UFC 314 Predictions — Volkanovski, Paddy, & More Main Card Picks

UFC 314 on Saturday night is set to be a thriller, with the featherweight belt up for grabs and multiple fighters on the card who frequently produce highlight worthy bouts. 

The main event brings us two warriors looking to win the belt in Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes. Co-headlining, we have veteran Michael Chandler vs. rising star Paddy Pimblett, who is riding an eight-fight win streak.

Click here to go straight to our UFC 314 Main Card Predictions below, including PrizePicks picks and predictions for tonight’s UFC flights for every fight.

Volkanovski will now be in his 10th consecutive title fight since 2019, while Diego will be in just sixth UFC fight.

Live from Miami in the Kaseya Center, it should be an electric UFC PPV. The UFC 314 main card is set to start at 10 p.m. ET, with the Volkanovski vs. Lopes fight expected to start around 12 a.m. ET, and Chandler vs. Pimblett set for 11:30 p.m. ET, depending on when the other fights end.

Below, we’ll cover who’s fighting in UFC 314, predictions, and picks to watch for the main card fight, plus PrizePicks projections for the big fights on Saturday night.

PrizePicks is the easiest way to win cash on UFC 314 Volkanovski vs. Lopes; just pick More or Less on fighter projections — like significant strikes or fight time — and get paid if your picks are correct. 

UFC 314 Fight Start Times & Projections: Volkanovski vs. Lopes

UFC 314 will start at 10 p.m. ET with the main card prelims on Saturday, April 12, while the Volkanovski vs. Lopes main event is expected to start at 12 a.m. ET — subject to change based on other fights before it.

UFC 314 projections are via the PrizePicks UFC board as of Friday at 8 p.m. ET, but are subject to change until lock. 

Here’s the UFC 314 main card schedule, in reverse order.

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes – Main Event

• Main event
• Featherweight title fight
• Expected start time: 12 a.m. ET
• Volkanovski Projections: 97.5 Significant Strikes, 99.5 Fantasy Score
• Lopes Projection: 75.5 Significant Strikes
• Fight Time Projection: 21.25 minutes
• Volkanovski vs. Lopes Prediction

Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett – Co-Main Event 

• Co-main event
• Lightweight
• Expected start time: 11:30 p.m. ET
• Chandler Projection: 40.5 Significant Strikes
• Pimblett Projections: 42.5 Significant Strikes, 91.5 Fantasy Score
• Fight Time Projection: 11.25 minutes
• Chandler vs. Pimblett Prediction

Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull

• Featherweight
• Expected start time: 11 p.m. ET
• Rodriguez Projections: 56.5 Significant Strikes, 86.5 Fantasy Score
• Pitbull Projection: 44.5 Significant Strikes
• Rodriguez vs. Pitbull Prediction

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva

• Featherweight
• Expected start time: 10:30 p.m. ET
• Mitchell Projections: 24.5 Significant Strikes
• Silva Projections: 35.5 Significant Strikes, 100.5 Fantasy Score
• Fight Time Projection: 9.25 minutes
• Mitchell vs. Silva Prediction

Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes

• Light Heavyweight
• Expected start time: 10 p.m. ET
• Krylov Projections: 37.5 Significant Strikes, 95.5 Fantasy Score
• Reyes Projection: 34.5 Significant Strikes
• Fight Time Projection: 9.75 minutes
• Krylov vs. Reyes Prediction

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Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes: Pick & Preview

Volk is a legend of the sport. His flawless 12-0 run from 2016-2023 was one for the history books, but lately he has seen some adversity. Now, 1-4 since the streak, Volk will extend his title bout streak to ten and look to get back to his winning ways.

His opposition, Diego Lopes, is no slouch, and is rightfully only a slight underdog. A newcomer to the UFC, Lopes disposed of his opponents in his second, third, and fourth opponents in less than five total minutes. The competition quickly got more respectable, and yet he had winning decisions against ranked opponents in Dan Ige and Brian Ortega.

We’ve seen gatekeepers in the UFC, typically to crack into the top 15 rankings, but Volk could prove to be the ultimate title gatekeeper. If he regains his form of old, Lopes could be in for a long night. But if Volk shows the vulnerabilities he has in his recent losses, we could have a young champion on our hands.

Volkanovski vs. Lopes Prediction: 21.25 Fight Time (Mins)

• In Volk’s 16 UFC fights, 9-of-16 have gone to decision.
• Volk has finished his opponent in 16 of his 26 total pro wins.
• In Lopes’ 6 UFC fights, 2-of-5 have gone to decision.
• Lopes has finished his opponent in 22 of his 26 total pro wins.

Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett: Pick & Preview

Any UFC diehard will tell you the organization has been propping up Paddy the Baddy to be the UFC darling. Even still, the aging Chandler will be his toughest match to date. 

Chandler has looked great in massive moments, but still comes up short when it matters the most, often “beating himself” and choking winnable fights during his prime. After waiting around for a Connor McGregor fight that will likely never happen, Chandler’s window may have passed him by, and he will see just his second bout in as many years. 

Pimblett has also slowed down in activity after his whirlwind campaign in 2022 where he went 3-0. Still undefeated, a win over Chandler would plant him firmly in the top 10.

Chandler throws hard, and Paddy often gets hit a lot — but a mistake out of Chandler and Paddy could very well submit him. Either way, most think we’re in for some fireworks.

Chandler vs. Pimblett Prediction: 11.25 Fight Time (Mins)

• Chandler boasts 13 first round finishes. 
• Chandler has an average fight time of 9:18.
• Pimblett has finished his opponent in 16 of his 22 pro wins.
• Pimblett has an average fight time of 8:14.
• Both fighters have been finished a combined six times across their 11 losses.

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Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull: Pick & Preview

What better appetizer for a Michael Chandler fight than Patricio Pitbull, who has a history with Chandler, to make his long awaited UFC debut. 

If you just follow UFC you may not be familiar with him, but Pitbull actually lands right into the top 100 in MMA history. At one point he was a double champ in Bellator, holds the record for most fights and most wins in Bellator, and boasts the most finishes all time in Bellator. Only when PFL merged with Bellator, did Pitbull finally decide it was time to fight in the UFC. 

There’s no doubt Pitbull’s prime is behind him — yet he was quick to let everyone know he has only been knocked out once in his career and has gas still in the tank.

His opponent, No. 5 Yair has only fought the best in his UFC campaign and will make sure the clock isn’t rolled back. 

Rodriguez vs. Pitbull Prediction: Rodriguez 56.5 Significant Strikes

• Rodriguez lands 4.65 Significant Strikes a minute, or 69.75 per 15 minutes bout.
• Rodriguez has an average fight time of 13:07, putting him at a 60.7 Sig Strike average a fight.
• Pitbull absorbs 4.43 Sig Strikes a minute, or 66.45 per 15 minute bout.
• Pitbull has an average fight time of 16:47 due to all his title bouts, but for the sake of comparison, that puts him at an average of over 70 Significant Strikes absorbed per fight.

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva: Pick & Preview

In what’s got to be a UFC first, we get a bout that features a man who believes he is up against someone “possessed by a legion of demons”. Bryce Mitchell has always said what was on his mind, but to the dismay of his fight fans, it’s gotten increasingly more radical.

For this reason, and the fact Jean Silva is a part of the fan favorite fighting nerds, even once supporters of Mitchell are hoping Silva absolutely flatlines him. 

Silva is 4-0 in the UFC and has yet to see a judges scorecard. Mitchell on the other hand is known for his submissions, but since entering the UFC has only found a submission once across his 7-2 record.

Mitchell vs. Silva Prediction: Mitchell 2 Takedowns

• Mitchell averages 1.13 takedowns per five minutes in the Octagon.
• Mitchell has landed two or more takedowns in five of his last seven bouts.
• Silva and Mitchell have a combined average fight time of 9:53.

Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes: Pick & Preview

To kick off the UFC 314 main card we get to the big fellas throwing down. Both men have seen their fair share of big fights and both men are absolutely battle tested for it.

Reyes' biggest UFC moment came when he pushed Jon Jones to the brink of his only loss five years ago, and still, to this day, that loss is under scrutiny. Krylov’s best win is likely against Volkan Oezdemir, but he has also seen his fair share of top ten talent.

One of the biggest question marks coming into this one is in the form of Krylov’s layoff. With his last fight in March 2023, age and decay could play a factor. Couple that with him being one of the few fighters that began his UFC career as far back as 2013 and still being in the org, and you get a rare case where Reyes who has been in the UFC since 2017 has less of a resume.

Even still, Krylov holds a two-year age advantage at 33 to Reyes being 35 — so only time will tell if Reyes’ recent activity has him more ready to go than the well-rested Krylov.

Krylov vs. Reyes Prediction: Reyes 34.5 Significant Strikes

• Reyes lands 5.64 Significant Strikes a minute, landing 121 in his last bout.
• Krylov absorbs 2.47 Significant Strikes a minute.
• With the fight projected to go to 10 minutes (via PrizePicks), if he keeps his average, Reyes would be at 56.4 Significant Strikes and if Krylov keeps his defensive average he would have absorbed 24.7 Significant Strikes across 10 minutes.
• The average of the two across ten minutes gives you an estimated 40.55 Significant Strikes landed for Reyes.

Cash in on UFC 314 Tonight on PrizePicks

With UFC 314 set to bring us exciting fights on Saturday night from Miami, including Volkanovski vs. Lopes and Chandler vs. Paddy, be sure you’ve locked in your UFC Lineups on PrizePicks — it’s the easiest way to get real money action on UFC 314. 

Just go to the MMA board, pick two or more fighter projections from above — or anything else on the PrizePicks UFC board — and lock in your Lineup.

With a Light Heavyweight blink-and-you’ll-miss-it bout to kick the main card off, to bad blood in Mitchell vs. Silva, and a title bout to round us out, it will be an electrifying night of fights in Miami for UFC 314.

Head to the PrizePicks app, pick More or Less on two or more fighters, lock in your picks, and get ready for the sweat during UFC 314.