Will the sequel flip the script?
By Jonty Dine of RNZ
Despite seemingly putting the story to bed, Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski will run it back with Brazil's Diego Lopes, this time in Volk's backyard.
The pair first met for the vacant featherweight strap in April of last year after Ilia Topuria made the move up to lightweight. While many believed Volkanovski's reign at the top was over when Topuria shut his lights off in devastating fashion, the king made his return to the throne in a dominant five round decision victory over Lopes at UFC 314. Now in the second PPV in as many weeks to kick off 2026, Volk and Lopes will run it back for the featherweight strap in Sydney's main event.
Meanwhile, The Hangman is back in action and promising to deliver more violence in his bout against 'the God of war' Benoit Saint-Denis. It's a quickfire turnaround for Dan Hooker, who is just 69 days removed from his grudge match with Arman Tsarukyan.
Hooker was choked out by Tsarukyan in late November, and is a rank outsider for the co-main, but so lethal is his striking that one accurate shot could see the Frenchman fold.
"There is no other way I do business, let's get down to work," Hooker said at this week's press conference.
About the fighters
Alexander 'the Great' Volkanovski - champion
- Age - 37
- Nation - Australia
- Record - 27 wins 4 losses
- Height - 5ft 6 inches (1.68m)
- Weight - 145lbs (66kg)
- Reach - 71 inches (180cm)
Diego Lopez - challenger
- Age - 31
- Nation - Brazil
- Record - 27 wins 7 losses
- Height - 5ft 11inches (1.8m)
- Weight - 145lbs (66kg)
- Reach - 72.5 inches (184cm)
Who did they most recently fight?
It was an emphatic bounce back for Lopes after the Volkanovski defeat, a stunning spinning back elbow knocking out Jean Silva in round two at UFC Fight Night in September to earn another shot at the champ. Volkanovski has not been in action since putting on a clinic against Lopes to win back his crown.
What are they saying?
"When you've got a guy like Diego Lopes who's gonna bring it, you know he's gonna bring it, he's a gamer, he's going to want to get in my face and make it a fight so we will have no choice but to fight." - Volkanovski.
"He is a legend in the sport. He has a lot of fights in the UFC, but I think this time it's my time to take the belt." - Lopes.
"If you want to go to war, I'll take you to f****** war." - Hooker
"I don't need to sell the fight, you know it's going to be a brawl, let's go for a bloodbath." - Saint-Denis.
What will happen?
Expect a similar if not more emphatic result in Sydney. While Lopes has a dangerous submission game, Volkanovski has proved his world class takedown defence against the best maulers in the game.
With Lopes having a base in jiu-jitsu and Volkanovski in wrestling, another stand up war is inevitable.
Prediction - Volkanovski by decision.
Kiwis head across the Tasman
Australia cards always have a heavy kiwi presence and Sunday will be no different with a trio of City Kick Boxing fighters set to make the walk to the octagon.
Kicking off the early prelims will be a pair of New Zealand trained contenders chasing a contract in their respective Road To UFC finals in Aaron Tau and Lawrence Lui.
Tau opens the event against Namsrai Batbayar in the flyweight final, is riding a three fight win streak after suffering his only career loss in 2024 on Dana White's Contender Series.
'Tauzemup' is an incredibly aggressive front foot fighter, who thrives in chaos. He has seven career knockouts from his 11 wins, with just the one submission victory coming back in 2021.
Fellow team member and bantamweight Lawrence Lui takes on China's Sulangrangbo, also on the early prelims at Qudos bank Arena having booked his spot with a UD win and second round knockout last year. Another pure striker, Lui has seven career wins, four by knockout and juts one defeat which came back in 2022.
UFC 325 Main Card
- Alexander Volkanovski (c) v Diego Lopes for the UFC featherweight championship
- Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint Denis at Lightweight
- Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy at Lightweight
- Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira at Heavyweight
- Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey at Lightweight
Prelims
- Junior Tafa vs. Billy Elekana at Light Heavyweight
- Cam Rowston vs. Cody Brundage at Middleweight
- Jacob Malkoun vs. Torrez Finney at Middleweight
- Jonathan Micallef vs. Oban Elliott at Welterweight
Early preliminaries
- Kaan Ofli vs. Yizha at Featherweight
- Kim Sang-wook vs. Dom Mar Fan at Lightweight
- Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Sebastian Szalay at Featherweight
- Lawrence Lui (NZ) vs. Namsrai Batbayar at Flyweight
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