UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski did not emerge from UFC 314 unscathed.
Alexander Volkanovski reclaimed the UFC featherweight title with a victory at UFC 314 in Miami last Saturday, defeating Diego Lopes. However, despite winning by decision to secure the vacant belt, Volkanovski`s coach revealed he suffered a significant injury in the fight`s initial moments.
Coach Joe Lopez Indicates Potential Broken Hand for Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 314
Volkanovski mentioned experiencing vision problems during the fight against Lopes at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, showing visible bruising around his eyes from Lopes` strikes.
Furthermore, it`s been suggested that Volkanovski may have been fighting with only one functional hand for a significant portion of the match.
In a recent interview on Submission Radio, coach Joe Lopez stated that Volkanovski injured his hand early in the UFC 314 bout.
“He might have broken his hand,” Lopez said regarding Volkanovski`s condition. “We still need to get an X-ray to confirm. He did injure his hand early in the fight, I believe. Alex didn`t mention it until after, saying, `I think I hurt my hand.` I`m not sure exactly which round it occurred.”
“He is also experiencing some foot soreness and general aches from a five-round battle. It`s expected after such a tough fight.”
The severity of Volkanovski’s hand injury is currently unknown. Depending on the extent of any fracture, he could potentially return to fighting by the end of summer.
Top Contender Movsar Evloev Reacts to Alexander Volkanovski`s Title Victory
Movsar Evloev is expected to be the next challenger when Volkanovski is ready to defend his title. Evloev acknowledged Volkanovski`s win at UFC 314, reminding him of his promise for a title shot.
Evloev last fought in December at UFC 310, defeating Aljamain Sterling. The undefeated fighter has also secured victories against Arnold Allen, Dan Ige, and Lopes.
Volkanovski`s victory resulted in rapper Drake winning nearly $1 million in sports betting, a rare win for the artist. Conversely, Conor McGregor lost $500,000 on Paddy Pimblett’s win over Michael Chandler.
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley