Alexander Volkanovski will return to the Octagon on home soil for the first time since his lightweight title challenge in early 2023, the featherweight set to fight Diego Lopes for the second straight bout early next year.
Furthermore, Volkanovski [27-4]will fight in Sydney, just 90 minutes north of his hometown, Windang, with the Australian and Lopes [27-7] to square off in the headline event of UFC 325 on Sunday Feb. 1 [AEDT, Jan. 31 ET].
The title defence, Volkanovski's second since he regained the lightweight strap vacated by Ilia Topuria, will be the first occasion in which Volkanovski has fought in his home state of New South Wales since his victory over Shane Young in Nov. 2017.
UFC president Dana White made the announcement via Instagram Live on Thursday evening [Friday AEDT], also revealing that Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje would face off for the interim lightweight title, with the winner to face champion Ilia Topuria later in 2026.
But it is the Sydney event that will resonate most with Australian audiences, with UFC fans Down Under desperate to get one final look at Volkanovski before he enters retirement. The Australian has long harboured a desire to again fight in the Harbour City, but timing has often been a problem, with last year's UFC 312 falling a few months too early.
But Volkanovski will now look to defeat Lopes for the second time, having beaten the Brazilian via unanimous decision in Miami at UFC 314 last April.
There is again expected to be a strong local presence on the UFC 325 card, with Jimmy Crute, Quillan Salkilld and Tom Nolan all potential options, though former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker has already ruled himself out of the February event.