Tai Tuivasa's return was spoiled at UFC 325.

Tuivasa (14-9 MMA, 8-9 UFC) suffered his sixth consecutive defeat when he lost a unanimous decision to Tallison Teixeira (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) this past Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney. It was Tuivasa's first fight after an 18-month layoff.

Tuivasa had his moments on the feet, but Teixeira's three takedowns landed and seven minutes of control time proved to be the difference. A disappointed Tuivasa took to Instagram to speak out on the loss, and he wants UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev to help him tidy up his wrestling.

"That hurts the soul more then any punches 😌I tried I had a great camp looking forward to getting back in camp with the boys @tripl3mma so much to work on. Always big love to my supporters especially the Aussie fans/Crowd always cheering me on I’m sorry for falling short again. Fukin shit feeling ayy 😤

My poor boy has watched me get a hiding a few too many times now 🤦🏽‍♂️😂 but just like I always tell him as long as you give it all you have and keep trying that’s all that matters. As long as I’m doing this I will always keep trying had a great week together taking him and showing da fings didn’t get the result son but that is how life goes sometimes.I hope I take all the loses for mine 😌🩸

Fanks to everyone that was involved and help me during this camp and also during the time I had off I love you all and what yous do for me never goes unnoticed 🙏🏽❤️My beautiful partner fankyou for looking after me and putting up with my shit I love you 🙏🏽❤️@khamzat_chimaev I’m coming to wrestle brother teach me i am sick of this cuddle shit 😔🤦🏽‍♂️"

View this post on Instagram

Tuivasa's six-fight UFC losing skid is the longest in heavyweight history. The former interim title challenger hasn't won a bout since knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February 2022.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tai Tuivasa says UFC 325 loss 'hurts the soul,' seeks champ's help

Real recognize real and champs recognize champs.

But Daniel Cormier and Tom Brady went deeper than that when they recently sat down for a near hour-long conversation into the psychology of a winner.

The deep-dive, titled "Champion Mindset" was released Monday by the UFC.

Cormier is a UFC Hall of Famer, who held the promotion's titles at both light heavyweight and heavyweight. Brady is a seven-time Super Bowl champion and widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time.

Check out two all-time greats' conversation below:

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Tom Brady, Daniel Cormier deep dive psychology of a winner

Shavkat Rakhmonov has been removed from the UFC’s welterweight rankings, as his injury woes continue.

Rakhmonov last fought in December 2024, beating Ian Machado Garry in a No 1 contender’s fight, but his planned title shot against Belal Muhammad fell through when Rakhmonov succumbed to an injury.

The Kazkh, 31, hinted that he had fought through that knee injury in his contest with Machado Garry, and it ultimately forced him out of a title fight with Muhammad last spring.

Rakhmonov vs Muhammad was actually first due to take place in December 2024, but Muhammad suffered a bone infection in his foot, which led Machado Garry to step in. The Irishman was the first opponent not to lose to Rakhmonov via stoppage, but the latter emerged victorious on points.

Muhammad returned in May 2025, losing his title to Jack Della Maddalena, who in turn lost the belt to Islam Makhachev in November. All the while, Rakhmonov has claimed he will fight for the title as soon as he returns.

But after re-injuring his knee, Rakhmonov has undergone surgery for the second time in the last year, and he is not expected to fight again until late 2026 at the earliest. As a result, he has been removed from the UFC’s welterweight rankings.

In late January, a video circulating on social media appeared to show the Kazakh on crutches and in a leg brace, and he has now shared a statement on social media.

“A fighter’s path has never been easy,” Rakhmonov wrote. “Life doesn’t give us challenges we can’t overcome. Every dream comes at a price and sometimes that price is your health.

pic.twitter.com/iyOVzvUfSm

— Shavkat “Nomad” Rakhmonov (@Rakhmonov1994) February 1, 2026

“Today, I have to be honest: due to ongoing injuries, I’ve had another surgery and will need time to fully recover. As a result, my return to the Octagon will be postponed.

“It’s not easy to accept, but I truly believe every setback is part of a bigger plan. I will come back stronger, smarter, and hungrier than ever. My goal is still alive. The UFC belt still has to come to Kazakhstan.

“Thank you to everyone who stands by me no matter what. This is not the end of the journey, it’s an important chapter of it.”

A potential title fight between the unbeaten Rakhmonov (19-0, 18 stoppages) and reigning champion Makhachev (28-1, 18 stoppages) is a mouthwatering prospect, but it looks increasingly distant.

In the meantime, there has been much speculation that Makhachev, 34, will defend his belt against former champion Kamaru Usman, 38.

Dana White and Oscar De La Hoya have never had the best of relationships, but it may have reached a new low with White's recent OnlyFans claim against the Mexican-American.

The public grudge between White and De La Hoya stemmed from the Hall-of-Fame boxer's criticism of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor crossover clash in 2017. The pair have since been in constant verbal warfare, with the fire remaining lit almost a decade on from the birth of their rivalry.

We are weeks into the new year, and Oscar De La Hoya has already spoken out of turn against Dana White and his business ventures. De La Hoya labeled White's first Zuffa Boxing event a low-level club show, attempting to damage the reputation of the new promotion before it had truly begun. As expected, White didn't take lightly to the comments, deciding not to hold back against his long-term foe.

"Oscar is on a sinking ship and will not shut the f*** up," White said, adding fuel to the fire of his ongoing feud with De La Hoya. "This guy is, it's fascinating."

Amid his alleged financial troubles, Dana White mocked Oscar De La Hoya. The UFC CEO encouraged De La Hoya to return to the subscription-based social media platform OnlyFans to make back the debt he owes.

"He's going to have to throw the panties and f***ing stockings back on and get on OnlyFans and start paying his rent," White continued. "That boy is running out of money. His ship is sinking very fast, and he's talking sh*t all the way down."

"Get the panties and fishnets back on, jump on OnlyFans and pay that $23 million on f***ing rent you owe, buddy. Talking sh*t."

Listen to Dana White's rant against Oscar De La Hoya in the video below.

Dana White just violated Oscar De La Hoya 😭

“He’s running out of money. Get the panties and fishnets back on, jump on OnlyFans and pay that $23M on f*cking rent you owe.”

(via @Ninadrama) pic.twitter.com/CeEe9vkNPU

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 2, 2026

Kamaru Usman thinks Khamzat Chimaev likely struggles to make 185 pounds.

The UFC middleweight champion continues to call out light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira despite not having defended his belt once. Chimaev (15-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) claimed the 185-pound title with a dominant performance against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319.

Usman, who took Chimaev to a majority decision on short notice at UFC 294, sees Chimaev's insistence in going after Pereira (13-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) as a sign.

"For Khamzat Chimaev to continue to call him out, I think Khamzat potentially has outgrown the weight class again to where now he's like, 'Let me go to a new division where I can make the weight and I can capture that,'" Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "There's all types of rumors and things coming out saying he's 230 pounds, 225, whatever. Khamzat is a big guy. Khamzat has always been a big guy. The fact that Khamzat was making 170 is just as ridiculous as Anthony Johnson when he was making 170.

"But Anthony Johnson, remember, was making that, moved up, fought at '85 I think maybe one time, and I think even missed weight there after moving up, then settled at 205 pounds. So, I think Khamzat Chimaev might potentially be in that same ballpark which is potentially why he's asking for 'Poatan.' And if that's the case, I understand it. Now it makes sense. If you've outgrown the weight class, it makes sense. Why kill myself to get down there when I just can't make the weight anymore."

Chimaev was open in saying that he'd rather not defend his belt against top contender Nassourdine Imavov, who is a fellow Russian fighter.

"And if I go up there and I'm able to get that title, guess what? That opens the door for another Russian in Nassourdine Imavov to get that middleweight title or potentially fight for that title," Usman said. "So hey, it might be chess pieces being played here."

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Kamaru Usman theorizes why Khamzat Chimaev insists on Alex Pereira

When Saturday's UFC event needed another welterweight, one of the promotion's most exciting stepped up and stepped in.

Niko Price is in dire need of a win, but that didn't stop him from stepping into the UFC Fight Night 266 lineup at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. With Jose Henrique out, Price (16-9 MMA, 8-9 UFC) will now step in vs. Nikolay Veretennikov (13-7 MMA, 1-3 UFC), a fighter who also stepped in on short notice. The promotion announced the bout Monday.

A fighter who always brings it win or lose, Price (16-9 MMA, 8-9 UFC) has lost four of his most recent five outings dating back to December 2022. He's dropped back-to-back fights to Themba Gorimbo and Jacobe Smith.

Veretennikov (13-7 MMA, 1-3 UFC) also might need a win if he wants to stick in the UFC. He started off his promotional tenure with back-to-back losses before a win over Francisco Prado. He most recently competed in October when he lost a unanimous decision to Puna Soriano.

The updated UFC Fight Night 266 lineup includes:

• Mario Bautista vs. Vinicius Oliveira
• Amir Albazi vs. Kyoji Horiguchi
• Jailton Almeida vs. Rizvan Kuniev
• Michal Oleksiejczuk vs. Marc-Andre Barriault
• Farid Basharat vs. Jean Matsumoto
• Dustin Jacoby vs. Julius Walker
• Daniil Donchenko vs. Alex Morono
• Niko Price vs. Nikolay Veretennikov
• Bruna Brasil vs. Ketlen Souza
• Javid Basharat vs. Said Nurmagomedov
• Eduarda Moura vs. Cong Wang
• Muin Gafurov vs. Jakub Wilacz
• Priscila Cachoeira vs. Klaudia Sygula

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Exciting UFC veteran steps in to save fight on days notice

Alexander Volkanovski proved once again why he's "The Great" at UFC 325 when he logged the first defense in his second featherweight title reign against Diego Lopes.

Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) delivered a vintage performance where he largely shut down Lopes' (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) game over five rounds for a unanimous decision in Saturday's headliner at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

After Volkanovski won the first meeting on the scorecards back at UFC 314 in April, the rematch was needless in the eyes of many. Lopes couldn't find new or unique ways to test the champ, and although Volkanovski went on to tie Jose Aldo for most title-fight victories in featherweight history, the win itself doesn't enhance his resume all that much.

Volkanovski made it clear for months prior to the rematch booking that he fancied one of the division's undefeated contenders instead. He said giving Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy their first loss in MMA would've been a more valuable win than a repeat over Lopes, and he was right.

Thankfully, Volkanovski doesn't appear headed toward retirement just yet and his win has somewhat dimmed those talks. By all indications, the 37-year-old wants to do this a few more times, and his message about what he wants after UFC 325 was clear.

"I've got a responsibility. I talk about having a responsibility as a champion. I don't think enough champions look at it that way," Volkanovski said at the UFC 325 post-fight press conference. "For me, I look at it as a responsibility.

"There are rankings for a reason, people that deserve it. If someone does get in, I'll still be active enough to give the people that deserve it a chance anyway, so they don't have to wait that long. But if I'm just going to keep letting other people cut the line, then I'm not really doing my part either."

Volkanovski went on to reiterate he wants either Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) or Murphy (17-0-1 MMA, 9-0-1 UFC) next and do right by the division. With all signs pointing to those two meeting in the UFC London main event in March (though it's still not official), then the clear contender should emerge.

It should be that simple, and hopefully UFC doesn't make it any more complicated. It doesn't feel like anything was gained from this rematch against Lopes, but Volkanovski did it anyway. Now the promotion needs to give the champ something that'll better benefit his record in the long run.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325 matchmaker: Who's next for champ Alexander Volkanovski?

Benot Saint Denis wants the title, but it's likely not the one most think about.

Saint Denis (17-3 MMA, 9-3 UFC), a top contender in the UFC's lightweight division, has set his sights on first capturing the UFC's "Baddest Motherf*cker" belt, and not the undisputed lightweight title. That's right, following his TKO win over veteran Dan Hooker (24-14 MMA, 14-10 UFC) at Saturday's UFC 325 in Sydney, the Frenchman made his intentions clear in wanting the winner of Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira — the two competing for the BMF title at UFC 326 in March.

"I'm fully focused on anybody inside the top five, but specifically on the BMF belt," Saint Denis told reporters at the UFC 325 post-fight press conference. "That's my first interest. My first point of interest is to fight the winner of Charles and Holloway or the winner of Justin (Gaethje) vs. Ilia (Topuria). But if it has to happen, I'll fight Arman (Tsarukyan), of course, and I will take his spot."

Saint Denis, 30, is currently on a four-fight winning streak. Since suffering back-to-back stoppage losses in 2024, Saint Denis has finished Kyle Prepolec, Mauricio Ruffy, Beneil Dariush, and now Hooker. He's happy with his latest victory, which came in enemy territory, but does admit there are certain things he could've done better.

"I feel great, but I just feel I had a little bit of adaptation tactically to make distance management because he had a good tee (kick) and I focused a little bit too much at the beginning of the fight on catching that kick," Saint Denis said when reflecting in his win. "He was very good with it. I did the timing only one time, so a couple of times I was waiting too long for that, but then I was like, 'OK, f*ck that. I'm going to be on my English boxing, little steps, and I'm going to break the distance and bring him war, and I'm not going to accept the kicking distance, I'm going to bring the heat.'"

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Benoit Saint Denis prioritizes BMF title over UFC lightweight belt

SYDNEY – Fighters from Saturday's UFC 325 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $234,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC 325 took place at Qudos Bank Arena in Australia. The entire event streamed on Paramount+.

The full UFC 325 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

Alexander Volkanovski: $42,000 vs. Diego Lopes: $32,000

Dan Hooker: $21,000 vs. Benoit Saint Denis: $11,000

Rafael Fiziev: $11,000 vs. Mauricio Ruffy: $4,500

Tai Tuivasa: $16,000 vs. Tallison Teixeira: $4,000

Quillan Salkilld: $4,500 vs. Jamie Mullarkey: $11,000

Billy Elekana: $4,500 def. Junior Tafa: $6,000

Cam Rowston: $4,000 def. Cody Brundage: $11,000

Jacob Malkoun: $6,000 def. Torrez Finney: $4,000

Jonathan Micallef: $4,000 def. Oban Elliott: $4,500

Kaan Ofli: $4,500 def. Yi Zha: $4,500

Dom Mar Fan: $4,000 def. Sangwook Kim: $4,000

Keiichiro Nakamura: $4,000 def. Sebastian Szalay: $4,000

Lawrence Lui: $4,000 def. Sulang Rangbo: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program's payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum's multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2026 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

• "UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2" – $234,000
• "UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett" – $269,500

Year-to-date total: $737,500

2025 total: $8,441,500

2024 total: $8,280,500

2023 total: $8,131,000

2022 total: $8,351,500

2021 total: $6,167,500

Program-to-date total: $39,875,500

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Volkanovski lead earner

Fevralın 1-də Avstraliyanın Sidney şəhərində keçirilmiş UFC turniri çərçivəsində azərbaycanlı döyüşçü Rafael Fiziyev də oktaqona çıxıb.

Arena.az xəbər verir ki, yüngül çəki dərəcəsində baş tutmuş və turnirin üçüncü ən vacib döyüşü hesab olunan qarşılaşmada UFC reytinqində 9-cu pillədə yer alan Rafael Fiziyev 70 kq çəki dərəcəsində 14-cü olan braziliyalı Maurisio Ruffi ilə üz-üzə gəlib.

Döyüşdə qələbəni ikinci raundda nokautla Maurisio Ruffi qazanıb.

32 yaşlı Fiziyevin peşəkar karyerasında 13 qələbə (9-u vaxtından əvvəl) və 5 məğlubiyyət var.

29 yaşlı Maurisio Ruffi isə peşəkar karyerasına 2016-cı ilin sentyabrında başlayıb. Bu döyüşdən sonra braziliyalı idmançının aktivində 13 qələbə və 2 məğlubiyyət yer alır.

Fiziyev braziliyalı döyüşçüyə uduzduğu görüşdən sonra fikirərini bölüşüb. O, sosial şəbəkə hesabındakı paylaşımında bildirib ki, özünü inkişaf etdirib daha irəli gedəcək:

“Nə deyə bilərəm ki? Deyəcək bir söz yoxdur. Yaxşıca döyüldüm. Texniki nokaut. Nə etmək olar? Mən cəsarətimin çatdığı o həyatı yaşayıram. Bəli, mən buna cürət etdim. Mən döyüşçüyəm, geri qayıdacağam. Yenə də davam edəcəyəm, özümü inkişaf etdirəcəyəm, irəli gedəcəyəm və hamını qələbələrimlə sevindirməyə çalışacağam. Bunun öhdəsindən gələcəyəm. Dəstək olan hər kəsə təşəkkür edirəm. Hamınızı sevindirmək alınmadı…”

MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC 325 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.

Alexander Volkanovski's first UFC bout on home soil was a success.

In the main event of UFC 325 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, the UFC featherweight champion retained his title in a rematch against Diego Lopes. Australia's Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) turned in another masterclass, winning a unanimous decision with scores of 49-46, 49-46, 50-45, denying Lopes (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC) his second title opportunity in his last three fights.

Volkanovski was too slick throughout the fight, while Lopes was unable to find the next gear to change the momentum.

Naturally, the Sydney crowd chanted for Volkanovski as the fighters settled in. The first takedown attempt from the champ was met with a quick sprawl and a sharp counter from Lopes. Volkanovski returned to picking his strikes until shooting again. The second entry was much better, but Lopes defended well against the fence. The striking exchanges favored the champ to start.

Volkanovski's striking and footwork continued to set the tone in the second frame. Lopes made an adjustment by turning up the volume of his strikes while keeping things steady. With around two minutes remaining, the exchanges heated up after Lopes landed a beautiful uppercut. Volkanovski answered with a stiff punch of his own as Lopes marched forward. A takedown attempt from Lopes was countered with a guillotine attempt by Volkanovski, but it wasn't there. Lopes returned the favor in the closing seconds with a standing rear-naked choke attempt.

The champ laying on some heavy shots in round 3 😮‍💨

[ #UFC325 | @AlexVolkanovski ] pic.twitter.com/oIeMmFrY4R

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

The friendly foes shared a laugh early in Round 3 before locking back in. Volkanovski controlled the action from the center, darting in and out. Lopes closed the distance and opened up, allowing room for a clean right hand from Volkanovski that stunned the challenger. Volkanovski attempted to capitalize with a takedown, but Lopes denied him, while appearing recovered. In the last minute, the champ darted in, and this time he was on the receiving end of a right hand, causing a flash knockdown. Volkanovski popped right back up and appeared no worse for wear.

Diego Lopes returns with some power of his own 😮‍💨

[ #UFC325 | @DiegoLopesMMA ] pic.twitter.com/gCO9eetvpX

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

Midway through Round 4, Volkanovski put together a nice combination to get Lopes' attention. The crowd once again chanted for the champion, as Lopes marched forward looking for openings. An errant kick from Volkanovski went low, pausing the action for less than a minute. Lopes created an intense exchange in the closing seconds of the round.

Needing a finish to take the title, Lopes attempted to turn up the pressure early, but appeared to hurt his foot after kicking Volkanovski's elbow. A moment later, Volkanovski caught Lopes with a stiff jab to counter a level change, but Lopes eventually got the champ down and took his back. Volkanovski quickly worked back to his feet and peeled Lopes off. The grappling exchange continued, and Lopes offered a scare with an armbar, but it wasn't there.

With the win, Volkanovski records the first defense of his second featherweight title reign. During his post-fight interview, he expressed his desire to take on the next available challenger, whether it be Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. Lopes also had a moment with Daniel Cormier on the mic and praised Volkanovski's skills.

Full UFC 325 results:

• Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45)
• Benoit Saint Denis def. Dan Hooker via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:45
• Mauricio Ruffy def. Rafael Fiziev via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:30
• Tallison Teixeira def. Tai Tuivasa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Quillan Salkilld def. Jamie Mullarkey via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:02
• Billy Elekana def. Junior Tafa via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:18
• Cam Rowston def. Cody Brundage via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:08
• Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Jonathan Micallef def. Oban Elliott via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:31
• Kaan Ofli def. Yi Zha via majority decision (29-28, 28-28, 29-28)
• DomMar Fan def. Sung Wook Kim via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – Road to UFC lightweight final
• Keiichiro Nakamura def. Sebastian Szalay via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 3, 3:48 – Road to UFC featherweight final
• Lawrence Lui def. Sulang Rangbo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – Road to UFC bantamweight final

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325: Alexander Volkanovski denies Diego Lopes' second title chance

Alexander Volkanovski did it again in the UFC 325 main event when he defended the featherweight title in his rematch with Diego Lopes.

Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) proved his decision victory in April 2025 was no fluke with a unanimous decision triumph over Lopes (27-8 MMA, 6-3 UFC), marking the first defense in his second reign as 145-pound champ.

Check below for the top X (formerly Twitter) reactions to Volkanovski beating Lopes at UFC 325.

Main event in the building!

Alex Volkanovski and Diego Lopes have arrived at #UFC325 🙌

Live on PPV | 🇦🇺 Main Event & Kayo Sports | 🇳🇿 Sky NZ pic.twitter.com/xlN9VSak7D

— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) February 1, 2026

Wrapped and ready 👏@AlexVolkanovski takes on @DiegoLopesMMA for featherweight gold in our main event!

[ #UFC325 LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/YZuxWoL3kN

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

The REMATCH is here!

Who wins: Alexander Volkanovski or Diego Lopes? #UFC325

Full coverage: https://t.co/oOb2hL7ivupic.twitter.com/MLuIKzTAYy

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 1, 2026

Saddle up! We're in for a wild ride! 🤠@DiegoLopesMMA | #UFC325pic.twitter.com/97Qn61lYGk

— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) February 1, 2026

VOLK MAKES THAT WALK! 🇦🇺#UFC325 | Live on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/J8rbvBKCse

— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) February 1, 2026

The crowd loves Volk

📺 @paramountpluspic.twitter.com/k4pm5KtamZ

— Paramount UFC (@paramountufc) February 1, 2026

ALEX VOLKANOVSKI vs DIEGO LOPES

WHO YOU GOT!?#UFC325pic.twitter.com/ci7pF9XJlG

— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) February 1, 2026

R1 10-9 Volkanovaki. Low kicks laying the ground work and hands found a home late. Nice little start. #UFC325

— Scott Fontana (@Scott_Fontana) February 1, 2026

Round number VI for Volk and Diego.
Except Diego looks calm cool and collected. Needs to mix it up more. #UFC325

— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) February 1, 2026

Volk trying the Gulli was crazy . 👀 @ufc

— Brian Ortega (@BrianTcity) February 1, 2026

20-18 Volk.

Closer round there. Lopes is turning up the pressure. #UFC325

— Matthew Wells (@MrMWells) February 1, 2026

19-19. Leaning Lopes in an extremely close second. #UFC325

— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) February 1, 2026

The champ laying on some heavy shots in round 3 😮‍💨

[ #UFC325 | @AlexVolkanovski ] pic.twitter.com/oIeMmFrY4R

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

Lopes won that third round with the knockdown #UFC325

— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) February 1, 2026

Diego Lopes returns with some power of his own 😮‍💨

[ #UFC325 | @DiegoLopesMMA ] pic.twitter.com/gCO9eetvpX

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

“That was a slip.”

Sounds like Volk’s corner is trying to convince him. Because that wasn’t a slip. That was getting clocked super hard in the face so that your legs stop working for a second.

— Ben Fowlkes (@benfowlkesMMA) February 1, 2026

This fight is HEATING UP

📺 @paramountpluspic.twitter.com/pecuOnMOqK

— Paramount UFC (@paramountufc) February 1, 2026

It might be 2-1 Lopes … that knock down was the most significant moment of the fight.

— Jake Ellenberger (@EllenbergerMMA) February 1, 2026

We're on to the championship rounds 👊

Who do you have up on the scorecards? #UFC325pic.twitter.com/mPLLR8FsCU

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

Volks throwing the right hand like ruffy does

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 1, 2026

If he win he is Brazilian if he lose he is Mexican pic.twitter.com/k2ligT67Pe

— Paulo Costa (@BorrachinhaMMA) February 1, 2026

Decent chance Volk is up 4-0. Lopes has got to send it!!

— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) February 1, 2026

Another Volkanovski masterclass.

— Peter Carroll (@PetesyCarroll) February 1, 2026

Volk still got it who said he was gonna retire? Hes still fresh

— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 1, 2026

Volk is a timeless. He doesn’t slow down, just keeps bringing heat as he gets older.

— Funky 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@Benaskren) February 1, 2026

Greatest featherweight of all-time #UFC325 🇦🇺🏆

— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) February 1, 2026

#UFC325 results: Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 50-45) – to defend featherweight title

Full coverage: https://t.co/oOb2hL7ivupic.twitter.com/FkWKyRA9Pm

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) February 1, 2026

KEEPING THE BELT AT HOME 🏆🇦🇺@AlexVolkanovski defeats Diego Lopes by unanimous decision to remain the undisputed featherweight champion of the world!

[ B2YB @ForThePeople ] pic.twitter.com/xETfc8DrK8

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

Alex Volkanovski ties Jose Aldo for most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history with eight. #UFC325

— Michael Carroll (@MJCflipdascript) February 1, 2026

Great fight by @alexvolkanovski, he showed that you can get better at that age. I can’t wait to share a cage to show why I am different that these guys! #ufc325

— Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) February 1, 2026

He gets it done once again 💪🇦🇺@AlexVolkanovski adds yet another title defense to his resume! #UFC325pic.twitter.com/6SUnMgrEna

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325: Fighters react to Alex Volkanovski's title defense vs. Lopes

MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC 325 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.

Mauricio Ruffy vs. Rafael Fiziev was the high-level striking affair many had anticipated at UFC 325, and in the end, Ruffy prevailed with a beautiful finish.

The matchup of ranked lightweights on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney was a competitive chess match while it lasted. Ruffy (13-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) found his opening in the second round and landed a huge right hand that put Fiziev on skates. He chased after him and eventually landed enough strikes to get the referee to jump in for the TKO stoppage at the 4:30 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay of the final sequence below (via X):

What a performance from @RuffyMMA 🤩

He gets the TKO victory in round two! #UFC325

[ Live on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/goK0AXL3mF

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

Ruffy won MMA Junkie's Knockout of the Year for his spinning wheel kick finish of King Green at UFC 313 in March. His hype was derailed by a submission loss to Benoit Saint Denis in September, however, and there were many questions about how he would rebound.

The 29-year-old did so impressively, netting the most high-profile win of his career against Fiziev, and afterward, he said it's just the start.

"Hunter (Campbell), Dana White, you see me fight and know my style," Ruffy said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. "How about Conor McGregor or Paddy Pimblett? Let me put on a show."

Up-to-the-minute UFC 325 results:

• Mauricio Ruffy def. Rafael Fiziev via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:30
• Tallison Teixeira def. Tai Tuivasa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Quillan Salkilld def. Jamie Mullarkey via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:02
• Billy Elekana def. Junior Tafa via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:18
• Cam Rowston def. Cody Brundage via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 4:08
• Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Jonathan Micallef def. Oban Elliott via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:31
• Kaan Ofli def. Yi Zha via majority decision (29-28, 28-28, 29-28)
• DomMar Fan def. Sung Wook Kim via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – Road to UFC lightweight final
• Keiichiro Nakamura def. Sebastian Szalay via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 3, 3:48 – Road to UFC featherweight final
• Lawrence Lui def. Sulang Rangbo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – Road to UFC bantamweight final

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325 video: Mauricio Ruffy TKOs Rafael Fiziev, calls for McGregor or Pimblett

MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC 325 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.

Cam Rowston remains undefeated in the UFC after picking up a nice finish on home soil.

Australia's Rowston (14-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) faced Cody Brundage on the prelims of UFC 325 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, and made sure to keep his finish streak alive. After a close first round, Rowston ground and pounded Brundage (11-8-1 MMA, 5-7-1 UFC) until the referee saw enough at 4:08 of Round 2.

Brundage had a few strong moments in Round 1, earning a 10-9 score from one of the official cageside judges. However, in Round 2, Rowston's constant forward pressure, and his towering frame became too much for Brundage to handle.

After getting the fight to the ground, Rowston landed heavy elbows and punches, causing Brundage to turtle up to protect himself. While it may not have looked like a finishing sequence initially, Rowston kept pounding away, and the shots got through the defense, leading to the finish.

Still undefeated 👏@CamRowston gets the TKO victory in round two! #UFC325

[ LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/avbFiaVvgW

— UFC (@ufc) February 1, 2026

The result was Rowston's third consecutive finish, including a first-round stoppage on Dana White's Contender Series against Brandon Holmes, and a first-round finish of Andre Petroski in his UFC debut.

Rowston dropped quite a message to the division during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier:

"Middleweights watching at home, if you identify as a male, you're 185 pounds, and you sign up to fight me here in Australia, three things you gotta do: One, pack your passport. Two, no outside food or vegetables. And three, choose how you want to lose, or I'll choose for you."

Up-to-the-minute UFC 325 results:

• Cam Rowston def. Cody Brundage via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:08
• Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)
• Jonathan Micallef def. Oban Elliott via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 3:31
• Kaan Ofli def. Yi Zha via majority decision (29-28, 28-28, 29-28)
• DomMar Fan def. Sung Wook Kim via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – Road to UFC lightweight final
• Keiichiro Nakamura def. Sebastian Szalay via TKO (knee, punches) – Round 3, 3:48 – Road to UFC featherweight final
• Lawrence Lui def. Sulang Rangbo via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28) – Road to UFC bantamweight final

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325: Cam Rowston pounds out Cody Brundage for TKO

UFC 325 goes down Saturday with a featherweight title fight atop the bill, and MMA Junkie Radio's "Gorgeous" George and "Goze" will host a live-streamed watch-along right here at 7 p.m. ET.

The headliner is a title fight between 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski (27-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC) and Diego Lopes (27-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC), a rematch from 2025 when Volkanovski reclaimed the vacant title with a unanimous decision. In the co-feature, Dan Hooker (24-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) meets newly surging French lightweight Benoit Saint Denis (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) with both looking to climb back into the title picture.

UFC 325 (Paramount+) takes place Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

Check out the watch-along in the video above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325 live stream: Volkanovski vs Lopes watch-along

UFC 325 goes down Saturday with a featherweight title fight atop the bill, and before the fights get underway, Mike Bohn will host a live-streamed preview show right here at 4 p.m. ET.

The headliner is a title fight between 145-pound champion Alexander Volkanovski (27-4 MMA, 14-3 UFC) and Diego Lopes (27-7 MMA, 6-2 UFC), a rematch from 2025 when Volkanovski reclaimed the vacant title with a unanimous decision. In the co-feature, Dan Hooker (24-13 MMA, 14-9 UFC) meets newly surging French lightweight Benoit Saint Denis (16-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) with both looking to climb back into the title picture.

UFC 325 (Paramount+) takes place Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.

Check out the preview show in the video above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 325: Alex Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2 preview live stream