Alexander Volkanovski vs Ilia Topuria 2 is out of the window. The Georgian is chasing his dream to challenge Islam Makhachev for the Lightweight Title as he leaves the featherweight division. The FW division in UFC is one of the most competitive and captivating classes, comprising numerous talented individuals trying to get there. Changes are underway concerning the featherweight division as Ilia Topuria vacated the featherweight title.
Dana White gave the information and stated that Topuria felt he had achieved everything in the FW division. White also mentioned that the Georgian was finding it difficult to cut the weight down to 145 lbs.
This has led to the question of who can now legitimize the featherweight division after Ilia’s departure, and among the names raised are Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. The Australian will face the Brazilian fighter for the vacant Featherweight championship at UFC 314 in Kaseya Center, Miami. The two have a huge task in their hand as El Matador dominated the division and without him the division might lose its legitimacy.
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Analysis of Alexander Volkanovski
Alexander Volkanovski is a very good and well-rounded fighter with a lot of experience to his name. He has been through the rigors of competition and enjoys a very successful career, from which he garnered quite a good reputation for a record of 26 wins and 4 losses.
Volkanovski also had the opportunity to hold the featherweight title before and has defended the belt several times. He is very well-rounded: he can stand and trade blows, grapple, ultimately psychologically torture you with pressure and wrestling. He has shown himself a true distraction, very well in the spotlight, to say the least.
With all that said, he has been on a downward spiral in the last two years. He lost 3 of his last 4 fights where he lost the FW title to Ilia Topuria. The Australian now has an opportunity to get back on track as he gets an opportunity to claim the title. However, the question remains whether he could repeat the successful win streak by reclaiming the title.
Analysis of Diego Lopes
Diego Lopes is another talented fighter that has begun establishing his name in the featherweight division. His record is 20 wins, 3 losses, but unbalanced in its majority by knockouts and submissions. Lopes is known for his aggressiveness in the cage, which has made him a fearsome opponent. He has demonstrated his ability to adapt between different game plans throughout his career, having faced a long list of opponents.
With a huge opportunity in hand, he faces the most difficult challenge of his MMA career in the form of “Volk”. The experienced veteran of the division has a lot of experience in the championship matches. Lopes’ temperament and mental composure will be tested in the fight.
Reactivating the Featherweight Division
To get a fighter to become the dominant champion after Topuria’s exit, one will need to build up a good winning record along with breathtaking victories. The next UFC FW champion needs to be one who can capture attention and draw interest to the division, essentially fighting other top contenders.
Both “Volk” and Lopes have the profiles and capabilities that can help in legitimizing the featherweight division. Having ruled as a champion before, Volkanovski’s skill set puts him firmly in contention; Lopes is a fierce contest for any opponent he faces. With Movsar Evloev and Aljamain Sterling standing in line as next possible contender, the two have a tough competition ahead.
Conclusion
To bring the featherweight division back on track would be excusable under two words: fading and urgent, especially with the Georgian “El Matador” leaving an empty seat on the upper tier of the division. Hope for the future of the division seems to loom with guys like Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes on the fringes. Can Volkanovski and Lopes legitimize the featherweight division? Yes, they can. They have prowess, experience as well as charisma to make a case for top contenders potentially as dominant champions.
Sachin Singh 
Ashvinkumar Patil 
Bhumika Joshi