PADDY PIMBLETT makes his eagerly-anticipated return to Octagon at UFC 314.
The Baddy faces dangerous veteran Michael Chandler in the co-main event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
Pimblett has not fought since July last year, where he submitted King Green at UFC 304 in Manchester with a triangle choke in the first round.
His opponent, Chandler, is a former three-time Bellator lightweight world champion, coming off a unanimous decision defeat to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309 back in November.
The bout sees the No 7 and No 12-ranked fighters in the lightweight division lock horns, as both eye a move up the rankings towards an eventual title challenge.
Islam Makhachev, who leads the men’s pound-for-pound list of the whole promotion, holds the lightweight belt.
Pimblett did not fight when the UFC returned to the UK for Leon Edwards’ defeat to Sean Brady at the O2 Arena last month.
He instead watched cage side as long-term friend Molly McCann announced her retirement from the sport after her loss to Alexia Thainara inside one round.
The result of that strawweight bout brought Pimblett to tears, and he will be out to avenge McCann – who he dubbed his “big sister” on Instagram – when he takes to the cage in Miami this weekend.
Who is fighting on the UFC 314 card?
In the main event of the evening, Alex Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes at featherweight.
There are two other bouts in that division on the undercard, where Yair Rodriguez takes on Patricio Pitbull, and Bryce Mitchell fights Jean Silva.
Nikita Krylov faces Dominick Reyes at light heavyweight, although Geoff Neal’s welterweight clash against Carlos Pirates is off after the ‘Handz of Steel’ needed surgery on an elbow injury.
In the preliminary bouts, there are two more featherweight contests to look out for, with Dan Ige taking on Sean Woodson, and Darren Elkins facing Julian Erosa.
In Pimblett’s division, 41-year-old Jim Miller is up against 25-year-old Chase Hooper, while Yan Xiaonan and Virna Jandiroba face off at women’s strawweight.
Main Card
- Alex Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes (vacant featherweight title)
- Paddy Pimblett vs Michael Chandler (lightweight bout)
- Yair Rodriguez vs Patricio Pitbull (featherweight bout)
- Bryce Mitchell vs Jean Silva (featherweight bout)
- Nikita Krylov vs Dominick Reyes (light-heavyweight bout)
Prelims
- Dan Ige vs Sean Woodson (featherweight bout)
- Yan Xiaonan vs Virna Jandiroba (women’s strawweight bout)
- Jim MIller vs Chase Hooper (lightweight bout)
- Darren Elkins vs Julian Erosa (featherweight bout)
Early Prelims
- Sedrigues Dumas vs Michal Oleksiejczuk (middleweight bout)
- Su Mudaerji vs Mitch Raposo (flyweight bout)
- Tresean Gore vs Marco Tulio (middleweight bout)
- Nora Cornlle vs Hailey Cowan (women’s bantamweight bout)
When is UFC 314?
- UFC 314 takes place on Saturday April 12, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida.
- The early prelim fights begin at 11pm BST, and the regular preliminary bouts are scheduled to follow at 1am BST on Sunday.
- The main card is set for a 3am BST start on Sunday.
What TV channel is UFC 314 on and can it be streamed?
- UFC 314 will be shown by TNT Sports in the UK, while subscribers can stream the action on discovery+.
- In the US, ESPN+ is the streaming service of choice, alongside the UFC’s Fight Pass.
- Alternatively, SunSport will live blog all of UFC 314 from the early prelims to the main event.