“Maximum Damage” Alexander Volkanovski Eyes Smart Finish Against Lopes at UFC 325
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has his sights set on a calculated finish when he faces Diego Lopes in Saturday’s UFC 325 main event at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena. The rematch marks Volkanovski’s first title defense since reclaiming the belt at UFC 314 in April 2025, and the Australian veteran made clear his intentions during Thursday’s pre-fight press conference.
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 know I can put a beating on him, but it’s about doing it smart. Minimal damage on my end, maximum damage on his. If I see a finish there, I’m really going to turn it on and go for the finish, then I can walk out of there fresh and ready to go again. That’s the mentality now.”
The 37-year-old champion enters the bout with a 27-4 professional record, having earned a unanimous decision victory over Lopes (27-7) in their first meeting nine months ago. That fight saw Volkanovski reclaim the vacant featherweight title after Ilia Topuria vacated the belt to move up to lightweight. Despite controlling most of the action, Volkanovski was dropped by a heavy overhand right in the second round and faced moments of danger throughout 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, landing a spinning back elbow before finishing with ground strikes. The 31-year-old Brazilian has made adjustments to his training camp, revealing he set up a private gym to eliminate distractions and spent three consecutive camps preparing for Volkanovski.
“I know I made a lot of mistakes in the first fight with Volk,” Lopes admitted. “I forgot things in my game plan. I think I fixed it in the training camp. I fixed many things, so it’s completely 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.
