UFC 314 grades high for an exciting main card and surprising prelims - ESPN

On paper, UFC 314 was loaded with stellar matchups, but putting something down on paper is only half the battle. There have been plenty of «can't miss» fights that end up, well, missing. But how could a lineup of fights that included Alexander Volkanovski seeking to regain the featherweight title against a surging Diego Lopes, a grudge match between Jean Silva and Bryce Mitchell and Paddy Pimblett getting his toughest test to date against Michael Chandler fail to deliver?

Sounds improbable, right?

Fortunately, most of the fights in the UFC's return to Miami on Saturday gave fans what they wanted. Obviously, not everything landed, but it is safe to say that fans left the Kaseya Arena happy. There was one fight that ended up with a dreaded F, but it didn't ruin the night.

After each pay-per-view, we break down and assess the quality of each fight and the fight card itself based on skill displayed, competitiveness and what is at stake. Andreas Hale takes a look at all 13 fights of UFC 314 including Volkanovski's quest to make history against Lopes by regaining the featherweight title.

Result: Volkanovski defeats Lopes by unanimous decision

Grade: A-

There was concern that Volkanovski's best years were behind him and the younger lion in Lopes would put him out to pasture. Instead, we got vintage Volkanovski, who was excellent with his striking and executed a game plan that utilized movement, a sharp jab and some takedown attempts mixed in to keep Lopes off balance. The fun really began when Volkanovski found himself on the canvas late in the second round after Lopes bounced a right hand off his temple. It added drama to a fight that, while technically sound, had just enough furious exchanges to raise the level round after