Paths to Victory: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes

Alexander Volkanovski is again and seeking to reclaim his title.

On Saturday, Volkanovski faces Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title in the primary occasion of UFC 314 in Miami. It’s Volkanovski’s first combat since dropping the title to Ilia Topuria (who later vacated the belt) and he guarantees a renewed effort this time round in opposition to the surging and harmful Lopes. So let’s try the keys to victory for each Volkanovski and Lopes on Saturday.

Paths to Victory for Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314

At this level, what extra is there to say about Volkanovski? He’s the second-greatest featherweight of all-time and a surefire Corridor of Famer. In spite of everything, there aren’t that many individuals who can ever declare to have been the highest pound-for-pound fighter on this planet, and Volkanovski is certainly one of them.

However is he nonetheless that man? Volkanovski is 36 years outdated and in his previous two fights, he was brutally knocked out twice. Historical past tells us that’s a foul signal for his future prospects. However historical past additionally tells us that all-time greats are inclined to age higher than most, due to their deep depth of ability they’ll fall again on.

Fortuitously for Volkanovski, he has an amazing quantity of ability to depend on, excess of Lopes brings to the desk. That’s to not crash Lopes, however Volkanovski has a vastly extra different and difficult recreation. On the toes, Lopes is rote and predictable, throwing the identical few mixtures and principally seeking to land wild hooks in shut. Whereas he has uncooked punching energy, he doesn’t have the identical form of devastating boxing of Topuria, and he positively doesn’t have the identical footwork and counters that troubled Volkanovski.

Volk must be have loads of success together with his traditional exterior putting recreation, utilizing his jab, low kicks, and motion to stymie Lopes’s offense. Additionally, Volkanovski’s potential to modify stances is fascinating as a result of we haven’t seen Lopes in opposition to many southpaws and shifting to southpaw ought to reduce Lopes’s counter proper hand, which is certainly one of his greatest punches.

Volkanovski may have success within the grappling. Lopes is a difficult grappler however I’d be a bit stunned if he might get an excessive amount of occurring the ground in opposition to Volkanovski, who has by no means been submitted and has distinctive protection on the ground.

In brief, Volkanovski ought to deliver his traditional recreation to the get together on Saturday, which traces up very properly in opposition to the explosive however far more restricted Lopes.

Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Paths to victory for Diego Lopes at UFC 314

Alexander Volkanovski is without doubt one of the best fighters of all time. In his 16-fight UFC profession, Volkanovski has show-cased elite technical abilities in all sides of the sport, and probably the most sensible minds for combating the game has ever seen. Quite a few instances I’ve in contrast him to a on line casino in Las Vegas, as a result of if you happen to play lengthy sufficient, the home (Volkanovski) all the time wins. Except, as Danny Ocean as soon as mentioned, when that excellent hand comes alongside, you wager huge and take the home. Fortuitously for Lopes, he’s precisely the form of fighter that may wager huge and take the home. Much more happily for Lopes, Volkanovski might be a compromised model of himself.

The massive query surrounding this combat is whether or not or not Volkanovski’s chin is cracked. Again-to-back KO losses isn’t a superb signal and Lopes definitely hits laborious sufficient to make it three in a row. And that must be the main focus for him coming into this one.

In a straight kickboxing match in opposition to a primary Volkanovski, Lopes might be in hassle. He’s extra of a brawler than a technical mastermind and Volkanovski tends to cook dinner in opposition to these kinds of fighters. Even so, there are nonetheless loads of instruments out there for Lopes. The calf kick is the most important one as Volkanovski makes use of a lot motion that taking his legs out must be a precedence.

The opposite precedence for Lopes, and the way in which I believe he can greatest win on Saturday, is the clinch. Lopes will not be Anderson Silva in shut, however as soon as he’s within the telephone sales space, Lopes unloads the clip, throwing the whole lot he’s acquired in an effort to harm the opponent. That may be extraordinarily efficient in opposition to Volkanovski, the a lot smaller man, and we noticed Islam Makhachev have nice success with knees from the clinch in his rematch with Volkanovski. Each time Lopes will get within the telephone sales space with Volkanovski, it’s huge benefit Lopes.

Prediction

How about somewhat excellent news/dangerous information. Excellent news: Volkanovski is without doubt one of the 10 best fighters to ever compete in MMA. Unhealthy information: he’s 36 years outdated in a division the place you’ll be able to’t be outdated. Excellent news: Volkanovski is ranges above Lopes skill-wise. Unhealthy information: Volkanovski was by no means a dominant bodily fighter and he’s previous his prime.

And as reductive because it may appear, that’s the central rigidity on this predominant occasion. Volkanovski is the superior technical fighter, however his chin could be compromised and Lopes is extraordinarily harmful. Volkanovski was by no means probably the most sturdy man (he was buzzed or dropped in loads of his fights) but when his chin is actually compromised, he’s completed. Lopes is simply too harmful to keep away from getting hit solely for 25 minutes.

However I’m selecting to imagine that’s not the case. Sure, Volkanovski is outdated, however I believe he’s two KO losses are explicable (quick discover at light-weight after which a fast turnaround in opposition to an enormous hitter). He’s taken the day off to get to a great place and I anticipate a rejuvenated Volkanovski exhibits up on Saturday with a classic efficiency.

Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes by way of unanimous choice (49-46, 50-45, 50-45)