UFC.com also confirmed that UFC 325 will take place in Sydney one week after UFC 324, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his title against Diego Lopes in the main event. The Sydney booking is important because it keeps the featherweight title picture active and gives Volkanovski another major platform in front of a key international audience. The announcement suggests the UFC is pushing a rapid start to the year with back-to-back marquee events. Additional undercard information was not included in the source, so more matchup updates are still likely.
UFC.com has officially confirmed that Alexander Volkanovski will put his featherweight title on the line against Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 325, set to take place in Sydney. The event lands one week after UFC 324, signaling the promotion's intent to open with back-to-back marquee cards to start the year.
Volkanovski, 37, enters the contest as the reigning featherweight champion and the third-ranked pound-for-pound fighter on the UFC roster. The Australian carries a 28-4-0 record and fights out of the Freestyle Fighting Gym with an orthodox stance. Standing five-foot-six with a 71-inch reach, "The Great" is one of the sport's most prolific strikers at this weight, landing 5.99 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate. He also averages 1.63 takedowns per 15 minutes, giving him a well-rounded threat profile. Fighting at home in front of a Sydney crowd adds a significant dimension to his preparation.
Lopes, a 31-year-old Brazilian out of Lobo Gym MMA, comes in ranked seventh in the featherweight division with a 28-8-0 record. He holds a notable size advantage over the champion, standing five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach. While his striking output sits at 3.83 significant strikes per minute at 47 percent accuracy, his submission threat is his most distinct weapon, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes — a figure that sets him apart from most challengers at 145 pounds.
Why it matters
- Volkanovski defending in Australia gives the featherweight title rare international exposure on home soil
- A win for Lopes would shake up the 145-pound picture by dethroning one of the division's longest-reigning champions
- The contrasting styles — Volkanovski's volume striking and wrestling versus Lopes's submission hunting — create a compelling tactical matchup
- UFC 325 is part of a rapid back-to-back scheduling push, raising the card's overall profile
Additional undercard bouts for UFC 325 have not yet been announced.
