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411’s UFC 325 Report: Volkanovski Defeats Lopes

February 1, 2026 | Posted by Robert Winfree
UFC 325

MAIN CARD (Paramount+, 9 p.m. ET)
(c) Alexander Volkanovski (144.5 lbs.) vs. #2 Diego Lopes (145 lbs.) – for featherweight title
#6 Dan Hooker (155 lbs.) vs. #8 Benoit Saint Denis (155.75 lbs.)
#9 Rafael Fiziev (155.5 lbs.) vs. #14 Mauricio Ruffy (155.25 lbs.)
#15 Tallison Teixeira (259 lbs.) vs. #12 Tai Tuivasa (265.5 lbs.)
Jamie Mullarkey (155.5 lbs.) vs. Quillan Salkilld (155.5 lbs.)

PRELIMINARY CARD (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)
Billy Elekana (204 lbs.) vs. Junior Tafa (205.25 lbs.)
Cody Brundage (184.75 lbs.) vs. Cam Rowston (184.5 lbs.)
Torrez Finney (185.75 lbs.) vs. Jacob Malkoun (185.75 lbs.)
Oban Elliott (169.75 lbs.) vs. Jonathan Micallef (170.25 lbs.)
Kaan Ofli (145.25 lbs.) vs. Yizha (145.5 lbs.)
Dom Mar Fan (154.75 lbs.) vs. Sung Wook Kim (155.75 lbs.) – Road to UFC lightweight final
Keiichiro Nakamura (145.25 lbs.) vs. Sebastian Szalay (145.75 lbs.) – Road to UFC featherweight final
Lawrence Lui (135.25 lbs.) vs. Sulangrangbo (135.75 lbs.) – Road to UFC bantamweight final

Hello everyone and welcome to 411mania’s LIVE coverage of UFC 325, I’m Robert Winfree and I’ll be your host. The UFC is coming off the heels of a successful debut on Paramount last week, though that broadcast and fight week had issues. This event is really going to be the litmus test about pacing, ad placement, and overall runtime as I’m happy to give them a bit of a mulligan for their debut with the new broadcast partner. As for this card overall, it’s a mixed bag. The main event is a rematch for the featherweight title as Alexander Volkanovski again battles Diego Lopes, the last time these two fought Volkanovski won a pretty wide decision but the UFC like Lopes and would rather not give a title shot to either of the two more deserving challengers in Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. The co-main event should be a fun fight if nothing else as action heroes clash with Dan Hooker taking on Benoit Saint Denis. Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy should be OK as well. Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira should at least not last long, and Jamie Mullarkey is stepping in on fairly short notice to take on Quillan Salkilld. The prelims are pretty poor though, Torrez Finney vs. Jacob Malkoun will have a ton of fence wrestling, Billy Elekana vs. Junior Tafa is probably going to suck as well. This event is also host to the finals for the Road to UFC finals, and there was some drama at the weigh ins. Aaron Tau badly cheated on his first weigh in attempt, then on reweigh came in at 129 pounds for a flyweight fight and the bout was canceled but the other three are still going forward. Last week had a fan friendly main event but wasn’t a super great card, let’s hope this one over delivers.

UFC 325 comes to the world from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. We’ve got Jon Anik, Daniel Cormier, and Michael Bisping on commentary though John Gooden will be replacing Anik for the first three Road to UFC finals. Gooden will also be our roving reporter while Bruce Buffer handles the announcing. We should be under the newer rules as well as the 30 foot Octagon, but if the rules are different I’ll update things.

Sulangrangbo is on a solid nine fight winning streak including the two Road to UFC bouts which brought him to the finals for his weight class, now he’s looking to fully punch his UFC ticket with another win. Lawrence Lui is on a four fight winning streak with two Road to UFC wins which brought him here, he’s likewise trying to secure a spot on the UFC roster with another win. The odds are with Sulangrangbo at -275 to a +225 comeback on Lui.

Bantamweight Bout: Lawrence Lui (7-1, 135.25 lbs.) vs. Sulangrangbo (10-3, 135.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Sulangrangbo is two inches taller but Lui has a significant six inches of reach advantage, Sulangrangbo is also 9 years younger. Both men probe a bit with kicks as we begin. Bit of a right from Lui. Lui tries a takedown, he gets Sulangrangbo down briefly but Sulangrangbo is up with Lui on his back. Mat return from Lui but Sulangrangbo is back up pretty quickly though he’s struggling to separate. A few knees to the leg from Lui as he’s got Sulangrangbo on a knee against the fence. Sulangrangbo finally breaks the grip of Lui and separates. Jab from Lui. Sulangrangbo with an uppercut. Lui misses a few punches. Bit of a right hand from Sulangrangbo, he’s really leaning on the uppercut now but it’s mostly blocked. Lui tries a takedown but Sulangrangbo defends then lands some punches as they reset. Bit of an uppercut from Sulangrangbo. A couple lefts land for Lui along the fence, Sulangrangbo punches back and starts rocking Lui. Both men swing in close and then separate. Another uppercut from Sulangrangbo, that one was well timed. Counter right from Sulangrangbo. Both men land rights, Lui is bleeding from the nose now. Lui shoots and rides Sulangrangbo down to a knee against the fence. Sulangrangbo is able to break the position and lands a bit of a body kick to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Sulangrangbo but a close one

ROUND TWO: Lui moves forward to start the round. Sulangrangbo with a bit of a left hand, he’s definitely got the hand speed advantage. Lui misses a right hand. Sulangrangbo misses an uppercut. Sulangrangbo avoids a takedown. Lui keeps trying to pressure forward but his offense is not terribly effective right now. Uppercut from Sulangrangbo. Lui tries another takedown, Sulangrangbo sprawls away then they trade rights. One two from Lui. Sulangrangbo tries a jumping knee but misses. Uppercut from Sulangrangbo partially lands then he follows with a left hook. Lui’s pressure is starting to get to Sulangrangbo at this point, he’s not landing much but Sulangrangbo clearly isn’t as comfortable now. Bit of a combination from Sulangrangbo. Lui shoots then gets to the back and rides Sulangrangbo to a knee. A few punches and knees from Lui, he tries a mat return but Sulangrangbo scrambles away and then lands a combination of punches. Elbow from Lui in close. Bit of a right from Lui and that’ll be the last real blow of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lui, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Lui comes out with a body jab. Bit of a one two from Sulangrangbo. Glancing right hand from Sulangrangbo. Lui avoids a left hook. Sulangrangbo lands a right hand. They split a few jabs. Left hook from Sulangrangbo then Lui lands a jab. Lui just keeps coming forward and Sulangrangbo isn’t punishing him for it. Bit of a right from Sulangrangbo. Lui misses a knee in close. Sulangrangbo lands a right hand. Lui tries a takedown, they hit the fence and he moves to the back. A lot of clock killing from Lui here in the ride but Sulangrangbo can’t get up and free. Bit of a scramble from Sulangrangbo, but Lui keeps the back as they stand. Sulangrangbo gets chest to chest but Lui lands an elbow as they break. Sulangrangbo swings wildly but wont find a kill shot before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Lui, 29-28 Lui overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Lawrence Lui via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

I’m not too surprised at that being split, Lui’s offense was pretty anemic. Mic time for Lui, he feels incredible with the win. To close he says he knew he needed to be dogged and handle the fast hands of Sulangrangbo.

Sebastian Szalay brings a nine fight winning streak into his Road to UFC finals, he’s trying to win that particular tournament and become a full fledged member of the UFC roster. Keiichiro Nakamura is on a seven fight winning streak and is trying to secure a UFC contract as well. Fairly close one here, -150 for Szalay to Nakamura’s +125.

Featherweight Bout: Keiichiro Nakamura (7-1, 145.25 lbs.) vs. Sebastian Szalay (10-1, 145.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Nakamura is two inches taller with four and a half inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves, Nakamura fighting southpaw and lands an inside leg kick. Some stance switching from Szalay now as they move around. Calf kick from Nakamura. Szalay fires a few punches, mostly blocked. Both men show kicks, they’re pretty dexterous. Right hook then a glancing left from Szalay. Wheel kick from Szalay partially lands. Nakamura lands a leg kick. A couple body punches from Szalay in close. Nakamura just can’t seem to find his rhythm, he avoids another wheel kick though. Szalay misses a few punches but no counters come from Nakamura. Szalay lands a couple of body punches. Bit of a body kick from Szalay closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Szalay

ROUND TWO: Nakamura misses a one two. Szalay keeps stalking forward and has a few punches blocked. Left hand from Szalay. Right hand from Szalay lands flush. Nakamura avoids a spinning kick. Left hook from Szalay drops Nakamura, he bounces up but he’s still a little wobbly. Szalay lands a couple of body blows. Calf kick from Nakamura. Szalay avoids a wheel kick and slams Nakamura down then lands a punch as Nakamura regains his feet. Nakamura complains of an eye poke so we’ve got a time out. Oh, not a poke but a clash of heads, and the replay confirms it. Nakamura takes 50 seconds then we’re back fighting. Bit of a flurry from Szalay. They both land rights in close. One two from Szalay, he might benefit from showing an uppercut or two. Intercepting right from Szalay, Nakamura just eats it though. Szalay misses a wheel kick. Nakamura lands a body kick. Bit of a left from Szalay. Nakamura avoids a left hand. Jab from Szalay. Nakamura lands an inside calf kick to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Szalay, 20-18 Szalay overall

ROUND THREE: Szalay pushes forward early and lands a couple of punches. Right to the body from Szalay then he misses a right hook. Left hand from Nakamura. Both men land punches in close. Stiff jab from Szalay. Now it’s Nakamura pressuring forward but he’s got to force action as he likely needs a finish. Leg kick from Nakamura. Nakamura with a body kick. Szalay lands a left to the body. They split jabs while circling. Right from Szalay, Nakamura counters with a left hand. A few jabs go back and forth, Nakamura lands an elbow in close. Knee from Nakamura, nice to see him finally wake up and fight. They both land body blows in close. Szalay lands a left hand. Nakamura is trying to get close and throw elbows. Bit of a knee from Nakamura. Left knee from Nakamura FLOORS Szalay and a few more punches on the mat will get the stoppage.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Keiichiro Nakamura via TKO, knee and punches, at 3:48 of Round 3

The Final Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Nakamura for his work. Mic time for Nakamura and the translator, he’s quite happy and tries English for a bit to say it was tough to get to the UFC.

Sangwook Kim brings a four fight winning streak into this Road to UFC finals and looks to add himself as another member of the growing South Korean contingent in the promotion. Dom Mar Fan is also on a four fight winning streak, though both of his Road to UFC wins were decisions, but another win here would add him to the UFC roster. Mar Fan is the favorite at -140 to +110 on Kim.

Lightweight Bout: Dom Mar Fan (8-2, 154.75 lbs.) vs. Sung Wook Kim (13-3, 155.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Kim is an inch taller while Fan has three and a half inches of reach advantage, he’s also 7 years younger. Mar Fan with a calf kick. Kim tries a takedown, that hits the fence though and Mar Fan starts sneaking in elbows. Kim still holds a single leg but Mar Fan gets his leg free. Another clinch from Kim, this time he’s able to get to the back. Bit of a cheese donkey takedown, Kim’s not quite able to secure the back though. A seatbelt grip from Kim keeps Mar Fan from turning into him at first but eventually he gets past it and turns into Kim. Kim wall walks, Mar Fan lands a knee in the clinch. Both men with some uppercuts in the clinch, Mar Fan lands an elbow then another one. Kim turns Mar Fan into the fence and knees the thigh. They keep jockeying for position and showing knees back and forth. Short elbow from Kim then a knee to the body. Mar Fan tries a poor harai goshi, Kim keeps the grip though and they just wind up clinched again. Bit of a spinning elbow from Mar Fan then a knee to the body as they’re still clinch fighting. Left to the body from Kim, then another one. Kim with a few more body blows as the round ends in the clinch.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mar Fan but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Both men show the jab as they start the round. Mar Fan with a few front kicks. Kim lands a right hand and backs up Mar Fan to the fence. A couple jabs from Mar Fan land to bother Kim. Front kicks go back and forth. Kim tries a single leg and that hits the fence. Short elbows from Mar Fan. Kim looks for a trip, he can’t find it but does slip to the back. They wind up breaking then Kim lands an elbow. Knee from Kim but Mar Fan then lands a left hook. They keep splitting jabs while walking around. Calf kick from Kim. Single leg from Kim, he can’t quite finish it and Mar Fan counters with a leg pick and he gets on top in half guard. Mar Fan circles towards the back, Kim regains his feet briefly but Mar Fan kind of rams him into the fence then gets to the ride position. Mar Fan with some punches, Kim wall walks but Mar Fan is still on his back. Kim breaks the grip but Mar Fan lands an elbow before they break. A few jabs from Mar Fan land. Knee from Mar Fan. Both men avoid punches in close then Mar Fan lands a right hand. Kim with a left to the body then they both swing hooks in close before clinching up. Kim slips to the back, he’s bleeding from the face at this point. Mar Fan with a spinning attack as they break. Kim avoids a right hand as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Mar Fan, 20-18 Mar Fan overall

ROUND THREE: Kim punches into a clinch pretty quickly. Mar Fan with knees and elbows. Kim lands a couple of lefts to the body. Elbow from Mar Fan then they break. Those body blows were getting a bit of a reaction from Mar Fan, I wonder if Kim will go back to them. Kim lands a left hook then body blows, he’s pushed Mar Fan into the fence and then he clinches. A couple more body blows from Kim then Mar Fan lands an elbow as they break. They trade groin kicks so we get a time out, Mar Fan waved his off basically but Kim is in pain as he took a full on front kick to the groin. Ultimately Kim takes 1:05 then we’re back to fighting as both men apologize. Front kick from Mar Fan. Kim with a left to the body but Mar Fan with a few jabs to counter. Left hook from Mar Fan. Kim avoids a high kick. Another couple of lefts to the body from Kim, Mar Fan really doesn’t like those but he’s still throwing back. Right hand from Kim then he falls into a clinch. Bit of an elbow from Mar Fan as they break. Kim keeps up the pressure and gets another clinch on the fence. Again Kim digs the body before Mar Fan separates. Right hand from Mar Fan. They both swing in close then Mar Fan circles away from the fence. Kim wants a brawl for the final seconds, Mar Fan doesn’t really oblige but they do have one final exchange before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Kim, 29-28 Mar Fan overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Don Mar Fan via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

I kind of thought Kim might have gotten the third but Mar Fan deserved to win overall. No interview for Mar Fan.

Kaan Ofli has gone just 1-2 in the UFC but he did get a win his last time out and now looks to finally get his UFC record to the .500 mark. Yizha has gone 1-2 in the UFC, he twice lost Road to UFC finals but got into the UFC last year with a win over Westin Wilson and now looks to build his first UFC winning streak. Yizha is the favorite here at -250 to Ofli’s +200.

Featherweight Bout: Kaan Ofli (12-4-1, 145.25 lbs.) vs. Yizha (26-5, 145.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Yizha has five inches of reach advantage. Ofli looks to pressure forward early, Yizha avoids a takedown. Right hand from Ofli into a clinch, he tries a takedown but Yizha counters and gets on top in half guard. They scramble around and Ofli gets on top in full guard, decent reversal there from him. Yizha with some elbows off his back. Ofli with a right hand. Yizha to his knees and he’s looking to wall walk, Ofli is riding well so far. Ofli lands a few lefts but Yizha gets up into a clinch. Elbow from Ofli then a left hand as they break. Yizha is switching his stance while moving but he’s not handling the pressure of Ofli well. Ofli lands a right hand but Yizha counters with a left hook that gets Ofli to back off. Ofli slips throwing a body kick but he gets up quickly. Left hand from Yizha. A couple of inside leg kicks from Yizha. Ofli starts showing southpaw but gets calf kicked and goes back orthodox. Both men land power hand punches. Yizha is the one coming forward now and lands a solid left hook. They clash on leg kicks then both men throw punches to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ofli but Yizha might have gotten it back by the end

ROUND TWO: Ofli looks to get back to pressure as the round begins. Yizha circles then drops Ofli with a left hook. Yizha gets on top and swings elbows, Ofli is able to fight up to his feet against the fence. More pressure from Yizha, he lands another left hand, then another one. Another left from Yizha, Ofli tries a takedown but Yizha just shoves him aside. Bit of a body kick from Ofli, Yizha off balances him and lands knees to the body and head. Elbow from Yizha before Ofli gets away from a clinch. Inside calf kick from Yizha. Glancing right hand from Yizha. Ofli avoids an uppercut, that was ill advised from Yizha. Jab from Yizha, Ofli counters with a right hand. Left from Yizha. Right to the body from Yizha then a left hook. Straight left from Yizha. Both men land punches but Yizha has a lot more power. Left to the body from Yizha then a body kick, Ofli is hurt. Ofli shoots to try and stay alive but he can’t keep contact. Yizha gets back to walking Ofli down and lands a left to the body. Both men miss power hand punches. Hard left from Yizha. Again Yizha lands the left hand, out of southpaw he almost can’t miss with that punch. Bit of an uppercut from Yizha. Ofli lands a calf kick. They just stare away the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yizha, might be a 10-8 argument in there if you’re generous, 19-19 overall

ROUND THREE: Ofli lands a body kick. Calf kick from Ofli. Yizha lands a right to the body. Another calf kick from Ofli. Yizha lands a left to the body. Glancing left from Yizha, he’s the one moving forward now. Right hand from Yizha. Yizha with a right to the body. Yizha pushes into a clinch and they hit the fence. They jockey for position for a bit then Yizha gets free. Bit of a left from Yizha. Ofli lands a calf kick. Yizha catches a body kick and lands an elbow. Right to the body from Yizha, Ofli lands a one two. Yizha fights off a single leg, they hit the fence though and Ofli lands a left hand before they break. Left hand from Yizha. Left to the body from Yizha. Bit of an uppercut from Yizha then he avoids a takedown. Double leg from Yizha into half guard, well timed. Ofli scrambles up but Yizha is on his back. Elbows are traded as they start to jockey for position then they separate without incident. Jab from Yizha then another double leg. Ofli gives up his back briefly but does scramble up and they trade elbows. Both men try spinning back kicks, this amuses them both and they high five to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Yizha, 29-28 Yizha overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Kaan Ofli via majority decision (28-28, 29-28 x2)

Commentary disagree with that decision, frankly so do I. No interview for Ofli.

Jonathan Micallef is on a three fight winning streak including his UFC debut about a year ago when he beat Kevin Jousset. Now Micallef looks to keep that momentum going and build his first UFC winning streak. Oban Elliott has gone 3-1 in the UFC but he’s coming off of a loss to Seok Hyeon Ko in June of last year, now he’s trying to avoid his first losing streak and regain a bit of the hype he had before that Ko loss. The odds like Micallef at -140 to Elliott’s +110.

Welterweight Bout: Oban Elliott (12-3, 169.75 lbs.) vs. Jonathan Micallef (8-1, 170.25 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height but Micallef has five inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Micallef. Elliott comes out with a one two, then he lands a cut kick and winds up on top in full guard. Worth noting at this point, there have been feed issues off and on, mostly stuttering rather than cutting out but it’s been a problem. Micallef wall walks and then they break. Another cut kick from Elliott but this time he can’t get on top. Bit of a left from Elliott. Body kick from Micallef but he seems slow right now. Elliott lands a left hand. Stiff jab from Elliott. Micallef blocks a high kick. Inside calf kick from Elliott. Micallef avoids an overhand right. Bit of a left from Elliott into a clinch and he pushes Micallef into the fence. They break, both men land punches but Micallef drops Elliott briefly with a right hook. Quick clinch but nothing comes of it and they break. Elliott avoids a left hand. Pretty good jab from Elliott and Micallef might be bleeding now. Counter right from Elliott. Micallef misses some hooks. They clinch up, yeah Micallef is cut around the right eyebrow. Micallef slips to the back and lands a couple of knees to the leg then misses an elbow as Elliott gets free. Left hand from Elliott as he’s showing southpaw now. Another left from Elliott closes the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Elliott

ROUND TWO: Elliott avoids some jabs then fires a head kick that’s blocked. Bit of a body kick from Micallef. Counter combination from Elliott, he’s slipping and countering well so far. Jab from Elliott. One two from Elliott. Micallef misses a left hand. Jab from Micallef then Elliott lands an inside calf kick. Another Elliott jab then he avoids some swinging punches from Micallef. Left hook from Elliott then a right hand, Micallef didn’t like that but he’s able to grab a clinch and stifle the offensive flurry. Micallef gets to the back standing and rides Elliott down to his knees, both hooks in now for Micallef. Micallef grabs the choke, it’s pretty tight and he goes for the squeeze and Elliott can’t find the hands to fight it and he winds up going to sleep.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jonathan Micallef via Technical Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:31 of Round 2

Mic time for Micallef, he says the win feels great and he’s cleaning up all the gangsters. He talks us through the finish, noting that Elliott was slick on the feet but once they hit the mat he was too big and strong. He plays with the crowd a bit then says he’d like to stay active this year and calls out Neil Magny. Interesting call out there given where Magny is career wise.

Jacob Malkoun has traded wins and losses while going 4-3 in the UFC, a few of those losses were quite odd though. Malkoun has been out of action since beating Andre Petroski in March of 2024, but he’s now got the chance to build his second UFC winning streak. Torrez Finney is undefeated and got a win in his UFC debut last year, it was also among the dirt worst fights in the sport last year though and he badly needs not only a win but a redemptive outing. Malkoun is the -140 favorite while +110 on the unbeaten Finney might be a decent value bet.

Middleweight Bout: Torrez Finney (11-0, 185.75 lbs.) vs. Jacob Malkoun (8-3, 185.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Malkoun is an inch taller while Finney has two and a half inches of reach advantage. Both men circle, Malkoun looks to work his jab while Finney keeps half reaching for the legs. A few jabs to the chest from Malkoun as he circles. Malkoun tries a single leg but Finney limp legs away. A couple more jabs from Malkoun. Finney swings a few loopy punches that don’t land. Malkoun lands a couple of jabs. Right hand from Malkoun. Malkoun lands a jab, Finney is deeply uncomfortable striking and it’s becoming more obvious with each passing moment. Double jab then a right hand from Malkoun. Finney loops some punches but they’re blocked. Another right from Malkoun hurts Finney. Finney just kind of stands around, Malkoun with some punches and he’s managing distance rather well. Combination from Malkoun mostly lands. Finney tries to wrestle but Malkoun defends then punches him a few more times. Malkoun avoids a few punches then lands a combination again. Double jab then a left hook from Malkoun. Malkoun lands a left hook. Finney is just getting backed into the fence and then methodically broken down with clean punches. Malkoun isn’t even doing anything fancy, just solid fundamentals that are carving Finney up. More jabs from Malkoun then he pushes Finney over and gets on top. Malkoun lands punches from the ride then grabs the seated arm triangle choke but Finney basically doesn’t have a neck so he’s able to turn and get on top in full guard. That’s where the round will end.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Malkoun

ROUND TWO: Finney might have tweaked his knee when Malkoun shoved him over, he limped back to his stool and visibly grabbed his right knee. Malkoun immediately gets back to jabbing. Finney is struggling with that right knee. Malkoun tries a single leg but Finney defends. They both land lefts in close. Jabs from Malkoun again, he’s getting Finney to the fence. Right hand from Malkoun. Solid right from Malkoun. Lunging left hook from Finney, he tries to follow up but Malkoun shoves him away. Malkoun with a few more jabs as he circles. That left hand from Malkoun basically can’t miss and Finney is just swinging and hoping at this point. Short left hook from Malkoun in close. Malkoun drops Finney with a right hand, Finney looks to wrestle up but Malkoun gets on top and starts landing elbows. Finney to his knees, Malkoun starts landing punches from the ride as they scoot to the fence. Malkoun still sneaks in lefts. Finney is kind of stuck on his knees and Malkoun lands more punches. Malkoun is slowly drowning Finney at this point and he starts grabbing at face cranks. Finney is able to survive the crank, again the man has almost no neck. Malkoun misses an elbow to close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-8 Malkoun, 20-16 Malkoun overall

ROUND THREE: There’s definitely something wrong with Finney’s right leg, not sure what it is specifically though. Finney tries to blitz but can’t land his punches. They do both land in close. Malkoun with a jab then he blocks some hooks. They tie up in space, Malkoun pushes things to the fence and they start pummeling. Malkoun looks for a single leg but Finney defends. A couple of punches land for Malkoun as they break. Malkoun with jabs while circling. More jabs from Malkoun. Finney misses a lunging hook and they clinch up. Malkoun pushes things to the fence and things slow down. A few knees to the leg from Malkoun. They break without incident. Bit of a left hand from Malkoun. Malkoun lands a few jabs. Finney misses a few hooks. Bit of a left hook from Finney. Malkoun with a single leg, he runs things down against the fence. Finney is able to wall walk but Malkoun trips him down and holds him down for the final seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Malkoun, 30-25 Malkoun overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Jacob Malkoun via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)

Mic time for Malkoun, after two years off he feels good knocking off the ring rust and admits to being a little rusty but is happy with the dominant performance. Asked about not quite going for the finish he talks about staying clean and technical, then says he’s coming for the top 10 of the division now that he’s healthy. He does mention wanting to fight a total of three times this year if possible.

Cam Rowston is on a five fight winning streak including his UFC debut last year when he stopped Andre Petroski, he’s looking to keep that momentum going with another win. Cody Brundage has gone 1-1-1 with 1 No Contest in his last four fights, the rare rainbow visual on Tapology. Most recently Brundage lost to Eric McConico and frankly he’s got a history of weird fights lately so he’ll be trying to get back on the winning side of things here. The odds are firmly with Rowston at -350 to +275 for Brundage.

Middleweight Bout: Cody Brundage (11-7-1 1 NC, 184.75 lbs.) vs. Cam Rowston (13-3, 184.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Rowston is three inches taller with a significant six inches of reach advantage. Brundage declines a touch of gloves. Some early feints from Rowston and he avoids a bit of a rush from Brundage. A few jabs from Rowston, he’s still mostly range finding. One two from Rowston then they trade calf kicks. Again calf kicks are traded, I’m not sure either man is kicking heavier just yet. Rowston with a one two, Brundage tries to counter flurry but he can’t find the target. Both men avoid high kicks. Bit of a right from Rowston, Brundage lands a left hook. Brundage blitzes forward and gets a clinch on the fence. Rowston with a knee to the head then he turns Brundage into the fence. More knees from Rowston then an elbow. They both swing wild, Brundage landed I think a spinning attack but he can’t quite follow up and they reset at distance. Calf kick from Rowston. Right hand from Rowston. Brundage almost ducks right into a knee. Rowston lands a calf kick, he’s got Brundage backed into the fence now. Brundage misses a few strikes, then Rowston lands a right hand and avoids the counters. An inside leg kick from Rowston goes high so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the low blow, Brundage only takes 26 seconds though then we’re back to fighting. Rowston resumes backing up Brundage with kicks and feints. Brundage slips throwing a right hand. Hard calf kick from Rowston. One two from Rowston, nice and clean. Brundage is dipping a lot, if Rowston times a knee he could badly hurt him. Brundage circles away for the last couple of seconds.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Rowston

ROUND TWO: Brundage comes out pressing forward and swinging punches but he’s not really landing. Rowston with a front kick then a calf kick. Glancing right hand from Rowston. Rowston gets close and lands a knee to the body then they break and both men miss punches. Body kick from Rowston then he avoids some Brundage punches. Rowston keeps backing up Brundage and Brundage is content to back up then occasionally throw a looping punch but he’s not landing almost anything. Jumping knee from Rowston, Brundage tries a takedown but Rowston defends and moves to the ride. Elbows from Rowston then some punches. Brundage keeps trying to wrestle the leg of Rowston, he just can’t get much going and Rowston keeps punching him. Rowston looks to tee off, Brundage is just covering up and waiting for the ref so the ref steps in to stop the fight.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Cam Rowston via TKO, punches, at 4:08 Round 2

Mic time for Rowston, he says his UFC career is going better than he thought then thanks Brundage for the fight when a ton of people turned this down. Asked about the future he warns all the middleweights that if they fight him in Australia they’re going to choose how they lose or he’ll choose for them.

Junior Tafa has gone 2-4 in the UFC and last year lost to Tuco Tokkos of all people, he’s very likely fighting for his job at this point. Billy Elekana has gone 2-1 in the UFC but he’s on a two fight winning streak, though one of those was one of the worst fights from last year. In his most recent outing Elekana got his first UFC finish and now he’s looking to build on that momentum, frankly given the dire situation at light heavyweight he still has time to blossom as a prospect for the weight class. Elekana is a bit heavier of a favorite than I’d thought, -275 while that +225 comeback on Tafa might tempt some bettors give the volatility of the weight class in general.

Light Heavyweight Bout: Billy Elekana (9-2, 204 lbs.) vs. Junior Tafa (6-4, 205.25 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Elekana has two inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves to start. Elekana quickly goes to southpaw and front kicks Tafa. Tafa tries a few inside calf kicks while getting backed up. A bit of stance switching from Elekana, Tafa then cracks him with a right hand and Elekana wrestles up to the back. Tafa is trying a kimura and uses the grip to break the body lock and get free. Jab from Tafa. Elekana lands a left hand, then Tafa shrugs off a takedown attempt. Counter jab from Tafa. Stiff jab from Elekana and Tafa’s backing up. Elekana tries a double leg against the fence but that stalls out. They break without incident. A few jabs go back and forth. Tafa lands a right to the body. Stiff jab from Elekana. A couple rights land for Tafa but Elekana recovers. Bit of a left from Elekana. Jab from Elekana and he avoids the counter right. Body jab from Tafa. Elekana lands a front kick. Both men land rights. Tafa with a left to the body. Tafa with some body to head punches before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tafa

ROUND TWO: Bit of a front kick from Elekana to start the round. Both men probe with the rear hand, Elekana is mostly southpaw at this point. A few body jabs from Elekana then he tries a trip but can’t quite hit it. Right to the body from Tafa but Elekana counters with a right hook. A few more jabs go back and forth. Hard left hand then a right hook from Elekana and Tafa’s backing up. Tafa hits a left to the body. Jab from Elekana. Elekana gets to the back standing after ducking under a punch and he takes Tafa down. Both hooks in for Elekana and he’s trying to set up a choke, it’s ugly but it might work. Tafa gives up mount and Elekana starts landing punches. Body triangle now for Elekana as Tafa gives up his back again and Elekana starts looking for a choke. The choke’s in, and Tafa has to tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Billy Elekana via Submission, rear naked choke, at 3:18 of Round 2

Elekana gets an interview, he says the plan was grappling heavy and when he got that going he was able to get the finish. He talks us through the finish and getting better with his grappling then dedicates the win to his mother, it’s her birthday and she passed away a few years ago.

Quillan Salkilld is on a 10 fight winning streak including three wins in the UFC and he’s coming off of one of the better knockouts from last year. Salkilld is looking to build on that momentum then use this year for the difficult transition from prospect to contender. Jamie Mullarkey has gone 6-6 in the UFC but is coming off of a win, he took this fight on fairly short notice though and now has to try and spring a significant upset here to build another UFC winning streak. Salkilld is the biggest favorite on the card at a prohibitive -1200 to a Mullarkey comeback of +700.

Lightweight Bout: Jamie Mullarkey (18-8, 155.5 lbs.) vs. Quillan Salkilld (10-1 155.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: These two are the same height while Salkilld has an inch of reach advantage. They touch gloves to get things going. Inside leg kick from Salkilld. Salkilld fakes a kick and hits a takedown, Mullarkey scrambles up but Salkilld is on his back now. Elbow from Salkilld then a couple of punches before he clinches back up. Mullarkey has Salkilld on the fence, he’s able to pull things off the fence and tries a takedown but Salkilld scrambles free and they reset. Jab from Salkilld then a calf kick. Mullarkey misses a hook but gets a clinch to the fence. Some pummeling from both men then Salkilld hits an outside trip and lands on top. Salkilld gets the back with one hook in and goes for the choke, only one hook but he’s got a gnarly crank going and he’s able to force the tap.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Quillan Salkilld via Submission, neck crank, at 3:02 of Round 1

The First Round Finish Club thanks Mr. Salkilld for his work, and is happy to finally be in the building. Mic time for Salkilld and he likes to prepare for war but appreciates things ending in the first round. He talks us through the finish then says he didn’t have a plan and just came to fight. Asked about the future he wants to stay active and wants a top 15 opponent next. Might be a little ambitious but not impossible to get a fight like that next.

Tai Tuivasa is on a five fight losing streak, but because the rankings are a joke and heavyweight is a wasteland of talent he’s somehow still ranked. Tuivasa really needs a win here, a six fight losing streak would almost certainly spell his exit from the promotion. Tallison Teixeira has gone 1-1 in the UFC and most recently got stopped in 35 seconds by Derrick Lewis, now he’s trying to rebuild himself and avoid his first losing streak. The odds are surprisingly heavily in favor of Teixeira at -335 while that +250 payout on Tuivasa might tempt people out there after Teixeira’s last performance.

Heavyweight Bout: #15 Tallison Teixeira (8-1, 259 lbs.) vs. #12 Tai Tuivasa (14-8, 265.5 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Teixeira is five inches taller with a big eight inches of reach advantage. They touch gloves. Tuivasa comes forward right away but Teixeira hits a single leg to get on top in half guard. Some lefts from Teixeira as Tuivasa is trying to start a wall walk. Elbows now from Teixeira, he’s got some good control going on here as Tuivasa is kind of stuck on his knees. Eventually Tuivasa does get up, grabs the fence but he can’t get out of the clinch yet. Teixeira with an outside trip to get into full mount. Punches and elbows from Teixeira, he puts himself into half guard for more control though. Teixeira is mostly on the hip of Tuivasa now and he lands an elbow. A few more punches from Teixeira then he looks for a choke but the angle is all wrong. Teixeira lands some more punches then an elbow. Tuivasa is able to stand and they break. A few front kicks from Teixeira, Tuivasa then gets a clinch. They’ll just hang out in the clinch to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teixeira, borderline 10-8 given how lopsided it was

ROUND TWO: Both men with labored right hands to start the round. Teixeira shows a few stance switches then he misses a spinning back fist. Tuivasa bulls forward but can’t quite land. Teixeira with a body kick. Inside leg kick from Tuivasa. Teixeira lands a jab. A few more low kicks go back and forth. Calf kick from Tuivasa but Teixeira counters with a right hand. Left hook then a left high kick from Teixeira, Tuivasa just eats it. Teixeira hits a couple of punches then a double leg into half guard. Tuivasa looks to elevate but Teixeira pushes him over and fully gets on top in half guard. Short elbows to the body and head from Teixeira then he moves to full mount. Tuivasa gives up the back, no hooks yet for Teixeira so he just lands some punches. Back to full mount for Teixeira and he lands a hammer fist. Ezekiel choke attack from Teixeira but Tuivasa blocks it. Some short elbows from Teixeira, Tuivasa tries to throw punches off of his back as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Teixeira, 20-18 Teixeira overall

ROUND THREE: Tuivasa lumbers forward, Teixeira with a knee. Front kick from Teixeira, then another one. Both men are pretty gassed at this point. Tuivasa almost ducks into a knee. They clinch up and Tuivasa pushes things to the fence. Elbow from Tuivasa then they break and he fires punches that hurt Teixeira. Teixeira lands a right hook but his punches don’t have much on them. One two from Teixeira but Tuivasa just eats it. Both men land punches then they clinch again. Teixeira with a few knees despite his back being on the fence. Tuivasa with a bit of an uppercut as they break. Body kick from Teixeira, Tuivasa hated that but both men are too tired to do anything but clinch up again. Tuivasa pushes things to the fence and he lands an elbow. Both men land elbows in close but nothing too serious. Teixeira reaches for a single leg, Tuivasa sprawls but holds a front headlock and both men just kind of hang out. Things are stalling, Tuivasa gets an arm free to hit the body. Teixeira tries for a single leg but Tuivasa slips trying to hit him and technically ends the round on bottom.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Tuivasa, 29-28 Teixeira overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Tallison Teixeira via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

Mic time for Teixeira and the translator, he puts over Tuivasa and says he’s exhausted. He says the plan was to wrestle and get the win, the man is just dead on his feet.

Rafael Fiziev has gone 7-4 in the UFC, though one of those losses was a freak knee injury and two others were fights with Justin Gaethje. Most recently Fiziev defeated Ignacio Bahamondes, at almost 33 years old if Fiziev wants to make a real push to the title picture then this fight is a must win for him as time is not on his side. Mauricio Ruffy has gone 3-1 in the UFC but most recently he was stopped by Benoit Saint Denis in a fight that cooled his hype pretty significantly, now he’s trying to rebuild it by avoiding his first losing streak. This one closed as a -110 pick ’em.

Lightweight Bout: #9 Rafael Fiziev (13-4, 155.5 lbs.) vs. #14 Mauricio Ruffy (12-2, 155.25 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Ruffy is three inches taller with three and a half inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Fiziev but he’ll switch his stance frequently. Both men probe with kicks but Fiziev is the one largely trying to close distance. Bit of a left hook from Fiziev. Fiziev has pretty much backed Ruffy to the fence, he lands a left hook and tries to tie up but Ruffy circles free. Calf kick from Fiziev. Another hard calf kick from Fiziev. Ruffy seems out of sorts, Fiziev lands an elbow into a clinch. They jockey for position along the fence then break without incident. Bit of a right from Ruffy, Fiziev counters with a left hand. Some nice cage cutting from Fiziev, constantly denying Ruffy space. Fiziev lands a calf kick. Bit of a right from Ruffy but he’s not landing clean. Fiziev jabs the body. Right hand from Ruffy. Fiziev lands a right hand in close. Glancing high kick from Ruffy but Fiziev just absorbs it. Body kick from Fiziev. Ruffy lands a jab. Fiziev avoids a right hand. Right to the body from Fiziev. Bit of a left from Fiziev. Ruffy with an uppercut then a jab. They stare away the final seconds of the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Ruffy but could go either way

ROUND TWO: Fiziev lands a body kick to start the round. Bit of a spinning back kick from Ruffy. Fiziev with another left body kick then an inside leg kick. Both men miss left hooks. Body kick from Fiziev, Ruffy lands a left hand though. Fiziev with a calf kick. Inside leg kick from Fiziev. Ruffy lands a jab. Fiziev keeps up the pressure but he’s not pulling the trigger enough once he gets Ruffy to the fence. Body kick from Fiziev. Ruffy lands a right hand. Bit of a wheel kick from Fiziev. Fiziev jabs the body then lands a calf kick. Fiziev returns the calf kick. Right to the body from Fiziev then a left to the body as well. Ruffy tries to get his jab working. Another body kick from Fiziev. Again Fiziev with a body kick. Ruffy lands a jab then Fiziev lands a calf kick. Hard right from Ruffy then another, Fiziev is hurt but scrambles trying to survive. Ruffy gets to the ride position and swings but Fiziev stands then slumps and Ruffy gets on top to pound things out.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Mauricio Ruffy via TKO, punches, at 4:30 of Round 2

Mic time for Ruffy and the translator, he speaks English to thank God then goes to Portuguese to say he’s very happy and mentions his brother who committed suicide then invites people to come to Christ and be saved. He talks us through the finish and mentions the training camp was very hard. To close he asks for more fights, specifically Paddy Pimblett or Conor McGregor. Both of those seem ambitious at the minimum.

Dan Hooker has been with the UFC since 2014 and has been part of some truly spectacular fights during that time, he just had a three fight winning streak snapped by taking on Arman Tsarukyan on fairly short notice. Hooker is trying to avoid his first losing streak since 2022 and put himself into position for a high profile fight next. Benoit Saint Denis had a rough 2024 but rebounded fairly well by going 3-0 last year, now he’s looking for his highest profile win and to put himself into consideration for a high profile fight after this one. Saint Denis is a rather heavy favorite at -350 while +275 on Hooker has to tempt some bettors out there.

Lightweight Bout: #6 Dan Hooker (24-13, 155 lbs.) vs. #8 Benoit Saint Denis (16-3 1 NC, 155.75 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Hooker is an inch taller with two inches of reach advantage. Southpaw for Saint Denis, they touch gloves to get things going. Hooker probes with kicks then Saint Denis lands a body kick. Front kick from Hooker. Saint Denis pushes for a takedown, Hooker grabs for a ninja choke but Saint Denis spins free then lands an uppercut. Body kick from Hooker but Saint Denis catches it then tries for a takedown against the fence. Bit of a knee from Saint Denis but Hooker gets away from him then lands a front kick. Another front kick from Hooker, Saint Denis does not like those at all. Saint Denis avoids a few kicks but he’s not having a good time. Front kick from Hooker, Saint Denis lands a right hand then ties up. They spin in space but Hooker gets free. Saint Denis lands a left hand then punches into a takedown attempt on the fence. Knee from Saint Denis, then they trade short punches. Eventually Hooker pulls free then lands a front kick. Another clinch, Saint Denis looks for a whizzer kick but can’t finish it and they just wind up on the fence. Harai goshi from Saint Denis into side control, he had to muscle that one but it worked. Some elbows from Saint Denis now, mostly to the head. Saint Denis moves to step over the head of Hooker and he’s trying to isolate an arm for a kimura but he’s only got a minute. Saint Denis bails on that, Hooker regains his feet but Saint Denis with elbows and a knee then Hooker lands to the body on the break. A few punches from Hooker land but Saint Denis is coming forward and lands a body kick. Both men land punches then they clinch up, Saint Denis hits a takedown into butterfly guard. Saint Denis moves to half guard and lands elbows as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Saint Denis but a close one

ROUND TWO: Body kicks are traded then Saint Denis tries a takedown but can’t finish it. Both men with punches in close, Saint Denis tries another takedown and has to spin out of a ninja choke. Back to the clinch and Saint Denis unloads with knees, he tries a single leg but Hooker defends. Hooker tries a takedown now but Saint Denis counters and lands on top in full mount dropping elbows to the face. More elbows, Saint Denis is basically in an S mount. Saint Denis goes for an arm triangle but Hooker defends though now Saint Denis has moved to full mount. More elbows from Saint Denis then he tries another arm triangle, this one is pretty good and he sags to the side without really giving up mount and after a bit Saint Denis moves to side control. Hooker is trying to defend but Saint Denis adjusts his grip to a kaiju choke, he bails on that which is odd because if he knows the choke it’s right there. Saint Denis bails on the choke to just drop more elbows. Hooker is cut around the left eyebrow or lid now, not good. Saint Denis lands more elbows, Hooker is really just covering up. More elbows from Saint Denis, now punches as well. Hooker can’t address the position though and eventually the ref has to intervene.

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – Benoit Saint Denis via TKO, punches and elbows, at 4:45 of Round 2

Saint Denis gets an interview after that, he talks about having to make this a war and feels he’ll be champion because no one will do this with him like this. He wants to fight Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira, Max Holloway, or Dustin Poirier. Poirier’s retired my man, and cleaned your clock when you did fight. He talks us through the finish and puts over Hooker’s early game plan but he persevered through it and broke Hooker in the war. Asked who he wants next he wants either the title fight or a BMF title fight. Neither seem super likely for him if we’re being honest.

Diego Lopes failed to claim the vacant featherweight title last year but he did rebound with a win over Jean Silva, now he’s got a second crack at an all time great champion to try and claim UFC gold. Alexander Volkanovski is a two time featherweight champion, previously had an 11 fight winning streak in the division, beat Jose Aldo then beat Max Holloway three times, and in the UFC he’s only lost to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria. Volkanvoski reclaimed the title last year when he beat Lopes and now he’s looking for a title defense in his second reign and to further solidify his position as one of the greats in MMA history. Fairly close one here, -150 for the champion Volkanovski against +125 on Lopes.

Featherweight Title Bout: (c) Alexander Volkanovski (27-4, 144.5 lbs.) vs. #2 Diego Lopes (27-7, 145 lbs.)

ROUND ONE: Lopes is five inches taller but only has an inch of reach advantage. Volkanovski will do stance switching as he feels like it, they touch gloves to get things going. Circling to start, Volkanovski looks to paw with the jab. Lopes already still seems to struggle with cage cutting. Both men range find with some kicks but nothing really lands. Lopes now shows a few stance switches. They clash on some low kicks, still nothing major has landed for either man. Volkanovski blocks a kick then Lopes avoids a takedown and both men miss punches. Inside leg kick from Volkanovski. Bit of a right from Volkanovski. Both men land rights. Left hook from Volkanovski. Volkanovski checks a calf kick. Lopes really only throws the left kick out of southpaw but he’s still showing the stance. Volkanovski lands an inside leg kick. Jab from Volkanovski. Volkanovski tries a double leg, that hits the fence though and stalls into a clinch. Some punches land for Volkanovski as he’s trying to set up a trip. Lopes is able to spin free but eats a punch on the way. Right hand from Volkanovski then a jab behind it. Another jab from Volkanovski. Lopes misses a few kicks. Left body kick from Lopes lands to end the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkanovski

ROUND TWO: They touch gloves again. Volkanovski back to circling, Lopes still follows rather than cuts him off. Right hand from Volkanovski then an inside leg kick. Another inside leg kick from Volkanovski. Calf kick from Volkanovski. Lopes tries to push forward, Volkanovski lands a body kick then Lopes lands a leg kick. Calf kick from Volkanovski then he checks the counter one from Lopes. Lopes misses a wide left hand. Bit of a right from Lopes in close. Jab from Volkanovski. Lopes misses a few punches. They trade calf kicks. Left hook from Volkanovski to counter an uppercut. Volkanovski shifts forward and lands a couple of hard punches, Lopes just eats them. Lopes misses a high kick. Right hand from Volkanovski then he avoids the counters. Leg kick from Volkanovski then a right hand, bit of a counter left from Lopes. One two from Volkanovski. Lopes pushes for a takedown, Volkanovski jumps for a guillotine choke but winds up slipping off and Lopes gets on top in full guard. Volkanovski regains his feet, Lopes jumps to the backpack but there’s no time for anything to develop before the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkanovski but a closer one, 20-18 Volkanovski overall

ROUND THREE: They touch gloves again. Volkanovski gets back to circling and jabbing. Lopes lands a calf kick. Volkanovski avoids a low kick. Both men miss strikes. Bit of a body jab from Lopes, Volkanovski then lands a calf kick. Volkanovski checks a calf kick. Jab from Volkanovski, then another one. Bit of a right from Volkanovski. Right to the body from Volkanovski under a left hook from Lopes. They tie up, bit of an elbow from Lopes on the break. Volkanovski with a couple of more jabs as he’s circling. Right hands from Volkanovski land, then he pushes for a takedown and they clinch up. Lopes is able to push free he then takes a one two. Another jab for Volkanovski, he’s getting dialed in now. Both men miss hooks in close. Volkanovski with another jab, then another. Again Volkanovski pokes out the jab and avoids a calf kick. Both men land rights, Volkanovski got caught a little off balance but recovers right away. Jab from Volkanovski. Left hook from Volkanovski as Lopes tries to push forward. Knee from Lopes, that’ll close the round.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkanovski but again super close as that little off balance moment might have swung it, 30-27 Volkanovski overall

ROUND FOUR: Volkanovski gets back to jabbing and circling. Inside leg kick from Volkanovski. Lopes misses a body kick. Jab from Volkanovski then a one two. Another jab from Volkanovski then a calf kick. Lopes lands a calf kick then Volkanovski lands a one two. Right uppercut from Volkanovski mostly lands. Another right hand from Volkanovski lands. Lopes with a body kick but that’s been almost all of his offense all fight. A couple of leg kicks land for Lopes. Jab from Volkanovski. Volkanovski avoids a left hook but misses his counters. Another jab from Volkanovski. Lopes looks to pressure forward but he walks into a right hand then a left hook. Bit of a calf kick from Volkanovski. Volkanovski tries an inside leg kick but that catches Lopes in the groin so we’ve got a time out. Replay confirms the low blow, Lopes only needs 36 seconds and Volkanovski apologizes before the restart. Lopes looks to get back on pressure but still can’t cut Volkanovski off. Volkanovski avoids a high kick. Bit of a right hand from Volkanovski. Lopes misses an elbow. Jab from Volkanovski again. Lopes lunges but eats a few punches. Volkanovski foot sweeps a kicking Lopes as the round ends.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkanovski, 40-36 Volkanovski overall

ROUND FIVE: They touch gloves again. Lopes starts moving forward, Volkanovski gets back to jabbing and circling. Volkanovski avoids a few kicks then lands a jab. Lopes looks like he hurt his left foot on one of those kicks but he’s working it out. Volkanovski keeps jabbing and moving. Lopes misses a few punches. Single leg from Volkanovski, Lopes tries a guillotine but Volkanovski is hip to it and they wrestle up then separate. More jabs from Volkanovski. Hard left from Volkanovski and they clinch up with Volkanovski tripping Lopes down against the fence. Volkanovski moves to the ride, Lopes stands with Volkanovski on his back though. They get chest to chest and Volkanovski lands a few punches while they jockey for position. Lopes is able to hit a takedown, Volkanovski scrambles and Lopes nearly gets the back but Volkanovski stands with Lopes in the backpack position. Volkanovski breaks the body triangle that Lopes briefly had and then spins into Lopes. Lopes looks for a takedown, Volkanovski with elbows and Lopes bails on that for a clinch. Volkanovski turns Lopes, that pops the crowd, then he knees Lopes in the head and moves to the back. Lopes tries a kimura roll, Volkanovski rolls through and Lopes tries an armbar but Volkanovski stacks him up. Volkanovski pulls his arm free and starts landing hammer fists while sitting on Lopes’ chest. Lopes sort of has donkey guard but Volkanovski is using top position to land hammer fists and elbows. Volkanovski stands and lands punches from top position as the fight concludes.

SCORECARD: 10-9 Volkanovski, 50-45 Volkanovski overall

OFFICIAL RESULT: †WINNER – and STILL UFC Featherweight Title Champion Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46 x2)

Mic time for the champ after a vintage performance, he puts over the crowd then says this whole thing isn’t getting easier but he still loves adversity and overcoming it. He really wanted to take Lopes out but Lopes made things very difficult. Asked about the walkout where the crowd sang his entrance song he says he almost had his moment in Perth but this one in Sydney is great. He anticipated the adjustments that Lopes would make but was ready for them and says adaptability and grit are what make champions. Asked about the future now that he’s tied Jose Aldo’s total title defense record, he says whoever is deserving like Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy.

Lopes gets an interview with the translator, he puts over Volkanovski as one of the best and he changed things round over round to make life hard.

Well on that note UFC 325 comes to a close. A much smoother experience in terms of pacing and layout, still a bit overlong overall but minus the technical hiccups this was solid. We’ll be breaking down all of this, and recapping last week’s event, tomorrow on the 411 Ground and Pound MMA Podcast. It will be going live on the 411 youtube channel so keep your eyes peeled if you’re interested in that. I’ll be back next week for UFC Fight Night 266, back in the apex but the main event of Mario Bautista and Vinicius Oliveira should be pretty good. I hope you’ll be back here for that event. Until next time thank you so much for reading, stay safe out there and keep checking 411mania for all of your pop culture needs.

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