UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has his sights set on a calculated end when he faces Diego Lopes in Saturday’s UFC 325 principal occasion at Sydney’s Qudos Financial institution Area. The rematch marks Volkanovski’s first title protection since reclaiming the belt at UFC 314 in April 2025, and the Australian veteran made clear his intentions throughout Thursday’s pre-fight press convention.
Alexander Volkanovski Aims for Dominant Finish at UFC 325
“Obviously I want the finish – everyone does – but I’m not going to forget how durable he is,” Volkanovski said. “I do know I can put a beating on him, but it surely’s about doing it good. Minimal harm on my finish, most harm on his. If I see a end there, I’m actually going to show it on and go for the end, then I can stroll out of there recent and able to go once more. That’s the mentality now.”
The 37-year-old champion enters the bout with a 27-4 skilled document, having earned a unanimous choice victory over Lopes (27-7) of their first assembly 9 months in the past. That struggle noticed Volkanovski reclaim the vacant featherweight title after Ilia Topuria vacated the belt to maneuver as much as light-weight. Regardless of controlling a lot of the motion, Volkanovski was dropped by a heavy overhand proper within the second spherical and confronted moments of hazard all through the 25-minute contest.
Volkanovski appeared unfazed by those dangerous exchanges when discussing the rematch. “People talk about rematches like it’s a whole different world, but I’ve already spent twenty-five minutes in there with him,” he explained. “I know his durability, I know his power, I know the looks he’s going to give me. For me it’s about capitalizing on the opportunities I felt were there the first time and really making him pay this time. He’s going to be aggressive – that’s who he is – but when he comes to take my head off, he’s putting himself in position for me to take his off too. That’s exactly the kind of fight I want.”
Lopes earned his rematch opportunity with a stunning second-round knockout of Jean Silva at Noche UFC in September, touchdown a spinning again elbow earlier than ending with floor strikes. The 31-year-old Brazilian has made changes to his coaching camp, revealing he arrange a non-public fitness center to get rid of distractions and spent three consecutive camps making ready for Volkanovski.
“I know I made a lot of mistakes in the first fight with Volk,” Lopes admitted. “I forgot issues in my recreation plan. I feel I fastened it within the coaching camp. I fastened many issues, so it’s fully totally different now.”
The championship bout represents Volkanovski’s first opportunity to defend a title on Australian soil in his decorated career. The former rugby league standout from Wollongong, just south of Sydney, has not fought in Australia since his controversial unanimous decision loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 in Perth three years ago.
With a victory, Volkanovski would tie Jose Aldo’s featherweight record of eight UFC title fight wins, further cementing his case as the division’s greatest fighter of all time. He has won seven featherweight title bouts and defended the championship five times during his first reign from December 2019 to February 2024.
UFC 325 takes place Saturday, January 31 (Sunday, February 1 local time) with the main card beginning at 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+. The event marks the promotion’s eighth visit to Sydney and first since UFC 312 in February 2025.
