One week after Justin Gaethje‘s win over Paddy Pimblett, UFC returned with UFC 325 on Saturday night in Sydney, Australia, where Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight championship in a rematch with Diego Lopes. This bout marked their second fight after their initial clash at UFC 314 in Miami, Florida, last April. Volkanovski, fighting on home soil, reaffirmed his dominance in front of local fans at Qudos Bank Arena.
The event also featured a key lightweight showdown as Dan Hooker faced Benoit Saint-Denis in the co-main event, both hoping for a step closer to a possible title shot against either interim champion Justin Gaethje or reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.
Volkanovskiâs Commanding Performance Secures Another Title Win
In their much-anticipated rematch, Volkanovski and Lopes returned to the Octagon after Volkanovskiâs unanimous decision victory at UFC 314. Lopes earned his title shot after a brutal spinning back elbow knockout of Jean Silva in September. Although Lopes was younger at 31, Volkanovski, 37, showed little sign of slowing down despite the physical demands of fighting in the featherweight division.
Volkanovski controlled most exchanges with superior movement and accuracy, often landing the final and more effective strikes. Lopes did manage to drop Volkanovski briefly in the third round but failed to capitalize, as the champion quickly regained control. Lopes aggressively sought a finish early on but could not affect the outcome. Volkanovski maintained a dominant top position until the final bell and won convincingly on the judgesâ scorecards (49-46, 49-46, 50-45).
This victory marked Volkanovskiâs eighth win in featherweight title fights, tying the record set by UFC legend Jose Aldo. With this achievement, Volkanovski is on course to become the divisionâs undisputed record holder in forthcoming bouts, while Lopes’ chances for another title run appear uncertain as long as Volkanovski remains champion.
Saint Denis Overwhelms Hooker in Lightweight Co-Main Event
The lightweight co-main event featured New Zealand‘s Dan Hooker against France’s Benoit Saint Denis, billed as a possible fight of the night. However, Saint Denis turned the contest into a one-sided demolition, announcing himself as a rising contender in the lightweight division.
Hooker was optimistic early after nearly securing a guillotine choke in the first round, but Saint Denis escaped and returned with punishing elbows after reversing a takedown attempt in the second round. Although Hooker evaded an arm-triangle choke, the continuous punishment forced the referee to stop the fight at 4:45 of the second round. This victory represents the most significant of Saint Denisâs career to date, putting him in line for high-profile bouts in the coming months.
Detailed Salary Breakdown from UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski earned the highest payout of UFC 325 fighters, taking home a staggering $2,692,000ânearly twice his earnings from his previous win over Lopes. Despite his loss, Diego Lopes also secured a substantial payday of $1,632,000, reflecting a notable increase compared to UFC 314.
Even with the defeat, Dan Hooker received $421,000, exceeding the $286,000 payout awarded to Benoit Saint Denis, who is expected to see an increase in future events following his breakout performance.
Other notable fighter earnings included Tai Tuivasa and Cody Brundage, each earning $215,000, while Jacob Malkoun received $176,000. Mauricio Ruffy and Jamie Mullarkey earned $164,500 and $161,000 respectively. Rafael Fiziev made $110,000, Billy Elekana earned $81,000, and Junior Tafa took home $65,000.
Rounding out select fighter salaries were Quillan Salkilld at $60,000, Keiichiro Nakamura with $53,000, Tallison Teixeira earning $52,000, Oban Elliott at $34,500, Torrez Finney $24,000, and Sebastian Szalay receiving $16,000.
Anticipating UFC 326: A High-Stakes Showdown in Las Vegas
Following back-to-back numbered UFC events, the next major fight card, UFC 326, is slated for Saturday, March 7, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main event features Max Holloway defending his BMF title against Charles Oliveira in a bout expected to be a potential Fight of the Year contender.
Both fighters are known for their tenacity, and neither is likely to yield, promising a fiercely competitive clash. This event holds significant anticipation as only one can emerge with the coveted BMF crown, and both Holloway and Oliveira are determined to captivate the Sin City audience with a memorable contest.
“Hangman’ had reason to be optimistic early as he almost secured a guillotine choke in the opening round.” ?GMS Report
“The victory is the biggest of Saint Denis’ career by some distance and puts him in line for major fights later in the year.” ?GMS Report
“The triumphant Volkanovski banked the most money over any fighter on the UFC 325 card.” ?GMS Report
