Alexander Volkanovski doesn’t believe anyone can beat him, and the only person he can see giving him a tough fight for five rounds is Islam Makhachev, a confidence he’s bringing into his clash with Diego Lopes for the vacant UFC featherweight title at UFC 314 on April 12, 2025, in Miami. The former champ shared this on Main Event TV on March 25, 2025.
Volkanovski’s Stance
Volkanovski didn’t mince words.
“I don’t believe anyone can beat me. The only person I can see giving me a tough fight for five rounds is Islam Makhachev, in the first one as you’ve seen. Everyone else has just got a punchers chance. And I truly believe that, that’s a confidence I have in myself. No one can beat me, they can catch me,” he told Main Event TV.
He’s referencing his close loss to Makhachev at UFC 284 in February 2023, a five-round war many felt he won. No one else, he says, can match him skill-for-skill.
Lopes’ Shot
Facing Lopes, Volkanovski has a read.
“So I think he [Lopes] needs to be reckless to beat me. If he tries to fight the perfect fight, it’s not gonna work. He needs to be reckless and catch me, that’s his best chance,” he said.
Lopes rides a five-fight win streak since his 2023 UFC debut loss, last beating Brian Ortega in September 2024. Volkanovski, at 26-4, bets Lopes can’t outlast him over 25 minutes and needs a lucky knockout.
Built on Experience
Volkanovski’s belief comes from years at the top. He held the featherweight belt from December 2019 to February 2024, defending it five times against Max Holloway and Jose Aldo. After knockout losses to Makhachev in October 2023 and Ilia Topuria in February 2024, he took time off. He told Yahoo Sport Australia in February 2025 that the break sharpened him. With Topuria leaving the title to chase lightweight, Volkanovski eyes a comeback.
Lopes isn’t backing down. The 26-6 fighter told Hablemos MMA in March 2025 he respects Volkanovski’s record and expects a full battle. Their clash tops UFC 314 at Kaseya Center, with Lopes fresh off his Ortega win. Betting odds from ESPN list Volkanovski as a slight favorite, though Lopes’ power has fans split.
Stakes Ahead
This bout’s massive. Volkanovski could join Jose Aldo as a two-time champ, while Lopes might claim gold in his seventh UFC fight. At the UFC 314 presser on March 7, 2025, teammate Patricio Freire offered Volkanovski a $1 million bet, upping the ante. The MMA crowd’s torn, some banking on experience, others on Lopes’ rise. April 12, 2025, will settle it.
