Back-to-succor numbered UFC events absorb historically been a rarity. Nonetheless that used to be before the Paramount technology flipped the script, child.
With that stated, the more things exchange, the more they retain the the same. UFC 325 returns to Australia this Saturday for a welcome Alexander Volkanovski featherweight title defense. Much less welcome, then again, is his challenger, Diego Lopes, whom Volkanovski remaining fought much less than a one year ago to reclaim the 145-pound throne.
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It be too tiresome to complain grand about who deserved the title shot. All we know for certain, as Volkanovski objectives to maintain his inconceivable second title reign alive, is that Lopes always delivers high-octane efforts.
Speaking of high-octane, the evening’s co-main event between lightweight contenders Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint Denis has violence written all over it — for as prolonged as it lasts.
UFC 325 is a favorable savor letter to Oceania MMA, so grand in order that it leans quite of too high-heavy to warrant a $seventy nine.99 mark mark. Thankfully, pay-per-search for is a thing of the previous.
👑 UFC 325 lineup Crown grade: C- 👑
Betting odds through BetMGM .
Can Petesy Carroll flee the basement? (Hassan Ahmad, Yahoo Sports)
Diego Lopes is looking to correct the wrongs from 2025.
(IMAGN IMAGES through Reuters Join / Reuters)
145 kilos: Alexander Volkanovski (-145) vs. Diego Lopes (+120) Before the one year began, the Uncrowned crew made their daring predictions for 2026. One in all mine involved Volkanovski retiring. Now, the 37-one year-worn champion is adamant he is no longer shut to retirement, but despite my lack of belief in his claims, I don’t predict Lopes to be the one who sends “Volk” on his merry system.
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Lopes is no longer attainable no longer to care for, and I predict a more chaotic effort from him this time round. The window between their first battle and this rematch is factual too minute for major adjustments to be made, diverse than Lopes throwing more warning to the wind.
April’s first meeting used to be essentially a vintage bull-and-matador effort from Volkanovski, who dictated the action with his jab and counters against his aggressive counterpart. Lopes chanced on moments of success when he made the battle its dirtiest, then again Volkanovski is a historic adapter. Brush apart the extraordinary conditions of the Islam Makhachev fights, and now we absorb seen the Aussie story train masterful performances in more than one preparations for the the same opponent. Max Holloway says hiya.
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This is no disrespect to Lopes, but downloading more of his knowledge will doubtless be seriously more straightforward for Volkanovski than it used to be against Holloway. Even in that trilogy, although, Volkanovski delivered arguably the most straightforward performance of his occupation in the third bout.
As prolonged as Volkanovski avoids a battle or any wild scrambles, this rematch can absorb to largely inspect the linked to their first battle.
Pick: Volkanovski
155 kilos: Dan Hooker (+275) vs. Benoît Saint Denis (-350) At this point, we know what to wait for from Hooker: Striking violence aplenty, as prolonged as the battle stays standing.
Saint Denis hasn’t shied away from seeking submissions, as seen in two of his previous three wins. Certainly, a chaotic brawl is also too enticing for Saint Denis to lean on his ground game, but that would now not mean he can’t prevail, because he’s going to. Hooker, whereas as dangerous and game as ever, has been extraordinarily hittable in the course of his resurgent flee at lightweight.
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Hooker is also more difficult than a $2 steak, but he is been stopped by strikes in the previous, and “BSD” carries absolute cannons for fists. It be one in all those matchups where Hooker might possibly be simplest suited no longer walking thru the the same hearth he is done time and again before. On the the same time, an argument is also made that Saint Denis’ chin is silent suspect, resulting from Dustin Poirier.
Outside of his Arman Tsarukyan matchup, it hasn’t been trim doubting Hooker on his newest flee, however the variation in vitality and overall tread on the tires in the finish presents Saint Denis the brink.
Pick: Saint Denis
155 kilos: Rafael Fiziev (-105) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (+125) Low-key banger alert.
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Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy looks to be like to be a high-tempo striking showcase. Fiziev brings elite kickboxing, spellbinding counters and confirmed trip against high-tier lightweights, whereas Ruffy remains a hazardous unknown. He is flashy, methodical in his aggression, and hungry to rebound after an embarrassing defeat by the hands of Saint Denis. Ruffy’s self belief and tension can also take a look at Fiziev early, in particular if the frail starts gradual.
The inquire is whether or no longer Ruffy’s chaos can destroy thru Fiziev’s polish before the battle settles into a technical rhythm. If Fiziev establishes differ, timing and calf kicks, his accuracy and composure will begin to steal over.
This matchmaking is mostly seriously of a head-scratcher after Ruffy’s loss to Saint Denis in September felt care for an exposing performance, in any case too grand of 1 to ship him straight succor into the deep waters with a light-weight shark care for Fiziev.
Pick: Fiziev
Is this the trendy-day Stefan Struve vs. Impress Hunt?
(Darrian Traynor through Getty Pictures)
265 kilos: Tai Tuivasa (+300) vs. Tallison Teixeira (-400) Listen, we absorb no longer seen satisfactory of Tallison Teixeira but for me to absorb any religion in his heavyweight doable. Regardless, there is totally zero motive Tai Tuivasa can absorb to be relied on at this juncture.
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“Back against the wall” mentality is something I’ve always factored in for fighters in a whine care for Tuivasa’s, but in the finish things attain a point where that it’s doubtless you’ll also fair absorb already undergone that wall. At five straight losses, that is where he is at. At heavyweight, that is an even worse set to be.
Tuivasa has simply appeared checked out in newest years, and has been finished in four of his five losses over that stretch. Against Teixeira, he is literally fighting an uphill combat, giving up a giant length revenue to the 6-foot-8 Brazilian.
No topic his lone defeat to Derrick Lewis in his remaining battle, Teixeira has scored impressive knockouts in all but one in all his eight wins. Right here comes one other.
Pick: Teixeira
155 kilos: Quillan Salkilld (-900) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (+675) Quillan Salkilld is being location up for success after breaking out in 2025.
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This matchup with Jamie Mullarkey is managed chaos versus pure chaos. Salkilld is the more disciplined striker, with satisfactory pop to punish errors. Mullarkey remains the definition of forward-finest violence. Oftentimes, it’s to his detriment, but it’s thrillingly reckless then again. Mullarkey can overwhelm early if he will get momentum, but he’s also tailor-made to salvage clipped by any individual who stays patient.
I didn’t savor Salkilld’s wildly telegraphed takedown attempts in his remaining battle, although they in the finish didn’t topic — as evidenced by his highlight-reel head kick knockout. If Salkilld keeps his composure and picks his spots instead of getting dragged into a brawl, his cleaner fundamentals can absorb to raise him.
Pick: Salkilld
Preliminary Notes While I used to be happy to inspect my Uncrowned comrades are also high on Cam Rowston after his impressive UFC debut, I wasn’t happy to inspect almost all of them copied me with their wild-card picks. Cody Brundage can also very effortlessly play spoiler in that matchup, but Rowston has the whole makings to climb the middleweight ladder.
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Various than that, Oban Elliott looks to be like to regain some misplaced hype and momentum.
Instant picks
Billy Elekana (-235) def. Junior Tafa (+190)
Cam Rowston (-375) def. Cody Brundage (+300)
Torrez Finney (+125) def. Jacob Malkoun (-150)
Oban Elliott (+110) def. Jonathan Micallef (-135)
Yi Zha (-210) def. Kaan Ofli (+170)
Dom Mar Fan (-150) def. Kim Sang-wook (+125)
Sebastian Szalay (-135) def. Keiichiro Nakamura (+110)
Sulangrangbo (-275) def. Lawrence Lui (+220)
Aaron Tau (+110) def. Namsrai Batbayar (-135)
