Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 Headlines Event at Qudos Bank Arena
SYDNEY — UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2 took place Saturday at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, headlined by a featherweight title rematch between champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Diego Lopes. The fight card featured a mix of decisive finishers and competitive decisions across both the main and preliminary cards, underscoring a dynamic night of mixed martial arts.
The bout between Volkanovski and Lopes marked the second consecutive championship showdown between the two featherweights after their first meeting at UFC 314 in April 2025, where Volkanovski captured the vacant title by unanimous decision.
Final judges’ scorecards and official results for each fighter from UFC 325 were published by the UFC, detailing how every contest was scored by the officiating panel.
Main Card: Key Victories and Finishes
Featherweight Championship Rematch
- Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes — The rematch for the UFC featherweight title stood as the marquee bout of UFC 325. Official scores from the judges indicated a closely contested fight with rounds scored across the panel, reflecting tactical striking exchanges and control in pivotal moments. Volkanovski’s championship experience and striking precision were significant factors in the judges’ evaluations.
Co-Main Event and Other Standouts
- Benoît Saint Denis continued his ascent in the lightweight division with a second-round TKO over Dan Hooker, showcasing dominant ground control and heavy strikes before referee intervention stopped the contest.
- Mauricio Ruffy delivered a pivotal second-round TKO victory over Rafael Fiziev, using effective striking combinations that forced a stoppage.
- Tallison Teixeira secured a unanimous decision win over Tai Tuivasa, adding a significant victory on the main card.
- Quillan Salkilld registered a first-round submission (rear-naked choke) over Jamie Mullarkey, emphasizing his grappling prowess early in the bout.
Preliminary Card Results
The preliminary card at UFC 325 featured several competitive matchups, many decided on the judges’ scorecards or by late-fight finishes:
- Billy Elekana earned a second-round submission victory over Junior Tafa.
- Cam Rowston achieved a second-round TKO over Cody Brundage, adding a striking-based finish.
- Jacob Malkoun prevailed via unanimous decision against Torrez Finney, with judges scoring every round in his favor.
- Jonathan Micallef secured a second-round submission against Oban Elliot.
- Kaan Ofli won a majority decision over Yizha, with the judges’ tallies reflecting a closely scored bout.
- Dom Mar Fan and Keiichiro Nakamura also recorded victories via unanimous decision and third-round TKO, respectively, in early prelim action.
- Lawrence Lui captured a split decision win, underscoring the competitive nature of the undercard.
Weigh-In Incident and Card Adjustments
Ahead of the event, a notable weigh-in controversy resulted in the cancellation of the Road to UFC flyweight final bout between Aaron Tau and Namsrai Batbayar after Tau missed weight significantly. Tau later issued a public apology for the incident, acknowledging responsibility for failing to make the required limit.
Event Context and Broadcast
UFC 325 marked the promotion’s return to Sydney, featuring a stacked lineup that balanced title implications with rising prospects and established contenders. The event was broadcast on Paramount+ in the United States and streamed globally through authorized platforms.
Overall, UFC 325 delivered a blend of technical striking, decisive finishes, and strategic fights across its card, reinforcing competitive depth in multiple divisions while advancing key narratives in the featherweight and lightweight ranks.
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