Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his UFC featherweight title against Diego Lopes in a rematch at UFC 325 on February 1, 2026, in Sydney. The Australian champion later signed a new contract with the promotion and revealed he considered retirement if the fight caused significant damage. Volkanovski criticized Lopes' fight IQ in post-fight reflections.
UFC 325 took place at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, where Alexander Volkanovski faced Diego Lopes in a highly anticipated rematch for the featherweight championship. The event occurred on February 1, 2026, marking Volkanovski's first title defense in his second reign and his eighth overall, tying José Aldo's UFC featherweight record.
In the main event, Volkanovski dominated the fight, securing a decisive victory. Reflecting 26 days later in an interview with former UFC Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, Volkanovski expressed sympathy for Lopes, stating, "I feel bad because I’m probably the worst possible matchup for the guy, just purely because of my IQ and my footwork and whatnot that he just couldn’t handle." He noted that Lopes failed to adjust his strategy effectively, particularly in cutting off the cage, saying, "As soon as I went right like I did in the first fight, he tried to cut me off and came straight in front."
Volkanovski questioned Lopes' growth over the eight months since their initial encounter, adding, "I didn’t see any growth." Despite the win, the champion admitted to contemplating retirement beforehand. "If I took a lot of damage, I might've retired," he said on Johnson's podcast, highlighting concerns over his health following prior knockout losses.
Following the victory, Volkanovski signed a new UFC contract, as confirmed on the same podcast. Looking ahead, he awaits the winner of the upcoming title eliminator between Movsar Evloev (19-0) and Lerone Murphy (17-0-1) at UFC London on March 21, 2026. This marks Volkanovski's second win since reclaiming the title at UFC 298.
