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DraftKings MMA, UFC DFS lineup picks for UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes on 04/12/25. MMA DFS analysis to build winning daily fantasy UFC lineups.
After back-to-back UFC cards that weren't exactly filled with star power, the UFC is back with a big card this Saturday in Miami with UFC 314, in which the vacant featherweight title is up for grabs as the reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria decided to move up to lightweight and vacate his featherweight belt as a result. The headliner will be at featherweight as former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski looks to reclaim the belt against rising star Diego Lopes. The event will mark the promotion's fourth visit to Miami and first since UFC 299 in March 2024.
For the co-main event, we have a potential "Fight of the Night" as fan-favorites Michael Chandler and Paddy Pimblett go toe-to-toe. Former title challenger Dominick Reyes and Nikita Krylov are set to open up the UFC 314 main card. On the main card of UFC 314, Bryce Mitchell and Jean Silva are scheduled to settle their beef in a three-round featherweight clash. Also on the main card, former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez is set to welcome to the UFC former featherweight and former lightweight Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull.
In this article, I will be providing you with my fantasy MMA lineup picks for UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes on 4/12/25. Give me a follow on X @sumpor5. Good luck!
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DraftKings MMA Featherweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Alexander Volkanovski, $8.2K - vs. Diego Lopes
This Saturday, in the main event of UFC 314, the vacant featherweight title is on the line as former featherweight champion Volkanovski looks to reclaim the belt against rising star Diego Lopes. Lopes has been on a five-fight winning streak, while Volkanovski has lost back-to-back fights.
For gold and glory! 🏆@AlexVolkanovski vs @DiegoLopesMMA
[ #UFC314 | SAT 10pmET on @ESPNPlus PPV ] pic.twitter.com/aeqkZfDG8G
— UFC (@ufc) April 10, 2025
Volkanovski is considered one of the best fighters in featherweight history, but he has struggled recently. The 36-year-old Volkanovski has lost three of his four most recent fights, twice losing to lightweight champion Islam Makhachev in attempts to become a double champ and, more recently, to Topuria. Between losses to Makhachev, Volkanovski defended his title with a TKO victory over Rodriguez. Before his bout against Makhachev, Volkanovski was on a 22-fight win streak, including two wins over former featherweight champion Max Holloway.
Lopes has been on a tear, winning five consecutive fights, but his road to the UFC has been a strange one, to say the least. First, he lost to Joanderson Brito on Dana White's Contender Series in August 2021 but was eventually signed by the UFC. He made his UFC debut on five days' notice, losing to undefeated Movsar Evloev via unanimous decision in a Fight of the Night effort. Since that bout, Lopes hasn't lost a fight. In his most recent outing, back in September at UFC 306, Lopes won a unanimous decision over two-time title challenger Brian Ortega.
Volkanovski enters this fight as a slight favorite with an MMA record of 26-4 and 13-3 in the UFC. He is averaging 6.16 significant strikes and has a striking accuracy of 56%. Volkanovski absorbs 3.44 significant strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 58%. Regarding his grappling ability, Volkanovski is averaging 1.78 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy of 37% and a takedown defense of 70%.
Lopes enters this fight with a record of 26-6 and 5-1 in the UFC. He is averaging 4.20 significant strikes and has a striking accuracy of 53%. Lopes absorbs 4.11 significant strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 50%. Regarding his grappling, Lopes averaged just 0.50 takedowns every 15 minutes but 2.8 submission attempts during the same period. He has a takedown accuracy of 40% and a takedown defense of 52%.
A lot of people are doubting Volkanovski, and rightfully so. He has suffered back-to-back knockout losses to Makhachev and Topuria, and some fans think his chin is not what it used to be. That being said, I'm not ready to write off Volkanovski. His three recent losses came against two of the best fighters in the world right now.
Lopes has momentum on his side, and he's extremely dangerous on the ground and feet. I think Lopes tends to be a little bit aggressive and impatient, and I believe Volkanovski will capitalize on that. I think Volkanovski will come out victorious; I don't see him finishing Lopes. My prediction is that Volkanovski will win this one by unanimous decision.
DraftKings MMA Lightweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Michael Chandler, $7.8K - vs. Paddy Pimblett
Former two-time Bellator lightweight champion Chandler is scheduled to take on Pimblett in the co-main event of UFC 314 on Saturday. Pimblett will look for his seventh UFC win, while Chandler will look to get back in the win column after losing two consecutive fights. A win on Saturday night will be huge for both of their title hopes going forward.
The only wins Chandler has managed since moving to UFC in 2020 is a head kick knockout on an out-of-prime former interim lightweight champion Tony Ferguson and a TKO victory over a fan-favorite Dan Hooker in his debut. Chandler enters this bout with a UFC record of 2-4, but his record in the promotion doesn't tell the whole story, as Chandler has only faced the elite of the division, losing to Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, and twice to Charles Oliveira. After waiting for two years for a fight with Conor McGregor, Chandler returned to action in November 2024, where he was outclassed by Oliveira.
In contrast to Chandler, Pimblett has been on a tear, winning eight fights in a row, six of them being in the UFC. "The Baddy" was last seen in action at UFC 304, where he quickly submitted King Green via first-round triangle choke submission. Prior to that, Pimblett defeated Ferguson, who was way past his prime, via unanimous decision. Before his bout with Ferguson, Pimblett fought Jared Gordon, beating him via unanimous decision, though most of the fans and MMA community scored the fight the other way.
Chandler enters this fight with an MMA record of 23-9 and 2-4 in the UFC. He averages 4.49 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 50%. Chandler absorbs 4.30 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 43%. His grappling is solid as he's averaging 1.59 takedowns every 15 minutes. Chandler has a takedown accuracy of 37% and a takedown defense of 63%.
Pimblett enters this fight with an MMA record of 22-3 and 6-0 in the UFC. He is averaging 4.94 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 53%. Pimblett absorbs 3.75 significant strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 40%. Regarding his grappling, Pimblett is averaging 0.91 takedowns every 15 minutes and 2.1 submission attempts during the same period. Pimblett has a takedown accuracy of 25% and a takedown defense of 52%.
Chandler should, without a doubt, avoid going to the ground with Pimblett. The only way I see Pimblett winning this fight is if Chandler gets reckless and gets submitted as he goes to the ground with Pimblett. Chandler is powerful, explosive, and has good wrestling, and I don't see Pimblett taking Chandler down. Although he has solid striking, Pimblett leaves his chin in the air, and I think Chandler will clip him and put him out. I predict that Chandler will finish Pimblett in the second or third round.
DraftKings MMA Featherweight - UFC DFS Lineup Picks
Jean Silva, $9.1K - vs. Bryce Mitchell
Featherweights Mitchell and Silva are scheduled to settle their rivalry on the main card of UFC 314 on Saturday. Mitchell looks to win back-to-back fights, and Silva will look for his thirteenth consecutive victory.
Mitchell started his UFC career by defeating Tyler Diamond via majority decision on The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale. The 30-year-old Mitchell won six consecutive fights before suffering his first professional loss to Topuria. Mitchell then got back in the win column by defeating Dan Ige via unanimous decision before suffering a scary knockout loss to Josh Emmett. "Thug Nasty" was last seen in action in December at UFC 310, where he bounced back by beating Kron Gracie via unanimous decision.
The Fighting Nerds have become a force to be reckoned with. Silva has been on a tear for quite some time. He's on a 12-fight winning streak, with four of those wins being in the UFC. Known as a knockout artist, in 15 career wins, Silva has finished 12 by knockout. Silva was last seen in action at UFC Seattle, where he stopped Melsik Baghdasaryan via first-round TKO. He also knocked out Charles Jourdain with an uppercut and sliced Drew Dober with elbows, forcing the doctor to stop the fight.
Mitchell enters this fight with an MMA record of 17-2 and 8-2 in the UFC. He is averaging 2.31 strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 59%. Mitchell is absorbing 1.53 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 60%. Known as a grappler, Mitchell is averaging 3.39 takedowns every 15 minutes and 1.4 submissions during the same period. He has a takedown accuracy of 43% and a takedown defense of 33%.
Silva enters this fight with an MMA record of 15-2 and 4-0 in the UFC. He is averaging 5.26 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 53%. Silva absorbs 4.14 strikes per minute and has a striking defense of 58%. Regarding his grappling, Silva is averaging 0.73 takedowns every 15 minutes. He has a takedown accuracy of 50% and a takedown defense of 80%.
I think Silva is going to implement the same game plan Topuria and Emmet did, and that is constant pressure. It's in Mitchell's best interest to get this fight to the ground because submitting Silva is Mitchell's only way of winning this fight. That said, I don't think Mitchell can get Silva to the ground. I see this fight playing out more or less like when Mitchell fought Emmett. My prediction is that Silva will knock out Mitchell in the first or the second round.
