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 Paramount+ 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.
You know it’s bad when even the coaches are bored by the booking.
“If you don’t like it, don’t watch it,” UFC CEO, Dana White, told Complex. “I don’t know if the process was, ‘there needs to be a rematch,’ it was just a fight that made sense. We get in that room and we start putting sh*t together and … should be a good fight.”
I’m sure Paramount execs, who paid “above market” prices for UFC, will be happy to hear White instructing fickle fight fans to watch something else.
Lopes (27-7) rebounded from his Volkanovski loss with a stunning knockout victory over No. 11-ranked Jean Silva in the Noche UFC headliner back in September. As for Volkanovski (27-4), this marks his first appearance since defeating the 31 year-old Brazilian at UFC 314 back in April 2025. “The Great” later revealed other contenders (like this undefeated Brit) were “more deserving” of the 145-pound title shot.
For the rest of the UFC 325 fight card and Paramount+ lineup click here.
