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How to tune into Sport NationUFC star locks in February title defence on home soil
Melissa Woods, AAP • November 28th, 2025 5:44 pm
Australian Alex Volkanovski will fight in his home state for the first time since 2017 | Photo: AP
Alex Volkanovski will fight in front of Australian fans for the first time in two years, defending his belt in a rematch with Diego Lopes in Sydney next February.
The superstar Wollongong fighter and Brazilian Lopes met in April this year in Miami, where Volkanovski reclaimed the vacant UFC featherweight title with a unanimous decision victory.
Dubbed "The Great", Volkanovski's last bout on home soil came in Perth in February 2023, when he lost a battle for the lightweight crown against Islam Makhachev.
Volkanovski hasn't fought in his home state since 2017 and it could be the last chance for local supporters to see him in action, with retirement looming for the 37-year-old.
With a sell-out crowd expected, Lopes (27-7) will be out for revenge in the February 1 duel at Sydney Olympic Park.
The 30-year-old rebounded from his loss to Volkanovski (27-4) with a win over Jean Silva in September in Texas.
There was talk back in September of another hometown favourite, Robert Whittaker, co-headlining UFC 325 but the former middleweight champion has since ruled that out.
As well as UFC 325, the sport's boss Dana White announced UFC 324, which will be held the weekend prior in Las Vegas.
That card will feature an interim title bout between American Justin Gaethje and Brit Paddy Pimblett, with lightweight champion Ilia Topuria stepping away for personal reasons.
White said Topuria will remain the undisputed lightweight champion, and the winner of the highly-anticipated Gaethje-Pimblett fight will meet the Georgian/Spanish big gun for the undisputed crown later in 2026.
America's women's bantamweight star Kayla Harrison will put her title on the line against former two-division champ Amanda Nunes, with the Brazilian coming out of retirement for her first fight since June 2023.
