The UFC is heading back to Sydney, Australia, and the hometown hero is once more front and center. Reigning featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will defend his 145-pound crown against surging Brazilian contender Diego Lopes within the primary event of UFC 325 on January 31, 2026, live to tell the tale Paramount+ from Qudos Bank Arena.
Alex Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Diego Lopes at #UFC325, Dana White announced.
Volkanovski beat Lopes by UD to win the vacant UFC featherweight title back in April. pic.twitter.com/ovaypd2zP0
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 27, 2025
The matchup marks a quick-turn rematch of their UFC 314 showdown, where Volkanovski earned a unanimous decision victory after frustrating Lopes along with his signature pace and tactical precision. Now, lower than a yr later, Lopes has fought his way back into title contention, ranked No. 2 at featherweight, and hungry for revenge. The charismatic Brazilian seems to relish the chance, posting on social media, “Mustache season coming soon.”
Mustache season coming soon 🤠 https://t.co/UPGDyYEPGw
— Diego Lopes 🇧🇷🇲🇽 (@Diegolopesmma) November 27, 2025
For Volkanovski, the booking wasn’t his first alternative. The longtime champ admitted on his YouTube channel that he expected a fight in December, potentially against Lerone Murphy or one other fresh contender. “UFC really wanted Lopes, but not less than everyone knows they’re in for a treat. It should be a really exciting fight. With Movsar [Evloev] and Lerone [Murphy], they’re more deserving, but are they going to bring the fight like Lopes world?”
Alexander Volkanovski admits there have been “more deserving” contenders for the #UFC325 title shot than Diego Lopes. pic.twitter.com/5ycV8iGsUE
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 28, 2025
Still, the UFC’s decision appears to favor entertainment value over rankings. In bypassing top-ranked contenders like Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy, the promotion seems intent on leveraging Lopes’ growing popularity to assist launch its recent streaming era on Paramount+. Former UFC fighter and analyst Din Thomas called it a “no-win situation” for Volkanovski, noting that a win likely earns him little credit, while a loss could shatter his dominant legacy.
Whatever the politics, Sydney now braces for one of the crucial electric fight atmospheres in recent memory. Lopes has the flair and fans to make things interesting, but Volkanovski will likely be defending greater than gold—he’ll be fighting to reaffirm his place atop the featherweight mountain.