Lawrence Lui turns alternate entry into Road to UFC contract at UFC 325 Sydney

Lawrence Lui completed a remarkable Road to UFC Season 4 run today at UFC 325 in Sydney, securing a UFC contract after entering the tournament as a late alternate.

Lui’s path was built on resilience as much as skill. Thrust into the bracket without the usual lead-up, he navigated the tournament format and peaked when it mattered most, delivering in the winner-takes-all final against Sulangrangbo.

The title fight was a contrast in styles. Sulangrangbo produced the cleaner striking, landing the sharper-looking shots in open space and often appearing the more polished operator. But Lui refused to break. He absorbed the cleaner work, stayed composed under fire, and steadily dragged the contest into tougher exchanges where durability and pressure mattered more than aesthetics.

Across the later stages, Lui’s grit became the deciding factor. He kept forcing moments, kept returning fire, and consistently made Sulangrangbo work for every clean connection. While the striking may have favoured Sulangrangbo in terms of optics, Lui’s toughness, persistence and ability to keep the fight competitive in key exchanges proved enough to get him over the line and claim the contract.

For Lui, the storyline is simple. An alternate who did not just fill a spot, but seized it. For the UFC, it is another example of what the Road to UFC format is designed to produce. Fighters who can handle pressure, adapt quickly, and win when the stakes are highest.

‍