After an electrifying UFC Perth debut that saw him announce his arrival with a devastating first-round knockout, Australian middleweight Cam Rowston gets his next opportunity to shine on home soil at UFC 325 in Sydney on January thirty first—and the promotion is not making it a simple one. The 30-year-old City Kickboxing product will face American grappler Cody Brundage in a middleweight clash that pits rising momentum against UFC veteran experience.
Rowston burst onto the UFC scene this past September with a clinical 2:41 first-round TKO over Andre Petroski at UFC Perth, immediately capturing fans’ attention along with his size, striking precision, and devastating ending ability. The 6’3″ middleweight executed a textbook game plan, exploiting his reach advantage before dropping Petroski with a check left hook that left little doubt concerning the victor. Post-fight, the Australian declared himself ready to hitch the elite at 185 kilos, channeling comparisons to fellow City Kickboxing product and former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya.
Brundage, 31, brings a fundamentally different skill set to the octagon. The South Carolina native is a decorated wrestler with a deep submission arsenal, highlighted by his 80 percent ending rate throughout his profession. With six knockouts and three submissions on his record, Brundage has proven he’s removed from a one-dimensional competitor. Nevertheless, the UFC veteran heads into this bout facing questions on consistency. His recent form has been decidedly mixed: a 2:23 TKO loss to Eric McConico, a technical decision draw against Mansur Abdul-Malik, and most recently, a first-round knockout victory over Julian Marquez in March 2025 that showed the raw power still lives in his hands.
The stylistic contrast sets up a compelling matchup. Rowston’s explosive striking and reach advantage will likely dominate the space, but Brundage’s wrestling credentials and submission threat can’t be missed. If the American can navigate Rowston’s stand-up arsenal and drag the fight to the canvas, he could pose serious problems for the Australian neophyte. Conversely, if Rowston can maintain distance and impose his size advantage, a possible knockout finish could await.