Jon Anik thinks Alexander Volkanovski can separate himself from each different featherweight at UFC 314.

Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and Diego Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will compete for the vacant title in Saturday’s most important occasion at Kaseya Heart from Miami (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN/Disney+, ESPN+).

The previous five-time defending featherweight champion will look to reclaim his title after shedding it to Ilia Topuria by knockout at UFC 298. If Volkanovski is profitable, Anik sees him solidifying his standing as the best featherweight of all time.

“The way in which you and I and others really feel about Diego Lopes, beating a main Diego Lopes proper now to regain the throne on the backend of the whole lot that Volkanovski has carried out, for me, would make him cemented as probably the most embellished featherweight champion of all time,” Anik instructed MMA Junkie. “I believe it’s exhausting once you firm anybody to Jose Aldo, as a result of I can barely be within the room with the man, I get so star struck. I’ve known as principally Volkanovski’s complete profession.”

Jose Aldo confronted an identical state of affairs to Volkanovski. “The King of Rio” defended his UFC featherweight title seven occasions in his first reign and was capable of declare the interim title – which was later promoted to an undisputed title after beating Frankie Edgar at UFC 200.

However Anik sees Volkanovski defeating Lopes topping that.

“We’ll see what occurs,” Anik mentioned. “If he can get by Diego Lopes, I’d have a tough time arguing Jose Aldo.”

Volkanovski will look to rebound after back-to-back knockout losses to UFC light-weight champion Islam Makhachev and Topuria. Not solely is he up in opposition to the statistic of fighters being 35 and older having a low win proportion, however fighters coming into title bouts off back-to-back losses are 0-5.

“It’s going to be fascinating to see what model of Volkanovski reveals up right here,” Anik mentioned. “I believe one section of the fan base and the pundit base who believes this time without work goes to lead to a main Alexander Volkanovski exhibiting up, and that possibly he didn’t lead the league in MMA miles per UFC. Then one other section of individuals really feel like he’s within the twilight of his profession.

“And that’s why they play the video games. I are inclined to lean extra in the direction of we’re going to get a main Volkanovski and the difficulty would possibly simply be that Diego Lopes is an absolute killer. I simply really feel just like the vibe I’m getting from Volk, the preparation, the time without work – I believe he’s going to carry out pretty much as good as ever. Unsure it’ll be sufficient. We’ll discover out.”

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 314.