Alexander Volkanovski Embraces UFC 325 Rematch Despite Questions Over Legacy
Alexander Volkanovski heads into his UFC 325 title defense against Diego Lopes with a measured perspective on what the rematch means for his standing in the featherweight division. The 37-year-old champion will face Lopes on January 31 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, marking his first title defense on home soil in his career.
Alexander Volkanovski Talks Diego Lopes Rematch
The matchup has raised eyebrows across the MMA community, with many expecting Volkanovski to face undefeated contenders Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy rather than running back a fight he already won nine months ago. Volkanovski acknowledged the split reception during a recent interview, explaining how different fan bases view the booking differently.
“Yeah, it’s interesting. It depends how you look at it. A lot of the fight fans that know the game would have been like, ‘Oh, it should have maybe been this guy or that guy.’ But most fans that are just looking at this and get to watch a fight, we know he’s going to bring it. We know it’s an exciting fight,” Volkanovski said, speaking to ESPN Australia.
The Australian defeated Lopes by unanimous decision at UFC 314 in April 2025 to reclaim the vacant featherweight title after Ilia Topuria vacated to pursue lightweight opportunities. The five-round battle earned Fight of the Night honors, with Lopes landing a knockdown in the second round before Volkanovski’s superior volume carried him to victory.
Volkanovski continued by addressing how casual viewers see the rematch compared to those focused on rankings and title contention. “Some people might have wanted me against maybe a more undefeated guy, maybe for legacy reasons, the people that are in the know. But then you’ve got everyone that just wants to watch me fight. They’re like, ‘Oh, this is going to be exciting. Last time was exciting. Now we get to have this in Sydney.’ So I think they’re all in for a treat,” he explained.
Lopes earned his second chance at the title with a spectacular second-round knockout of Jean Silva at Noche UFC in September, stopping the previously undefeated contender with a spinning elbow. That performance convinced UFC brass to book the rematch for Volkanovski’s hometown return.
When pressed on whether defeating the same opponent again helps his legacy, Volkanovski offered a pragmatic assessment. “Legacy-wise, having a rematch against someone I just beat – is it going to do so much for my legacy? Probably not. But I don’t think I really need to worry too much about that. Every fight’s going to be a big fight, and me just defending against these young hungry guys – him obviously coming off a big victory – and just knowing that we’re going to put on a show. At least I’ve got a good dance partner for Sydney,” he said.
The champion made clear that Saturday’s fight does not close the door on facing other top contenders. “That doesn’t mean I can’t still get these other guys and then we talk about legacy. Maybe that’s exactly what’s next. I’m planning on going out there and doing work and making it look impressive. There’s a chance I go out there and not get touched. Is that the right word? But I could make this look easy. That’s the type of performance I really want,” Volkanovski stated.
Volkanovski outlined his strategy for making those fights happen. “If that’s the way it is, let’s get back in there. Let’s take out one of these guys. Let’s see if they fight each other. I don’t know what’s going on with that. Whoever it is out of them, let’s see after this performance if they’re even screaming my name. Maybe they’re going to be thankful that it wasn’t them jumping in in Sydney,” he said.
The champion suggested that an emphatic performance could make potential challengers reconsider their eagerness to face him. “They’re going to see the Volk that turns up this time and go, ‘Maybe I’m glad I got more time to prepare and I didn’t have to fight him in his hometown, because he was on that day. Let’s get some more training in and hopefully Alex ages even more so we can have a chance,'” Volkanovski added.
He concluded with a warning for anyone calling for a title shot. “That’s the type of performance I’m planning on putting on. And that’s all I expect to see straight after that event: careful what you wish for. Now he’s going to get it. Let’s see who wants it. Let’s see who’s got it.”
