We don’t know what the main event will be for UFC 314 in Miami, but based on the two fights that were added on Friday, January 25, the Kesaya Center may be getting a strong show.
Light heavyweights Dominick Reyes and Nikita Krylov are expected to clash in a pivotal matchup between veterans hoping to make another run at the title. Likewise, Virna Jandiroba is set to take on Yan Xiaonan in an important women’s strawweight matchup between two of the highest-ranked fighters in the division.
Those two fights join Gilbert Burns vs. Michael Morales to set the table for a solid main card of action. It’s possible those three fights will make up the bottom of the main card, with the main and co-main events still to be added.
UFC 314: Dominick Reyes vs. Nikita Krylov
Reyes is on a resurgence. After a nasty four-fight losing streak that began with a narrow loss to Jon Jones for the title in February 2020, the 35-year-old has rebounded with back-to-back wins over Dustin Jacoby and Anthony Smith.
Reyes is currently ranked No. 11 and will have a chance to climb back into the Top 10 if he can beat Krylov. The 32-year-old Krylov will have been out of action for two years when he climbs into the Octagon.
He’s on a three-fight win streak with victories over Alexander Gustafsson, Volkan Oezdemir, and Ryan Spann, which has allowed him to remain at No. 8 in the division.
UFC 314: Virna Jandiroba vs. Yan Xiaonan
Jandiroba is knocking on the door for immediate contention at strawweight. She’ll come into the fight with No. 2-ranked Xiaonan ranked No. 3 in the division.
Xianoan has already had a shot at the title, but she fell short. However, she rebounded with a dominant win over Tabitha Ricci in November 2024 to set up this fight with Jandiroba.
The winner could easily fight the winner of the UFC 312 co-main event featuring champion Weili Zhang vs. Tatiana Suarez.
If you’re wondering who could land in the main event, there is a chance we could see Julianna Peña defend her title against Kayla Harrison, Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot (which Dana White seemed to hint was imminent), or Alexandre Pantoja could face the winner of Brandon Royval-Manel Kape. There is also an outside chance Jon Jones could defend against interim champion Tom Aspinall.
While it’s possible, I wouldn’t expect two title fights on this card. UFC 311 and 312 have two and I’m not sure the UFC would go that route three times in the first four months of the year.
Perhaps Jorge Masvidal gets his wish and he returns at this event to fight Vicente Luque. Sean O’Malley may also be ready to return and he could draw Petr Yan in a rematch or Corey Sandhagen in an interesting co-main event.
If I had to guess, Peña-Harrison feels like the most likely main event.
What’s Next For the UFC?
The UFC heads to Saudi Arabia on Feb. 1. The card is headlined by Israel Adesanya’s return to the Octagon against Nassourdine Imavov. Here is a look at the entire card.
- Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Sharabutdin Magomedov vs. Michael Page – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Sergei Pavlovich vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Said Nurmagomedov vs. Vinicius Oliveira – Bantamweight (135 lbs)
- Ikram Aliskerov vs. André Muniz – Middleweight (185 lbs)
- Muhammad Naimov vs. Kaan Ofli – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Shamil Gaziev vs. Thomas Petersen – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Terrance McKinney vs. Damir Hadžović – Lightweight (155 lbs)
- Fares Ziam vs. Mike Davis – Lightweight (155 lbs)
- Jasmine Jasudavicius vs. Mayra Bueno Silva – Flyweight (125 lbs)
- Bogdan Grad vs. L. Alexander – Featherweight (145 lbs)
- Hamdy Abdelwahab vs. Jamal Pogues – Heavyweight (265 lbs)
- Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady vs. Bolaji Oki – Lightweight (155 lbs)
