Volkanovski vs. Lopes: Title Rematch Headlines UFC 325
The expected featherweight title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will headline UFC 325 on January 31st, according to UFC CEO Dana White. The fight for the 145-pound championship will take place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. This event will mark Volkanovski’s return to his home country, Australia, since his failed attempt for the lightweight title against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in February 2023 in Perth. Volkanovski, after an outstanding performance, will seek his second consecutive title defense against Lopes. In April, Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision at UFC 314. The judges scored the fight 49-46, 49-46, and 49-45. Lopes secured the rematch by spectacularly knocking out Jean Silva in September.The announcement of this fight has left several featherweight contenders waiting, including Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy. Both fighters expressed their opinions on the match on social media. Murphy lamented the missed opportunity to face one of the best in the division, while Evloev proposed a fight with Murphy in early 2026 to define the next title challenger. According to the UFC ranking, Evloev and Murphy hold the number 1 and 4 positions respectively in the division, while Lopes is at number 2.The opportunity to fight one of the featherweight greats is what hurts me the most.
Lerone Murphy
