 314.
White stated that Topuria feels as if he cemented his legacy at 145 pounds and his body can no longer make the featherweight limit.
Sources tell Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani that the current plan is for Topuria to fight UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev later this year, potentially as soon as International Fight Week.
UFC 314’s co-main event features Michael Chandler (23-9) returning against British star Paddy Pimblett (22-3) in a lightweight contest, White announced.
Rounding out the main card are two more pivotal contender bouts, per White, as former two-division Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull (36-7) makes his long-awaited UFC debut in a featherweight bout against former interim champ Yair Rodriguez (19-5, 1 NC), and one of 2024’s breakout fighters, Carlos Prates (21-6), looks to continue his phenomenal run when he takes on veteran welterweight contender Geoff Neal (16-6). Brazil’s Prates has won 11 straight bouts, four of which came in the UFC in 2024.
Topuria (16-0) was Uncrowned’s 2024 Fighter of the Year after a monster campaign that saw him knock out featherweight legends Volkanovski (26-4) and Max Holloway over a nine-month span. In the process, “El Matador” became the first man to ever stop Holloway with strikes.
Having vacated his belt, Topuria now sets forth in likely pursuit of UFC lightweight champion Makhachev, while Volkanovski looks to become a two-time champion and Lopes (26-6) secures his first title shot.
UFC 314’s full fight lineup as it currently stands can be seen below.
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Vacant featherweight championship: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes
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Lightweight: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
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Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull
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Welterweight: Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates
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Light heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes
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Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
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Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba
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Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
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Featherweight: Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa
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Middleweight: Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Sedriques Dumas
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Flyweight: Su Mudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
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Featherweight: Roberto Romero vs. Alberto Montes