UFC 325 Is Set for January 31, 2026 in Sydney, With Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Headlining a Card Built for Chaos

UFC 325 lands this Saturday, January 31, 2026 ET, from Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, and the promotion is leaning hard into a proven formula: a local champion in a high-stakes rematch, backed by a main card designed to create highlight-reel volatility across multiple divisions.

The headline is a featherweight title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes, their second meeting in roughly ten months. Beneath it sits a mix of ranked implications and pure violence potential: Dan Hooker vs Benoît Saint-Denis at lightweight, Rafael Fiziev vs Mauricio Ruffy in a stylistic collision, and Tai Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira in a heavyweight matchup that could end suddenly.

The broadcast window in Eastern Time follows the familiar ladder:

• Early prelims: 5:00 p.m. ET

• Prelims: 7:00 p.m. ET

• Main card: 9:00 p.m. ET

Volkanovski vs Lopes 2: A Rematch That Tests More Than Skill

Volkanovski’s first fight with Lopes didn’t just produce a winner; it created an argument. Lopes proved he could hang at championship pace, and Volkanovski proved that even after a long career at the top, he can still solve elite problems under pressure. That’s why the rematch matters: it’s not about novelty, it’s about whether the first result was a definitive separation or a narrow snapshot.

Volkanovski’s incentives are clear. A clean defense at home strengthens his grip on the division and stabilizes his legacy in a weight class where eras shift quickly. For Lopes, the incentive is transformational: a title win moves him from “dangerous challenger” to the face of the division, with all the leverage that comes with it.

The press-week tone has been respectful, but the stakes are ruthless. Volkanovski is trying to prove the first win wasn’t situational. Lopes is trying to prove he’s not just a problem—he’s the new answer.

The Co-Main Is a Lightweight Sorting Hat

Hooker vs Saint-Denis is the kind of matchup that promotions love because it forces clarity. Hooker is a veteran with a reputation for grit and durability, and he tends to drag opponents into hard minutes whether they want them or not. Saint-Denis, by contrast, has built momentum with pressure and finishing instincts, and the matchup asks a simple question: can his aggression hold up against someone who welcomes a firefight and knows how to survive the worst moments?

The second-order effects here are significant. Lightweight is crowded, and “good wins” are rarely enough. A statement performance can shove a fighter into the next tier of matchups immediately, while a loss can send someone sideways into rebuilding bouts. This is why the co-main matters: it’s not just entertainment, it’s a fast track to either contention or recalibration.

Why the Rest of the Main Card Is Built to Explode

Fiziev vs Ruffy is the kind of fight that can reshape reputations in a single round. Fiziev’s striking has long been measured and technical, and he has experience against the division’s elite. Ruffy’s upside is tied to timing and confidence—if he lands clean early, the narrative changes instantly. If he doesn’t, the fight becomes an exam in patience and composure.

Tuivasa vs Teixeira is the heavyweight version of a coin flip with consequences. Heavyweight careers can swing on