Volkanovski’s homecoming sets the main stage for UFC 325
The UFC Featherweight champion defends his title on home soil for the first time.
Australian UFC star Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski headlines UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 at Qudos Bank Arena on Sunday, 1 February.
Volkanovski faces Brazil’s No.2-ranked Diego Lopes in a highly anticipated rematch, following their five-round “Fight of the Night” clash at UFC 314 in Miami earlier this year.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, 12 December at 3pm AEDT via Ticketek, with presales available to UFC Fight Club members and UFC newsletter subscribers earlier in the week.
A major moment for Australian MMA
“This event will not only be a huge moment for Alex, but for UFC and the sport of MMA in Australia,” said Peter Kloczko, Senior Vice President, Australia and New Zealand, UFC.
Kloczko emphasised the excitement around hosting a championship defence from an Australian athlete:
“UFC 325 will be major. To have Australia’s own Alex Volkanovski defend his title in front of a home crowd is a dream result.”
NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism, Steve Kamper, echoed the sentiment, noting the economic impact and international pull of the event:
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“It is incredibly exciting that Sydney will take centre stage next February for this blockbuster event, which will draw thousands of fans from across the world and inject millions into the NSW visitor economy.”
Explosive co-main event and stacked card
The night also features a high-stakes lightweight co-main event between New Zealand’s Dan “The Hangman” Hooker and France’s Benoit “God of War” Saint Denis.
The undercard brings several Australian fan favourites back to the Octagon, including:
Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira
Jimmy Crute vs Dustin Jacoby
Jacob “Mamba” Malkoun vs Torrez Finney
Junior Tafa, Quillan Salkilld, Jonathan Micallef, and more
Heavyweights, rising contenders and international prospects round out a card built to draw significant local and global interest.
Adding further depth, UFC 325 will host the finals of the ROAD TO UFC Season 4 tournament a key pathway for Asia-Pacific athletes to earn UFC contracts.
Four divisions will crown winners, including flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight prospects.
Sydney welcomes another major UFC event
UFC last visited Sydney for UFC 312: Du Plessis vs Strickland 2 in February 2025, which broke the all-time gate revenue record for any Australian indoor arena, bringing in $12.3 million and generating $66.7 million in economic impact.
UFC 325 is again supported by Destination NSW and the NSW Government.
Australian fans can watch the main card live on Main Event via Kayo and Foxtel, with prelims available on Paramount+ and Network 10.
