UFC 325 Fight Card: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Brings a Massive Night for Australian MMA in Sydney

Australian MMA is set for a monster moment when UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 lands at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on February 1, 2026 (local time).

For Aussie fight fans, this isn’t just another numbered card – it’s a statement. A featherweight title fight featuring one of Australia’s all-time greats, a co-main event tailor-made for violence, and a card stacked with local talent and rising prospects from this side of the world. UFC 325 is built to showcase the strength of Australian and Oceanic MMA on the global stage.

Below is a full breakdown of the UFC 325 fight card and what it means for Australian MMA, from the main event spotlight to the grassroots pathways like Road to UFC that are now intersecting with big stadium shows in Australia.

The Main Event: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 – A Legacy Fight on Home Soil

At the top of UFC 325 sits a blockbuster UFC Featherweight Championship rematch:

• Alexander Volkanovski (c) vs Diego Lopes – UFC featherweight title

Volkanovski and Lopes went five hard rounds earlier in 2025 at UFC 314, where Volk reclaimed the vacant featherweight belt with a unanimous decision win in a thriller.

For Volkanovski, UFC 325 is massive on multiple levels:

• It’s his first title defence back in Australia in years, and his first fight in Sydney since before his rise to superstardom.
• A win further solidifies his case as one of the greatest featherweights of all time.
• Performing in front of a partisan home crowd at Qudos Bank Arena gives the event a true “national sporting moment” feel.

For Lopes, this is the revenge tour. The Brazilian-Mexican star has become a fan favourite and pushed Volk hard in their first fight. A win over Volkanovski – in his backyard, with the belt on the line – would flip the division and instantly change the power balance at 145 pounds.

From an Australian MMA perspective, having a local champion defending gold at home is priceless. This is the kind of marquee fight that inspires casual fans, sells out arenas, and gets new kids walking into Aussie gyms wanting to learn striking and wrestling.

Co-Main Event: Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint Denis – Chaos Guaranteed

The co-main event is as violent as it is intriguing:

• Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint Denis – lightweight bout

Dan Hooker, the beloved Kiwi brawler who’s practically an adopted Aussie at this point, steps in against French wrecking ball Benoit Saint Denis. Both men are known for their pressure, durability and willingness to walk through fire to land their own shots.

Key storylines here:

• Hooker is bouncing back after a tough submission loss to Arman Tsarukyan, but he’s never been one to shy away from risk – taking a fight like this in enemy-friendly territory for BSD shows exactly who he is.
• Saint Denis is riding serious momentum, with recent highlight-reel finishes at lightweight, and this bout is a huge chance to build his name in front of a global audience.

Stylistically, it’s a dream co-main for Sydney: high volume, high pressure, and almost guaranteed to deliver a “Fight of the Night” contender. For the Oceanic scene, having Hooker showcased so high on the card underlines how strong the ANZAC presence is in modern UFC.

Main Card: Heavy Hitters and Local Heroes

Beyond the top two fights, UFC 325’s main card is stacked with names that matter to Australian MMA fans:

• Tai Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira – heavyweight
• Rafael Fiziev vs Maurício Ruffy – lightweight
• Dustin Jacoby vs Jimmy Crute – light heavyweight

Tai Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira

Every time Tai Tuivasa fights, it’s a party. One of Australia’s most popular fighters, Tuivasa brings knockout power, walk-off finishes and those famous shoeys. Matching him with Brazilian big man Tallison Teixeira gives Sydney fans exactly what they want: a heavyweight slugfest where someone is likely hitting the canvas in spectacular fashion.

A big win here would be huge for Tuivasa’s career resurgence and keeps Australian heavyweights relevant at the top of the division.

Rafael Fiziev vs Maurício Ruffy

In the lightweight division, Rafael Fiziev vs Maurício Ruffy is a banger waiting to happen. Both men are coming off setbacks but are known for dynamic striking and aggression.

For Australian fans, this is one of those “neutral” matchups you can just enjoy as high-level violence – the kind of fight that rounds out a big stadium card and keeps the energy high before the biggest local names walk out.

Dustin Jacoby vs Jimmy Crute

Jimmy Crute is one of the most important local names on the card for Australian MMA. The Victorian light heavyweight has been a staple of the UFC’s push in this region, and his bout against seasoned striker Dustin Jacoby is a genuine test.

Crute’s grappling, physicality and toughness make him a fan favourite, while Jacoby brings a deep kickboxing background. This clash represents that next wave of Australian fighters trying to climb back into contention and prove they belong among the elite at 205 pounds.

Prelims Packed With Aussie and Kiwi Talent

Where UFC 325 really shines for Australian MMA is in the preliminary card, which is loaded with local and regional fighters:

• Serghei Spivac vs Ante Delija – heavyweight
• Rong Zhu vs Quillan Salkilld – lightweight
• Oban Elliott vs Jonathan Micallef – welterweight
• Kaan Ofli vs Yi Zha – featherweight
• Junior Tafa vs Billy Elekana – light heavyweight
• Cameron Rowston vs Cody Brundage – middleweight
• Jacob Malkoun vs Torrez Finney – middleweight

Quillan Salkilld and the Next Gen of Aussie Lightweights

Quillan Salkilld represents the new generation of Aussie lightweights trying to break into the rankings. Facing China’s Rong Zhu, who brings a wealth of experience and a tricky style, Salkilld has the chance to grab a big win on a global stage in front of his home crowd.

A strong performance here could position him as one of the key names to watch from the Australian scene over the next few years.

Junior Tafa and the Tafa Brand

The Tafa name already carries weight in Australian combat sports, and Junior Tafa keeps that legacy going at light heavyweight against Billy Elekana.

With heavy hands and a fan-friendly style, Tafa has the opportunity to deliver another explosive performance that keeps his profile rising and further cements the idea that Australia consistently produces world-class strikers.

Cameron Rowston, Jacob Malkoun and the Local Middleweight Scene

Middleweight is another division where Australia is quietly building depth:

• Cameron Rowston vs Cody Brundage
• Jacob Malkoun vs Torrez Finney

Malkoun, in particular, has been steadily building a reputation with his grappling-heavy, grinding style. Fighting on a Sydney stadium card in front of home fans gives him a platform to turn casual viewers into serious supporters. Rowston, meanwhile, gets a tough, experienced opponent in Brundage – exactly the kind of matchup that can fast-track a rising prospect if he can get a statement win.

Kaan Ofli and Regional Representation

Kaan Ofli vs Yi Zha adds another important regional flavour to the event. Ofli’s presence helps show how deep the talent pool is across Australasia and the wider Asia-Pacific region. As more fighters from Australia, New Zealand and the broader region make the UFC roster, cards like UFC 325 become critical touchpoints for showcasing that talent at home.

Road to UFC Meets Stadium Show: Pathways for Asian and Oceania Prospects

Another key talking point for hardcore fans is the overlap with Road to UFC Season 4. Reports indicate that multiple tournament finals will be tied to UFC 325, including:

• Aaron Tau vs Namsrai Batbayar – Road to UFC Season 4 flyweight tournament final

And, as previously noted, there have been mentions of other Road to UFC finals attached to the Sydney event, such as:

• Dom Mar Fan vs Kim Sang-wook
• Keiichiro Nakamura vs Sebastian Szalay
• Sulang Rangbo vs Lawrence Lui

Bringing Road to UFC finals onto a big Australian pay-per-view card does two things:

1. Builds Bridges Between Regions – It directly connects Asian prospects to the Australian fanbase, which is already heavily invested in UFC and MMA.
2. Shows the Pathway – For young fighters training in gyms across Australia and New Zealand, it demonstrates a clear route: local shows → Road to UFC → stadium events at home → global stardom.

This is huge from a development standpoint. When kids in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne or Auckland see fighters from neighbouring countries and their own region competing in UFC tournament finals on a card headlined by Volkanovski, it makes the dream feel real and reachable.

Why UFC 325 Matters So Much for Australian MMA

UFC 325 isn’t just another number on the calendar – it’s a milestone in how the UFC views the Australian market and how strong the MMA culture has become Down Under.

Here’s why this event is such a big deal:

1. A Stadium Card Built Around Local Stars

From Volkanovski and Tuivasa to Crute, Tafa, Malkoun, Rowston, Salkilld and more, the card is stacked with Aussie and Kiwi talent in meaningful fights – not just token appearances.

That signals real trust from the UFC in the drawing power and talent level of fighters from this region.

2. A True Homecoming for a Pound-for-Pound Great

Having Volkanovski defend his belt at home, at this stage of his career, is something fans will look back on for years. We’ve seen it before with other legends: these home defences become part of their mythology. For Australian MMA history, UFC 325 is likely to be one of those “where were you when…” nights.

3. Growing the Sport Beyond the Hardcore Base

Big events like UFC 325 pull in casual fans, families and mainstream sports media. That drives:

• More eyeballs on local promotions
• More kids signing up to MMA, BJJ, wrestling and striking gyms
• More sponsorship and opportunities for up-and-coming fighters

It’s how a scene goes from “niche” to “normal” in the wider sporting conversation.

4. Strengthening Australia’s Place on the Global UFC Calendar

UFC 325 marks the promotion’s eighth trip to Sydney and the first since UFC 312 in early 2025, underlining that Australia is now a regular stop for major events, not an occasional experiment.

As long as cards like this sell out and deliver big moments, there’s every reason to expect more numbered events and Fight Nights across Australia.

Final Thoughts

UFC 325: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 is everything Australian MMA fans could ask for:

• A legendary homegrown champion defending gold at home
• A violent, fan-friendly co-main event in Hooker vs Saint Denis
• A deep card stacked with Australasia’s finest across multiple divisions
• Road to UFC finals tying the broader Asian and Oceanic scenes together

Whether you’re a diehard who knows every local gym or a casual fan jumping in because Volk is on the poster, UFC 325 is shaping up as a landmark moment for the sport in this part of the world – the kind of night that will fuel the next decade of Australian MMA stories.

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