UFC 325 fight card: Five biggest storylines to follow when Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes rematch

For the second time in eight days, the UFC will present a numbered event on Saturday as UFC 325 touches down in Sydney, Australia, for an exciting card emanating from Qudos Bank Arena. 

Native son Alexander Volkanovski will make his fifth UFC appearance on Australian soil when he defends his featherweight title in the main event in a rematch against Diego Lopes. All-action lightweights Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint Denis will lock horns in a much-anticipated co-feature fight. 

As we draw closer to the UFC's eighth visit to Sydney in company history, let's take a closer look at the biggest storylines surrounding the event. 

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UFC 325: Fight card, date, complete guide as Alexander Volkanovski takes on Diego Lopes in Australia

Shakiel Mahjouri

1. How much longer can Alexander Volkanovski stay on top? 

At 37, the two-time featherweight champion is considered by many as the greatest 145-pound fighter in UFC history thanks to victories over Chad Mendes, Jose Aldo, Max Holloway (three times), Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez. And his hard-fought decision win over Lopes last August at UFC 314 awarded Volkanovski the vacant title and a bit of much-needed resurgence following consecutive knockout losses and a skid of three defeats in four fights. Granted, those defeats all came against the current top two fighters in the world (Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria) and two of those came at lightweight. But with Topuria having moved up to 155 pounds, Volkanovski remains the class of the division and sits just two title defenses away from equaling the UFC featherweight record of seven by Aldo. Few fighters have maintained their elite status in the smaller weight classes this deep into their careers and Volkanovski appears as if he still has enough left to add a few more accomplishments to his Hall-of-fame resume entering the Lopes rematch. Even though Volkanovski was dropped in Round 4 of their first fight and visibly hurt twice, he bent but never broke.

Watch the first meeting between Volkanovski and Lopes on Paramount+ for as little as $8.99 per month

2. Expect a more calculated and dangerous Lopes in the rematch

When Lopes, a 31-year-old native of Brazil who fights out of Mexico, faced off with Volkanovski in their first meeting last April, it marked his first time in the UFC competing for a title and fighting the five-round championship distance. Ultimately, his inexperience showed as Lopes now admits he completely abandoned his gameplan off the start and found himself desperately searching for a knockout that wasn't to be. One will never confuse Lopes with a technical master like Volkanovski. It's his aggressiveness and fighting spirit that will likely forever be his true calling card. But a more refined and patient Lopes will almost certainly be a more dangerous one on Saturday. And one can expect Lopes to be buoyed by a strong performance in September at Noche UFC when he survived a wild duel with Jean Silva by using his grappling skills early before patiently setting Silva up for what became the finishing blow on a spinning back elbow. In between, Lopes showed his trademark chin and durability in a crazy fight. Should Lopes bring a similarly smart and calculated strategy into the rematch with Volkanovski, it isn't out of the question for him to build upon the success he had late in their first fight and pull a resounding upset to commandeer control of the division. 

3. A refocused Benoit Saint Denis is a legit threat to the lightweight title

It may have taken two stoppage defeats in 2024 for the former French Army Special Forces soldier to seek a much-needed change after absorbing tremendous punishment against Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano, but the rejuvenated BSD appears to be a new man. Saint Denis switched gyms and now fights under the tutelage of French trainer Nicholas Ott, who also works with middleweight contender Nassourdine Imavov. And the change in both tactics and mindset have done wonders for Saint Denis without muting any of the danger that he brings to the table. Under Ott, BSD is now riding a three-fight win streak following stoppages of Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy and Beneil Dariush. In fact, all eight of his UFC wins have come via finish, with his UFC debut loss to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in 2021 marking the only time in BSD's 20-fight pro career that the judges were needed. Saint Denis returns Saturday against Dan Hooker in a fight that all but guarantees action and carnage. But the sizable betting favorite BSD, who enters as the No. 8-ranked lightweight, has an opportunity with a win to move within striking distance of the title. 

4. It might be win or go home for lovable heavyweight Tai Tuivasa

Despite still being just 32, which is young for a heavyweight, it's difficult to deny just how much Tuivasa, the hard-charging brawler known for his celebratory shoey beer chugs, could be fighting for his job on Saturday. The native of Sydney will not only snap a 17-month layoff when he faces 6-foot-8 Brazilian slugger Tallison Teixeira, "Bam Bam" will be looking to snap a five-fight losing skid which includes four losses by stoppage. Tuivasa has never hidden the fact that fitness and training typically take a backseat to his love of partying but it's time to take his career more seriously before it's over. Tuivasa once won five straight fights -- all by knockout -- from 2020 to 2022 to become a surprising darkhorse title contender. His quick and heavy hands, mixed with his iron will, have made for a number of memorable performances for the crowd favorite who could certainly use a big one this weekend.

5. Don't sleep on a pair of lightweight bouts that round out the main card

The co-main event of Hooker-Saint Denis isn't the only 155-pound bout worth making some time for this weekend. Of the five bouts on the main card, three of them will be contested at lightweight, with a matchup between No. 9 Rafael Fiziev and No. 14 Mauricio Ruffy having all the potential to be a sleep action fight. Fiziev, who has battled injuries in recent years, snapped a three-fight losing skid (which included two decision losses to interim champion Justin Gaethje) by outpointing Ignacio Bahamondes last June. Ruffy, meanwhile, saw his red-hot start of three dynamic wins to open his UFC run get humbled in a big way at the hands of Saint Denis in September when BSD exposed Ruffy's wrestling vulnerabilities in a submission defeat. With lightweight in the midst of major turnover, look for the combination of urgency and desperation to create nothing but fireworks. And don't miss out on the continued rise of Australian prospect Quillan Salkilld, who opens the main card against veteran countryman Jamie Mullarkey. Salkilld may not be getting the same attention as middleweight Ateba Gautier following his breakout 2025 campaign, but three big wins to start his UFC run and a stunning head-kick knockout of Nasrat Haqparast have many taking notice. The 25-year-old Salkilld is 10-1 as a pro and is a heavy favorite to hand Mullarkey his fourth loss in his last six fights.