Alexander Volkanovski’s Victory at UFC 314 May Be Marred by Hand Injury, Topuria Rematch Still Desired

Alexander Volkanovski has once again claimed the UFC featherweight championship, achieving a significant victory that came at a considerable cost.

In the UFC 314 main event last Saturday, “The Great” endured a full five rounds against Diego Lopes. Despite ultimately securing a definitive decision win, Volkanovski faced a challenging fight, including weathering a knockdown in the second round and contending with Lopes` resilience throughout the bout. His triumph earned him the vacant title, marking his second reign as UFC champion.

According to Joe Lopez, Volkanovski`s head coach, the fighter may have sustained a hand injury early in the fight. This potential injury could sideline Volkanovski for an extended period.

“He might have fractured his hand,” Lopez revealed in an interview with Submission Radio. “We need to get an X-ray to confirm. But he definitely hurt his hand.”

Lopez couldn`t pinpoint the exact moment Volkanovski mentioned the discomfort but believes it must have been significant for his fighter to bring it up. Overall, Lopez is relieved that the intense fight didn`t inflict more serious harm on Volkanovski`s health.

“It happened early in the fight, I believe,” Lopez stated. “Alex didn`t mention it until the end, saying, `I think I broke my hand.` I`m unsure of the specific round.”

“He’s also experiencing foot soreness and general aches from a brutal five-round battle with a tough opponent. Post-fight soreness is to be expected.”

With Volkanovski reclaiming his position at the top and former champion Ilia Topuria moving to the lightweight division, the featherweight division is now open for new contenders. Several fresh challengers are emerging for the Australian champion. Lopez mentioned Volkanovski’s strong desire for a rematch with Topuria to avenge his UFC 298 knockout loss.

“It`s not solely our decision,” Lopez clarified. “It depends on Ilia and the UFC. I`m confident the UFC would be keen to arrange that fight, especially following Volk`s recent performance. It would draw considerable attention. I know for a fact Volk is very eager for that rematch. It’s a matter of pride. When you believe you had something and lost it, you want to reclaim it. Volk definitely wants that opportunity. But ultimately, it`s up to Ilia and the decision-makers.”

A Volkanovski-Topuria rematch is unlikely to be scheduled immediately, particularly with other deserving contenders in line. The undefeated Movsar Evloev is still waiting for his title shot, and UFC 314 also highlighted Jean Silva as a potential future challenger after his victory over Bryce Mitchell.

Lopez commented on both potential matchups.

“Realistically, Evloev deserves the shot, but he wasn`t mentioned at all during the press conference,” Lopez noted. “There was hardly any talk about him. Everyone was discussing Yair [Rodriguez] and others, but not him. It`s somewhat unfortunate. Perhaps he`s not considered very exciting or a big draw, but he is undefeated and on a winning streak. If anyone deserves a title opportunity, it’s arguably him, but it’s the powers that be who decide.”

“Silva is definitely a future contender,” Lopez said. “He`s probably a couple of fights away from being in title contention, but he`s on a good trajectory. He`s also a character and a very respectful guy. Though, perhaps a little eccentric.”