UFC 314 Odds, Picks, Predictions & UFC Best Bets for Volkanovski vs. Lopes

The Octagon travels down south to Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, for UFC 314: Volkanovski vs. Lopes. The star-studded pay-per-view card features a main event for the vacant UFC featherweight title between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes, plus there are 12 undercard bouts to look forward to. In the latest edition of the Bookies.com UFC picks, we will take a deeper dive into the headliner and two other fights from a betting perspective. 

UFC odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and current as of publication. Check out our DraftKings Sportsbook Review.

Alexander Volkanovski (-125) vs. Diego Lopes (+105) 

The headliner of UFC 314 sees the vacant UFC featherweight title on the line between former champ Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. Volkanovski is a -125 favorite, and I expect him to get his belt back.

Volkanovski is 36, and he is 13-3 in the UFC. The Australian is the former long-time UFC featherweight champion and he will be looking to win his belt back in this fight. He is one of the greatest fighters in UFC history and will be in the UFC Hall of Fame one day, although he has scuffled as of late with losses in three of his last four fights. However, those defeats came against elite competition in Ilia Topuria and Islam Makhachev (twice), so you can’t take away too much from those losses. 

It’s possible Volkanovski’s chin has finally gone after a long career, but perhaps it’s just the fact that he’s been fighting the best fighters in the world. Skill for skill, Volkanovski is the most well-rounded featherweight in the UFC, and he has a good chance to get his belt back here against Lopes.

Lopes is 30, and he is 5-1 in the UFC. The Brazilian joined the UFC in 2023, and after losing his debut, he reeled off five straight impressive wins to earn this vacant title shot. He has quickly turned into one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC due to his knockout power on the feet and slick submission attempts on the mat. He also has a ton of experience as a pro-MMA fighter, having made his debut back in 2012. That being said, Volkanovski is by far the best opponent whom Lopes has ever fought, and he has not gone five rounds at the UFC level yet. Lopes will have a chance to get an early finish, but the longer the fight goes, the more it favors his opponent.

Although Volkanovski is the older fighter and has lost his last two fights by knockout, I still believe he can be the champion once again. Volkanovski is the more proven fighter in five-round championship fights, which should give him a significant advantage if this fight goes long. Look for Lopes to start strong but for Volkanovski to take his biggest shots, survive, and as the fight goes on, land more volume and mix in takedowns to win a decision. Take Volkanovski to win as a -125 favorite, and take him to win his belt back with a decision.

UFC 314 Best Bet: Alexander Volkanovski wins at -125 with DraftKings Sportsbook  

Jean Silva (-278) vs. Bryce Mitchell (+225) 

Also on the main card is a featherweight bout between Jean Silva and Bryce Mitchell. Silva is a -278 favorite, and I look forward to him performing tremendously here.

Silva is 28, and he is 4-0 in the UFC. The Brazilian won a UFC contract after a standout performance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 and has since won four UFC fights, with all of his wins coming by way of knockout. Silva has incredible knockout power and a ton of confidence in himself. He has won his last 12 fights in a row overall, and he will look to beat Mitchell in this fight and finally break into the top-15 rankings at featherweight.

Mitchell is 30, and he is 8-2 in the UFC. The American is a standout grappler who averages over three takedowns per 15 minutes, and once he is on the mat, he can get on top of his opponents, control them, and look for submissions. His standup, however, is not great, and he has been brutally knocked out in the UFC before. To beat Silva, Mitchell will have to get this fight down to the ground, because if it stays on the feet, he could very well get knocked out again.

Silva is one of the hottest fighters in the featherweight division and he has the death touch in his hands. I don’t think Mitchell’s grappling will be effective in this fight as I see Silva keeping it standing and finding a big punch to put Mitchell away. Take Silva to win as a -278 favorite and take him to win by knockout for a prop bet.

UFC 314 Best Bet: Jean Silva wins at -278 with DraftKings Sportsbook  

Marco Tulio (-355) vs. Tresen Gore (+280)  

On the early prelims, Marcio Tulio fights Tresean Gore at middleweight. Tulio is a -355 favorite, and I expect him to win this fight by knockout.

Tulio is 30, and he is 1-0 in the UFC. The Brazilian won twice on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a UFC contract, and he made good on it with a nasty knockout win over Ihor Potieria in his promotional debut. Tulio has won his last nine fights in a row, so he carries plenty of momentum into this bout. He is a knockout artist who has won nine fights with his strikes, and he will look to pick up another big knockout when he faces off against Gore in this bout.

Gore is 30, and he is 2-2 in the UFC. The American lost the TUF 29 Finale in 2022 and then lost his second UFC fight by knockout, but has since bounced back with two straight submission wins. His ground game is certainly very dangerous, and if he can get Tulio down to the mat, then he will have a chance to finish him by submission. However, if this fight stays standing, then Tulio will have the edge, and Gore could very well be at risk of getting knocked out.

Tulio has a big advantage in this striking, and as long as he keeps this fight standing, he should batter Gore with strikes and knock him out. Take Tulio to win as a -355 favorite and take him to win this fight by knockout for a prop bet.

UFC 314 Best Bet: Marco Tulio wins at -355 with DraftKings Sportsbook