Volkanovski Wins Vacant UFC Featherweight Title at UFC 314
Volkanovski instead fought Diego Lopes for the vacant featherweight title at UFC 314 in Miami on April 12, 2025, winning by unanimous decision, then defended the belt against Lopes in Sydney at UFC 325 on January 31, 2026. UFC 314 results · UFC 325 results.
Volkanovski’s Title Shot Aspirations
Volkanovski, who lost his featherweight crown to Ilia Topuria in February 2024, has made it clear that he’s only interested in high-stakes fights at this point in his career. The Australian fighter has reportedly been promised a title shot against the winner of the upcoming UFC 308 main event between champion Ilia Topuria and former titleholder Max Holloway.
“I’m in a position now where I want to fight in Sydney, and I want fights that excite me,” Volkanovski stated during a media day in Sydney. “Fighting for a belt excites me. Find some contender for just for a contender fight? Not exciting. What excites you? Money, big fights and gold.”
Potential Matchups and Contingencies
While Volkanovski’s primary goal is to challenge for the featherweight title, he’s keeping his options open. If the champion from the Topuria-Holloway bout is unable to make a quick turnaround for UFC 312, Volkanovski has expressed openness to an interim title fight against Diego Lopes.
“Anything with gold in it, I’ll be happy,” Volkanovski remarked. “That will just lock me in for whoever wins that anyway. So, even if it’s the interim, that’s still a big one.”
Building Hype for the Homecoming
Volkanovski plans to attend the Topuria vs. Holloway fight in Abu Dhabi, using the opportunity to build anticipation for his potential title shot in Sydney. This strategic move demonstrates his commitment to creating buzz around his comeback fight.
“Of course – that’s the best way to build up your next fight,” Volkanovski explained. “Especially when you’re pretty much guaranteed. There’s only very little things that could get in the way.”
A Fourth Fight with Holloway?
Interestingly, if Holloway emerges victorious against Topuria, Volkanovski could find himself in a fourth title bout against the Hawaiian fighter. Despite already holding three wins over Holloway, Volkanovski believes a fourth encounter would generate significant interest.
“Even though we’ve already had three fights, I feel like the fourth fight will even be bigger, which is a blowout. You would never have thought that a year ago,” Volkanovski mused.
As UFC 312 approaches, all eyes will be on Alexander Volkanovski and his quest to reclaim the featherweight throne in front of his home crowd. With his unwavering determination and the promise of an matchup, fight fans can expect an unforgettable night of action in Sydney.
Citations:
[1] https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/10/ufc-308-news-alexander-volkanovski-opinion-target-ufc-312-ilia-topuria-vs-max-holloway-winner-featherweight-title
[2] https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/ex-champ-alexander-volkanovski-opponents-ufc-312-return-ilia-topuria-max-holloway-diego-lopes
[3] https://www.espn.com/mma/story//id/41818621/ufc-312-confirmed-sydney-matchmaker-alexander-volkanovski-robert-whittaker-options [4] https://www.reddit.com/r/MMA/comments/1g5et8g/alexander_volkanovski_says_hell_do_whatever_it/ [5] https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2024/10/18/former-champ-says-hes-returning-at-ufc-312-and-fighting-for-gold/ [6] https://www.espn.com/video/clip//id/41838174
[7] https://bloodyelbow.com/2024/10/17/alexander-volkanovski-confirms-plan-to-fight-on-newly-announced-ufc-312-card-in-australia-suggests-interim-title-clash-with-diego-lopes/
