Alexander Volkanovski will defend his 145-pound title against No. 2-ranked featherweight contender Diego Lopes atop the upcoming UFC 325 event, scheduled for Sat., Jan. 31, 2026 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. The booking caught many fans (and fighters) by surprise, considering Volkanovski just beat Lopes at UFC 314 last April in a fight that was competitive, but not close.
Lopes (27-7) rebounded with a stunning knockout victory over No. 11-ranked Jean Silva in the Noche UFC headliner back in September, a performance that may have influenced his opening betting line for UFC 325. The challenger currently sits at +125 against -150 for the champion, according to the number crunchers over at Draft Kings, which is not that far off from their previous odds for UFC 314.
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“Movsar (Evloev) and Lerone (Murphy), they’re probably a bit more deserving,” Volkanovski said on YouTube. “I think the fans are going to appreciate the fight that me and Lopes are going to have, but it is what it is. Whoever they put in front of me, let’s go.”
Volkanovski (27-4), seven years older than Lopes at 37, has not competed since UFC 314.
“I wanted to fight earlier,“ the Aussie added. ”I thought it was going to be December. We thought Lerone Murphy in December. I guess the UFC, they were waiting for Jean Silva and Lopes. Obviously, we’re like, ‘We just fought that guy, is there more deserving people?’ Whatever. Everyone knows that I’ll fight anyone. Whoever they put in front of me, I’ll fight.“
Expect more UFC 325 fight card announcements in the coming weeks.
