UFC 314: Alex Volkanovski pops off after Shaun Johnson rev-up; as UFC 314 goes wild

Alex Volkanovski promised to bring the world title back to Australia, but four other featherweights stole the show in a wild press conference in Miami.

A fired up Alex Volkanovski promised to “bring that f***in’ belt back to Australia” after getting a massive rev-up from former Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson at the UFC 314 press conference in Miami.

But it was another pair of featherweights who stole the show, with Volk’s opponent Diego Lopes and former opponent Yair Rodriguez needing to be separated on stage.

Meanwhile, UFC wild-man, fellow featherweight, Bryce Mitchell promised to make bitter rival Jean Silva squeal in their heated main card clash.

Volkanovski fights Lopes in a must-win featherweight world title clash, and after two straight knockout defeats, faces an uncertain future if he loses again.

Volkanovski was a laidback spectator for the large majority of Friday morning’s (AEST) press conference until 268-NRL game half Johnson grabbed the microphone and amped him up.

Johnson is working for Main Event and Fox Sports as on air talent in Miami, and the crowd went wild as he called for some support for Volkanovski.

“I just wanna say, I’ve been feeling the love so much the past year, and even before that,” Volkanovski said. “I appreciate every single one of youse, and I’m bringing that f***in’ belt back to Australia.”

Earlier on, Volkanovski outlined the magnitude of his first fight in 14 months.

“I really do think this is the biggest fight of my career,” he said. “Winning the belt now, with the timing, is the biggest part of my story.

“I’m looking forward to putting on a show and getting the belt back.”

Volk’s opponent this weekend, Lopes, and Rodriguez – who Volkanovski beat in his last successful featherweight title defence in 2023 – went at each other in the most heated scenes of the UFC 314 presser.

Mexican fighter Rodriguez has been critical of Lopes representing his native Brazil as well as his place of residence, Mexico.

But there was clearly more at play as they both jumped from their seats and argued in Spanish while being held back by security.

Yair Rodriguez (L) and Diego Lopes (R) go off. Picture: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Their beef continued after the press conference too, before they were escorted off stage.

There has been similar friction between Brazil’s Jean Silva and Arkansas featherweight Bryce Mitchell, who is one of the most polarising fighters in the UFC.

Earlier in fight week, Silva promised to give Mitchell brain damage this weekend, to which the gun-toting conspiracy theorist replied: “I was born with brain damage, brother.

“I’ll be all right. I don’t care what his intentions are, my intentions are to beat the ever living hell out of that man.”

Mitchell regularly goes viral for his brand of fringe views ranging from flat earth to not believing in seatbelts, thinking Elon Musk is “putting chips in peoples’ brains” and denying the existence of gravity.

In an interview with this masthead in December, Mitchell explained that he grows all his own food because, “the government’s so evil, they’re gonna control people.

“They’re gonna make steak illegal, they’re gonna make it where you can’t afford steaks – mark my words – it’s not gonna be long before the average man can’t afford steak.”

In January, the 30-year-old crossed the line when he denied the Holocaust and defended Adolf Hitler as a “good guy” who “fought for his country”.

Bryce Mitchell (L) and Jean Silva (R) go face-to-face. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

UFC president Dana White was forced to intervene, calling Mitchell “dumb and ignorant” and labelling his comments “beyond disgusting.”

At the first UFC 314 press conference in March, Silva trolled Mitchell’s flat earther beliefs by bringing a globe onstage.

This week, he was just as blunt.

“Aside from all the talk, I don’t agree with anything he says about anything,” he said, adding later: “Bryce, I respect you as an athlete, but look at my eyes, look at me: I’m going to knock you out, brother.”

Mitchell seethed as he hit back.

“I put a lot of dogs down in my day,” he said. “Those dogs that like to come up to the farm, they kill my animals, they come to harm me and my family.

“You know what they all have in common?

“They squeal right before they die.”

Originally published as UFC 314: Alex Volkanovski pops off after Shaun Johnson rev-up; as UFC 314 goes wild