Key points
UFC 314 has finally arrived with big action going down at the Kaseya Center in Miami tonight on pay-per-view.
The legendary former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is back in action against Diego Lopes for the newly vacated world title. Ilia Topuria has left the division and his belt behind, allowing the Australian one last crack at the gold after being viciously knocked out last year.
All eyes with the casual fans, though, are on the co-main event as Paddy Pimblett returns for his toughest test yet against former Bellator champion Michael Chandler. The pair have been super respectful in the build-up, but have no doubt they will be gunning for a knockout.
- Who is Paddy Pimblett? Get to know the ‘baddy’ of MMA who is making his presence felt in UFC
Another big fight for fans is Bryce Mitchell’s scrap with Jean Silva. The controversial American has been punished by the UFC for his outside of the cage antics with this difficult matchup against an unranked opponent on the rise, and fireworks are expected.
Other fan favorites to look out for include Chase Hooper against the legend Jim Miller, as well as Dominick Reyes’ main card opener with Nikita Krylov. We’ll have live coverage of all the action tonight from Miami.
Alexander Volkanovski defeats Diego Lopes by Unanimous Decision
Bruce Buffer reads the scorecards; 48-47, 49-46 x 2 for the legend! What a fight in Miami!
[Link]Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes – Round 5
Volkanovski tells his corner he’s beginning to get his eyesight back, he’s doing tremendously for someone who can’t see fully. This fight is not decided yet, although I’d argue it’s at least 3-1 if not 4-0 for Volk. They’re going hell for leather now, Lopes complains of an eye poke, Volkanovski insists it was a closed fist. With seconds to go their trading big shots. What a fight! Surely that one goes to Volkanovski!
[Link]Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes – Round 4
While Lopes is game and a very livve underdog here, he needs to do a bit more to trouble a legend like Volkanovski. If they’re going to box like this, the Aussie will land at will and rack up scoring shots. We’re in the championship rounds, it’s time for something special. AND HE LANDS IT! Big right had and he appears to have hurt Volkanovski. The former champion is on the back foot all of a sudden!
[Link]Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes – Round 3
Slower start to the third but you can tell Lopes is emboldened now and that cut under the eye of Volkanovski is bothering him a bit. Big left hook lands for the former champion, Lopes eats it well. The boxing exchanges are all Volk, but Lopes is getting more aggressive and standing in front of him. We head to the championship rounds, surely 3-0 despite what Lopes’ coaches say!
[Link]Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes – Round 2
Volkanovski is flowing now, he’s moving very well, Lopes is struggling to figure out the puzzle just yet. They’re at boxing range, Lopes tries to get inside and is met with a phenomenal counter right that sends him back against the cage. But WOW! With a few seconds left in the round Lopes catches Volkanovski and sends him to the canvas! Is that the turning point of this fight?
[Link]Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes – Round 1
Title fight number ten in a row for Volkanovski to Lopes’ first ever five rounder. We are underway in Miami. Tentative early but they do exchange about a minute and a half in. Volkanovski managing the distance well and landing big, he seems to have marked up the Brazilian early. They both land at once and Volkanovski’s is the punch that sends his rival stumbling. The legend finishes the round so strong as he sends Lopes to the deck and unloads. He’s cut him now, what a round!
[Link]Land down under!
After 14 months, Alexander Volkanovski emerges to thunderous applause in Miami!
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Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett – Round 3
The Baddy lands a massive knee in the exchange and cuts Michael Chandler open with a nasty cut. He gets the takedown then in a shocking turn of events and takes control of the fight. He’s unleashing now, surely a stoppage incoming.
[Link]Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett – Round 2
They’re opening up on the feet in the early stages of the second. Chandler walking forward, getting hit by the Brit backing up. Bad luck there as the pair are exchanging, Chandler lands one right on the cup and we need a temporary break. Chandler got the back after a takedown, but Pimblett turned it around and has an arm triangle position. He loses it but is in half guard. He gets to Chandler’s back. Can he get the finish here? It’s survival time for the American, will he do it? That’s as clear a Pimblett round as you’ll see.
[Link]Michael Chandler vs Paddy Pimblett – Round 1
First bell rings. Here we go. Pimblett throwing weight behind the leg kicks early, they exchange on the feet and Chandler gets him down. Chandler on the back but the fence is stopping him getting full control. A few big shots land for the American, they get back up and Pimblett jumps the triangle. Doesn’t work, back on their feet. Big offence late in the round from Pimblett. As far as I’m concerned it’s 10-9 Chandler, even though he was outstruck.
[Link]Michael Chandler is in the cage
This highly anticipated co-main event is upon us. Is Michael Chandler going to end ‘The Baddy’s winning run?
[Link]Paddy Pimblett makes the walk
It’s go time, Paddy Pimblett is in the arena, heading to the octagon. He’s back!
[Link]Yair Rodriguez defeats Patricio Pitbull by Unanimous Decision
The legendary Bellator champion was willing to stand and compete, but struggled to engage with the much bigger Rodriguez. That was a tough first outing for Pitbull. Great showing from Rodriguez.
[Link]Patricio Pitbull and Yair Rodriguez is a chess match thus far
It’s rare for Pitbull to find himself in a three-rounder, and you wonder how that effected his preparation. He doesn’t seem to have that urgency, but Rodriguez isn’t doing all that much either.
[Link]Here comes Patricio Pitbull
He faces Yair Rodriguez in a massive featherweight clash, interesting fight here.
[Link]Jean Silva offers to help Bryce Mitchell
The Brazilian says he feels sorry for Mitchell after refusing to touch gloves. He then proceeds to bark some more
[Link]JEAN SILVA SUBMITS BRYCE MITCHELL IN ROUND 2
Wow! Completely dominant from Jean Silva in that second round, he brutalizes Bryce Mitchell on the feet before eventually submitting him with a ninja choke. Absolutely brutal.
[Link]Bryce Mitchell vs Jean Silva – Round 1
Tentative start to the round before Silva finds his range and starts to throw with more variety. The low kicks for Mitchell are working wonders, the takedowns not so much. Silva almost had him with a guillotine, probably a Silva round but it’s close.
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Bryce Mitchell and Jean Silva are in the cage
This is a massive fight. The crowd, surprisingly, love Bryce Mitchell!
[Link]Amanda Nunes inducted in the Hall of Fame
Just after announcing her return to the octagon, she gets an emotional tribute and breaks down in tears.
[Link]Bryce Mitchell vs Jean Silva up next
This event keeps going hot and heavy. Big fight at featherweight up next.
[Link]DOMINICK REYES VICIOUSLY KOs NIKITA KRYLOV
WOW! What a finish. Reyes heads straight for Trump to demand a picture. He just knocked out Krylov cold with a gigantic counter left hand!
[Link]Dominick Reyes vs Nikita Krylov kicks us off
The main card gets underway and the Miami crowd are going absolutely nuts.
[Link]Dan Ige vs Sean Woodson scorecards
It appears that controversial stoppage doesn’t matter too much. Ige was up by two and heading to a win regardless.
[Link]Donald Trump has arrived in the building
President Donald Trump makes his ring walk, he’s like a fighter! Huge reception, despite his unpopular tariffs making the headlines throughout the last few weeks.
[Link]The fans are conflicted by that result
Dan Ige is popular with the fans, but they know that wasn’t the right stoppage.
[Link]Dan Ige TKOs Sean Woodson in Round 3!
Bizarre stoppage from referee Andrew Glenn as Dan Ige pounds on the top, and perhaps back, of Woodson’s head during a takedown attempt. He was rocked and in trouble, but you can’t stop a fight there. Wildly controversial.
[Link]Dan Ige and Sean Woodson head to the third
Huge shots to start the round from 50K! He knows he may need a finish, and he is pushing for it. The giant could be heading down!
[Link]Dan Ige vs Sean Woodson up next
The famous show-saving ’50K’ Ige gets another outing on pay-per-view (prelims) tonight against the gigantic 6’2 featherweight Woodson.
[Link]Virna Jandiroba defeats Xiaonan Yan by Unanimous Decision
Not the most exciting fight to watch, but the plucky Brazilian books her spot as the number one contender at strawweight with a dominant performance.
[Link]Virna Jandiroba vs Xiaonan Yan are heading to the scorecards
Not a very enthralling contest, the woman looking to close the show has been Jandiroba, fairly dominant. But she won’t get the submission at this stage.
[Link]Virna Jandiroba vs Xiaonan Yan up next
There are serious title implications here, number one Xiaonan against number three Jandiroba. If the Brazilian can get a win, coupled with her star power, she surely gets Weili Zhang next.
[Link]Chase Hooper defeats Jim Miller by unanimous decision
30-27 across the board, Chase Hooper defeats the legend Jim Miller. Dominant, if a bit flat, performance.
[Link]Jim Miller rolling back the years against Chase Hooper
This is no Clay Guida, Jim Miller is here to fight and Chase Hooper is being taken into deep waters halfway through the fight.
[Link]Julian Erosa TKOs Darren Elkins in round one
This fight could have been stopped at multiple points, eventually Erosa lands enough ground and pound from a takedown attempt and gets the win. Elkins so so tough, but at 40-years-old this might be it for him.
[Link]Time for the prelims
Our early prelims are finished and now Darren Elkins and Julian Erosa will get us underway for the regular ones!
[Link]Michal Oleksiejczuk calls out Paul Craig
That would be a cracking fight to bring to a European fight night!
[Link]Michal Oleksiejczuk TKOs Sedriques Dumas in Round 1
Wow! In almost no time Michal Oleksiejczuk gets a big stoppage. Dumas complaining, there’s no way. He wasn’t defending himself! Fair stoppage. Third of the night so far in four fights!
[Link]Sumudaerji defeats Mitch Raposo by Split Decision
For the first time we head to the scorecards, Bruce Buffer needs some time to get the results handed to him. Eventually they all score the fight to Sumudaerji by Split Decision. 29-28 each way. The fans hated that. Loud boos.
[Link]Sumudaerji and Mitch Raposo go the distance
Tough fight to score with the amount of takedowns with very limited damage.
[Link]We’re into the third round for the first time tonight
Third time’s a charm for the judges. But will they make the right decisions based on their cards thus far?
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Sumudaerji vs Mitch Raposo up now
Raposo heads to the octagon paying tribute to Cody Rhodes with his walkout song!
[Link]Marco Tulio brutally KOs Tresean Gore in Round 2 with straight right
Wow. What a gamer Treasean Gore is, but he can’t survive in there with a vicious Marco Tulio who was out for blood all night!
[Link]Marco Tulio vs Treasean Gore up next
No rest for this broadcast, we are going fight for fight for fight!
[Link]Nora Cornolle submits Hailey Cowan with Round 2 RNC
Nora Cornolle gets the fight to the ground in the second round and is patient in working her way to the choke. She won’t be eligible for a bonus due to missing weight.
[Link]Hailey Cowan vs Nora Cornolle kicks us off
We are about to get underway in Miami. Notable that Cornolle missed weight by 1.5lb even after an extra hour yesterday and has given up a percentage of her purse!
[Link]We are underway in Miami
The UFC 314 broadcast has begun in earnest! Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik on the call. First fight begins shortly.
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Welcome to the Bloody Elbow UFC 314 live blog
Good evening and welcome to UFC 314. It’s almost time to get kicked off for UFC 314, my name is Donagh Corby and I’ll be keeping you updated throughout the night with all the action and more.
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