With Ilia Topuria deciding to vacate the UFC Featherweight title, the Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes UFC 314 fight will be the fight for the title.
Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett is a clash between two lightweights who are super-fun, both in and outside the Octagon. Chandler has a better fighting reputation, but Pimblett is on a much better run.
This explains why UFC 314 odds favor the Englishman. However, Paddy the Baddy’s odds aren’t much shorter than those of his American opponent, so anything can happen in Miami.
Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Michael Chandler | +135 |
| Paddy Pimblett | -160 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida
- Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
- Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: PPV
Michael Chandler Redemption Fight
Michael Chandler (23-9) is an MMA star, but his UFC record of 2-3 might make you wonder why that is the case. Well, it’s because since joining Dana White’s MMA promotion in 2021, he’s only fought against elite opponents.
He defeated Dan Hooker on his UFC debut by a TKO, as well as KO-ed Tony Ferguson in 2022. When it comes to his losses, he lost twice to Charles Oliveira – once by a TKO and once by decision – as well as to Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier.
But before joining the UFC, he was the Bellator champ. In fact, he was thought of as the best lightweight fighter outside the UFC. His wrestling was – and still is – phenomenal, which is no surprise given his NCAA Division I background.
He’s also a very good wrestler with a black belt in 10th Planet jiu-jitsu. Still, striking seems to be his favorite method – he lands 4.49 significant strikes a minute.
He also gets hit a lot (4.30), but he doesn’t seem to mind it. His chin is made of bricks and getting hit just makes him want to fight more. And based on recent training footage, he’s ready for a marathon fight at UFC 314.
Paddy’s Biggest Fight (So Far)
The UFC 314 co-main event is a fight that can make or break Paddy the Baddy. The Liverpool-based fighter is 22-3 overall, with a 6-0 record in the UFC. The problem is that he just hasn’t fought any elite opponents.
Sure, he did beat Tony Ferguson, but El Cucuy was on a 6-fight skid before stepping into the Octagon with Paddy. He also defeated Bobby “King” Green last July with a first-round submission, but to be fair, King is nowhere near as good as Chandler.
This explains why Paddy is still not talked about as a potential title challenger. He probably won’t get into that conversation even with a win over Chandler, but losing on April 12 could push him into oblivion.
Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett Prediction
Our prediction is that both fighters will take the UFC 314 co-main event very seriously. In fact, one may argue that the April 12 fight is the most important bout in both men’s careers.
This is why we expect them to take it slowly and fight more carefully than usual. We might see them wrestle more rather than throwing spectacular kicks and punches with the aim to knock-out the opponent.
As a result, the fight should last until the final bell. But who will the judges score for? We think it’s going to be Chandler.
Pick: Michael Chandler