MMA News

Tag: UFC 325

  • Aaron Tau Released by UFC After Weigh-In Incident

    Aaron Tau Released by UFC After Weigh-In Incident

    The UFC has officially cut ties with Aaron Tau following a weigh-in manipulation incident ahead of UFC 325 in Sydney, Australia. MMA Ecosystem was the first to report the news, which was later confirmed by MMA Fighting.

    What Happened at the UFC 325 Weigh-Ins

    Tau, a Road to UFC Season 4 flyweight finalist, was scheduled to face Namsrai Batbayar in the tournament final on the UFC 325 undercard on January 31. The winner would have earned a UFC contract.

    During the official weigh-ins at Qudos Bank Arena on January 30, Tau weighed in behind a privacy box and initially registered at 122.5 pounds — well below the 126-pound flyweight non-title limit. The unusually low number raised immediate suspicion from officials, who ordered a re-weigh without the box. Tau then tipped the scales at 129 pounds, three pounds over the limit and a seven-pound discrepancy from the first reading.

    Officials and broadcast analysts concluded that Tau had been resting his arms on the privacy box to reduce the weight registered on the scale — a tactic reminiscent of the “towel trick” famously used by former champion Daniel Cormier at UFC 210. The fight was promptly canceled.

    UFC Initially Planned to Rebook the Fight

    Notably, the UFC did not immediately release Tau. During the UFC 325 broadcast, commentator John Gooden stated that the Tau vs. Batbayar bout would be rescheduled for a future date. However, the promotion reversed course and has now cut Tau from its roster entirely.

    In a related development, Yin Shuai — who lost to Tau in the Road to UFC semifinals — is expected to receive a second chance and face Batbayar for a UFC contract later this year.

    Tau’s Path to UFC 325

    The 32-year-old New Zealander, who trains at City Kickboxing in Auckland, held an 11-1 professional record entering the tournament final. Tau first attempted to reach the UFC through Season 8 of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024, where he lost a unanimous decision to Elijah Smith at bantamweight.

    Tau later dropped to flyweight and earned a spot on Road to UFC Season 4, picking up wins over Rio Tirto and Shuai Yin to advance to the final. The weigh-in incident ended what was his closest opportunity to securing a UFC contract.

    Tau’s Apology

    Following the weigh-in debacle, Tau posted an apology on Instagram, though he did not directly address the scale manipulation. “I need to apologize to my opponent, the UFC, my team, and my fans,” Tau wrote. “Though I pushed to the end, I have one job, to make weight and fight. I didn’t do that. I’m sorry.”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DUJ7uOEE33g

  • “Greatest Featherweight Of All Time” – Fighters & Fans React As Alexander Volkanovski Adds To His Legacy By Retaining Featherweight Title Over Diego Lopes At UFC 325

    “Greatest Featherweight Of All Time” – Fighters & Fans React As Alexander Volkanovski Adds To His Legacy By Retaining Featherweight Title Over Diego Lopes At UFC 325

    In front of a capacity crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena, Alexander Volkanovski delivered a championship-level performance and retained the UFC featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 325.

    With the win, Volkanovski now ties Jose Aldo for most featherweight title fight wins with eight total.

    Lopes looked to bring some forward pressure as the two feinted and felt each other out. Volkanovski made good use of his strikes, including from range, but Lopes landed plenty of kicks as he continuously came forward.

    Volkanovski landed a couple of cracking blows upstairs on Lopes during the second round. Lopes went for a takedown in the final minute. Volkanovski countered with a guillotine attempt, only to get grounded by Lopes, who went for a standing choke attempt before the horn.

    Volkanovski landed a strong pair of hands late in the third round, though Lopes appeared to recover quickly. Lopes got a shot of his own with a quick right hand in the last minute of the third round, dropping Volkanovski, but the champ was right back to his feet. Though Lopes landed well with the calf kick, Volkanovski seemed to be ahead of him on the exchanges in the fourth round.

    Lopes went for the finish anywhere that he could, threatening a choke at one point during the fifth round, and an armbar in the fight’s final minute. It was for naught, however, and Volkanovski nearly swept the scorecards for a decision win.

    Alexander Volkanovski Retains Featherweight Title Vs. Diego Lopes At UFC 325

    Volkanovski defeated Lopes to claim the then-featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 314 in April. Volkanovski’s first reign began with a win over Max Holloway at UFC 245, retaining the title against Holloway (twice), “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, Brian Ortega, and Yair Rodriguez.

    Volkanovski, who also had two failed attempts to capture the lightweight title, lost the title to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298.

    Lopes rebounded from the initial loss to Volkanovski with a finish of Jean Silva in the main event of Noche UFC 3 in September. Lopes’ three losses in the UFC have come against Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev.

  • “A Warrior” – Fighters & Fans React As Benoit Saint-Denis Brutally Smashes Dan Hooker En Route To TKO Win At UFC 325

    “A Warrior” – Fighters & Fans React As Benoit Saint-Denis Brutally Smashes Dan Hooker En Route To TKO Win At UFC 325

    The Australian crowd in Sydney was left in disappointed silence, as Benoit Saint-Denis brought the violence and left with a second-round finish in the co-main event of UFC 325.

    The two quickly got to striking, with Hooker even countering a takedown attempt into a brief guillotine attempt. Saint-Denis caught a kick and pressed Hooker into the fence, but Hooker did another guillotine counter. Hooker did damage with kicks to the body, but BSD managed to score a takedown late in the round, threatening a kimura, and busting Hooker open with a number of shots to the head.

    Hooker threatened a quick guillotine in a fast-paced start to the second round, but Saint-Denis continued to press forward. Hooker scored a takedown, but Saint-Denis smartly countered and quickly got into full mount, landing a strong series of elbows and threatening an arm-triangle choke. BSD got the choke locked in, but Hooker managed to defend it…only for Saint-Denis to land more ground-and-pound and bust Hooker open.

    After about a minute of strong ground-and-pound, referee Herb Dean waved the fight off with about 15 seconds left, giving the win to BSD.

    Benoit Saint-Denis Finds Takedown And Reversal, Scores Violent Finish At UFC 325

    Saint-Denis has now won four straight, a win streak that goes back to UFC 315 this past May. He is now 9-3 in the Octagon. He knocked out Beneil Dariush at UFC 322 prior to tonight.

    Hooker has now lost back-to-back fights after a three-fight win streak. He lost to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar in November.

  • “Stayed Calm And Delivered” – Fighters & Fans React As Mauricio Ruffy Rocks And Drops Rafael Fiziev At UFC 325

    “Stayed Calm And Delivered” – Fighters & Fans React As Mauricio Ruffy Rocks And Drops Rafael Fiziev At UFC 325

    After suffering just the second loss of his career last time out, Mauricio Ruffy has rebounded with a strong finish of Rafael Fiziev at UFC 325.

    After a feeling-out process for the first 90 seconds, Ruffy was able to pin Fiziev to the fence and look for a clinch. Fiziev worked his way off though, and the two started to look for their strong strikes, albeit a lot of single strikes.

    Fiziev looked to close angles and cut off the cage, using his footwork to try and control the action. Ruffy did not see to provide as much offense as he potentially could, though he was still noticeably landing on Fiziev.

    Things were taken to another level in the middle of the second round, with Ruffy landing a right hook that stunned Fiziev. Fiziev tried to regain his footing, but Ruffy did not let up, leading to the second-round TKO.

    Mauricio Ruffy Finishes Rafael Fiziev At UFC 325

    Ruffy is now 4-1, with three finishes, in his UFC career. The Dana White Contender Series alumnus rebounds from a loss to Benoit Saint-Denis at UFC Paris this past September.

    Fiziev has now lost four of his last five fights. His losses include a pair of losses to Justin Gaethje and the injury he suffered against Mateusz Gamrot. He scored a victory over Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC Baku in June.

  • “Abolish The Heavyweight Division” – Fans Debate, Trash State Of Heavyweight MMA As Tallison Teixeira Goes The Distance In Win Over Tai Tuivasa

    “Abolish The Heavyweight Division” – Fans Debate, Trash State Of Heavyweight MMA As Tallison Teixeira Goes The Distance In Win Over Tai Tuivasa

    It wasn’t the way people expected, but Tallison Teixiera managed to defeat Tai Tuivasa in the Australian’s return to the Octagon at UFC 325.

    Tuivasa tried to bring pressure straight away, but he was taken down by Teixeira. Teixeira landed a number of punches and elbows to the head of Teixeira, defending against Tuivasa’s attempts to get back to his feet. Teixeira made his way into full mount, keeping Tuivasa there for minutes, but Tuivasa made his way back to the feet and pressing Teixeira into the fence to end the round.

    After some leg kick trading in the second round, Tuivasa landed a strong right hand that caught Teixeira’s attention. Teixeira responded with a combination and going for a takedown. Teixeira, after some struggle, worked his way into full mount, but he did no damage for a full minute-plus.

    The third round saw both men fatigued, with Tuivasa landing some strong strikes and controlling the action on the ground. Neither man was able to get a finish, however, and Teixeira took the decision win with three 29-28 totals.

    Tallison Teixeira Gets Decision Win Over Tai Tuivasa At UFC 325

    Teixeira moves to 2-1 in the UFC since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. He rebounds from a loss to Derrick Lewis at UFC Nashville this past July.

    Tuivasa has now lost six fights in a row. This was his first fight since a split decision loss to Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 304. His last win came against Lewis at UFC 271.

  • “Salkilld Is A Problem” – Fans & Fighters React As Quillan Salkilld Nabs Another First-Round Finish At UFC 325

    “Salkilld Is A Problem” – Fans & Fighters React As Quillan Salkilld Nabs Another First-Round Finish At UFC 325

    Quillan Salkilld brought out another big performance to kick off the main card at UFC 325, submitting Jamie Mullarkey in about three minutes.

    Salkilld got to Mullarkey’s back early, but Mullarkey managed to get Salkilld’s back against the fence. Mullarkey scored a takedown, but Salkilld worked his way back up quickly.

    Mullarkey pressed Salkilld into the fence again, but it was Salkilld who got the action down with a slam, and he was right back on Mullarkey’s back. Salkilld then quickly locked up a choke to solidify the victory.

    Quillan Salkilld Submits Jamie Mullarkey At UFC 325

    Salkilld has now won 11 straight since dropping his professional MMA debut, and he brings his Octagon record to 4-0. The Dana White Contender’s Series alumnus was fighting for the first time since his highlight head kick knockout of Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 321.

    Mullarkey has now lost three of his last four fights. He is 6-7 since making his UFC debut.

  • VIDEO: Billy Elekana Survives Junior Tafa’s Power, Submits Him At UFC 325

    VIDEO: Billy Elekana Survives Junior Tafa’s Power, Submits Him At UFC 325

    Junior Tafa may have plenty of power in his fists, but Billy Elekana weathered the storm and used his grappling to score a submission victory in the featured prelim of UFC 325.

    Elekana attempted to back Tafa up to the fence, but Tafa rocked him with a strong overhand right. Elekana was able to use his grappling to recover, though he had to escape a standing kimura grip. Elekana would also show his pressure in a takedown attempt, but Tafa was able to defend against it.

    Tafa tried to keep the fight in the center of the Octagon and got to work with his powerful striking. Tafa landed a brutal combination at the end of round one; however, Elekana landed a strong left in the middle of the second — probably the hardest punch of the fight to that point.

    Billy Elekana Submits Junior Tafa At UFC 325

    Elekana then brought the fight to the ground and locked up a body triangle and a choke, scoring the submission victory.

    Elekana, an alumnus of PFL and LFA, has now won three straight since dropping his UFC debut to Bogdan Guskov at UFC 311.

    Tafa has now lost back-to-back fights and is 2-5 since his 2023 Octagon debut.

  • Dom Mar Fan Sweeps Scorecards, Defeats Kim Sang-wook For Road To UFC Season Four Lightweight Title

    Dom Mar Fan Sweeps Scorecards, Defeats Kim Sang-wook For Road To UFC Season Four Lightweight Title

    Dom Mar Fan put on a strong performance at UFC 325, defeating Kim Sang-wook to claim the Road to UFC season 4 lightweight tournament championship.

    The first round was a grappling-heavy battle, with Kim getting pressure and backing Mar Fan up to the fence. Kim got Mar Fan to the ground and got to his back, but a failure to get both hooks in resulted in Mar Fan gaining control on the ground. Kim, however, would retake the grappling edge in the round’s later stage, including when the two worked back to the feet.

    The two traded throughout the start of the second round, but Kim slowed down as the round went on. Mar Fan got the action to the ground, near the fence.

    Dom Mar Fan Wins Lightweight Portion Of Road To UFC Season 4

    Mar Fan landed a number of head strikes on Kim, who didn’t show the greatest defense there and was busted open around both sides of his face by the end of round two. Mar Fan brought out some good inside shots and prevented Kim’s takedown efforts in the final round, as he cruised to a unanimous decision win.

    Kim entered tonight’s final with a 13-3 record, including a loss to Rongzhu in last year’s Road to UFC tournament. He reached tonight’s final with finishes of Daichi Kamiya and Yawei Ren.

    Mar Fan only loss twice prior to tonight, with both losses coming against Quillan Salkilld. He reached the final with decision wins over Yuji Yannick Ephoeviga and Jae Hyun Park.

  • VIDEO: Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament With Comeback Finish Of Sebastian Szalay

    VIDEO: Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament With Comeback Finish Of Sebastian Szalay

    Keiichiro Nakamura just earned a UFC contract in a memorable way, demonstrating resilience in the process.

    Seemingly down two rounds and minutes away from losing the Road to UFC Season 4 featherweight tournament final, Nakamura scored a finish of Sebastian Szalay in the third round of their fight at UFC 325.

    Szalay’s pressure and strikes were on display early on, utilizing reach to his advantage. Szalay worked Nakamura over well with combinations during the opening round, while Nakamura had a leg-kick focus.

    Szalay increased his output in the second round, but both men managed to rock one another at one point during the round. As the round went on, Nakamura’s offense came through and he took control of the round.

    Keiichiro Nakamura Wins Road To UFC Season 4 Featherweight Tournament

    Nakamura was completely aggressive in the third round, ultimately resulting in a knee that dropped Szalay for the victory.

    Nakamura has won eight straight fights since dropping his professional MMA debut. He reached the final with wins over Eoh Jin Park and Kaiwen Li.

    This was Szalay’s first loss since his second pro bout. He reached the final with wins over Baergeng Jieleyisi and Chang Min Yoon.

  • Lawrence Lui Claims Road To UFC Season 4 Bantamweight Tournament Title

    Lawrence Lui Claims Road To UFC Season 4 Bantamweight Tournament Title

    The Road to UFC season 4 has its first tournament winner, as Lawrence Lui claimed the bantamweight season title with a split-decision victory over Sulang Rangbo to start off UFC 325.

    Lui tried to establish pressure early on, but Rangbo countered and move around well. He even landed one hard shot during the round that stumbled Lui.

    Lui’s grappling pressure came to fruition in the second round, as he scored takedowns and pressed the action against the fence. Rangbo still worked his jab, however.

    Lawrence Lui Claims Season 4 Road To UFC Bantamweight Tournament Title

    Rangbo was still landing the cleaner shots in the third, but it didn’t do much to deter Lui’s pressure. Lui landed seven takedowns by the fight’s end, and his grappling helped to bring him control of the fight in its final minutes.

    All three judges scored the bout 29-28, with two giving the nod to Lui.

    Lui now moves to 7-1 in his professional MMA career. He reached this tournament final with wins over Qinghe Zhang and Van Y Nghiem.

    Rangbo started his professional MMA 1-3, but he entered tonight’s bout on a nine-fight win streak. He reached tonight’s final with wins over Peter Danesoe and Sim Kai Xiong.

  • UFC 325 Results: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 325 Results: Volkanovski vs Lopes 2 Live Updates & Highlights

    UFC 325 results and highlights are updated live as the action unfolds from the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. It’s the second consecutive week with a numbered UFC card, serving as part of the promotion’s launch on Paramount+. The main event will feature Alexander Volkanovski defending the featherweight championship against Diego Lopes. MMANews has you covered with all the results and highlights!

    Volkanovski vs Lopes 2: Featherweight Title Fight

    Volkanovski and Lopes first battled for the featherweight championship at UFC 314 last April, following the title being vacated by Ilia Topuria. Volkanovski won a hard-fought, five-round decision to capture the title. This fight will mark his first fight since the title win.

    This marks Volkanovski’s second run as UFC featherweight champion. Volkanovski originally won the title by defeating Max Holloway at UFC 245, going on to defend the title against Holloway (twice), Brian Ortega, “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung, and Yair Rodriguez. Volkanovski would unsuccessfully challenge Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title twice before dropping the featherweight title to Topuria at UFC 298.

    Lopes is 6-2 in the UFC thus far, with his two losses coming against Volkanovski and his short-notice UFC debut against Movsar Evloev. Lopes rebounded from his unsuccessful title attempt with a finish of Jean Silva in the main event of Noche UFC 3.

    The co-main event will see lightweight action featuring Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint-Denis.

    Hooker comes into this bout off a loss to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC Qatar in November, a loss that snapped a three-fight win streak. BSD has won three straight, most recently knocking out Beneil Dariush at UFC 322.

    If you can’t watch the action, check here for all the latest results and highlights from UFC 325!

    How to Watch UFC 325

    • Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026
    • Venue: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • Streaming: Paramount+ (exclusive)
    • Prelims: 5 PM ET / 3 PM PT
    • Late Prelims: 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT
    • Main Card: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT

    UFC 325 Quick Results

    • Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes — Volkanovski def. Lopes via unanimous decision
    • Co-Main: Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint-Denis — Saint-Denis def. Hooker via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:45)
    • Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy — Ruffy def. Fiziev via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:30)
    • Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira — Teixeira def. Tuivasa via unanimous decision
    • Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey — Salkilld def. Mullarkey via submission (Rd. 1, 3:02)

    UFC 325 Results & Highlights

    Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 PM ET)

    Road to UFC Bantamweight Final: Sulang Rangbo vs. Lawrence Lui

    Result: Lawrence Lui def. Sulang Rangbo via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)

    Road to UFC Featherweight Final: Keiichiro Nakamura vs. Sebastian Szalay

    Result: Keiichiro Nakamura def. Sebastian Szalay via TKO (Rd. 3, 3:48)

    Road to UFC Lightweight Final: Kim Sang-wook vs. Dom Mar Fan

    Result: Dom Mar Fan def. Kim Sang-wook via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

    Featherweight: Kaan Ofli vs. Yi Zha

    Result: Kaan Ofli def. Yi Zha via majority decision (29-28 x2, 28-28)

    Late Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 7 PM ET)

    Welterweight: Jonathan Micallef vs. Oban Elliott

    Result: Jonathan Micallef def. Oban Elliott via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 2, 3:31)

    Middleweight: Jacob Malkoun vs. Torrez Finney

    Result: Jacob Malkoun def. Torrez Finney via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26 x2)

    Middleweight: Cam Rowston vs. Cody Brundage

    Result: Cam Rowston def. Cody Brundage via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:08)

    Light Heavyweight: Junior Tafa vs. Billy Elekana

    Result: Billy Elekana def. Junior Tafa via submission (rear-naked choke, Rd. 2, 3:18)

    Main Card (Paramount+, 9 PM ET)

    Lightweight: Quillan Salkilld vs. Jamie Mullarkey

    Result: Quillan Salkilld def. Jamie Mullarkey via submission (rear-naked choke) (Rd. 1, 3:02)

    Heavyweight: Tai Tuivasa vs. Tallison Teixeira

    Result: Tallison Teixeira def. Tai Tuivasa via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

    Lightweight: Rafael Fiziev vs. Mauricio Ruffy

    Result: Mauricio Ruffy def. Rafael Fiziev via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:30)

    Lightweight: Dan Hooker vs. Benoit Saint-Denis

    Result: Benoit Saint-Denis def. Dan Hooker via TKO (Rd. 2, 4:45)

    UFC Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes

    Result: Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (49-46 x2, 50-45)

  • Alexander Volkanovski Addresses Retirement Rumors Ahead Of UFC 325 Title Defense

    Alexander Volkanovski Addresses Retirement Rumors Ahead Of UFC 325 Title Defense

    Plenty of people in the MMA community were left scratching their heads when Alexander Volkanovski’s next defense of the featherweight title was revealed to be a rematch with Diego Lopes at UFC 325.

    Having been less than a year since their first title clash, speculation started about why the fight was booked. Within that speculation came rumors that the fight would serve as Volkanovski’s retirement bout, win or lose — and debates on if it was time or not for Volkanovski to hang up the gloves.

    Now, in an appearance on the January 12 edition of The Ariel Helwani Show, Volkanovski publicly addressed the rumors of retirement for the first time.

    And he claimed that he has no idea where they came from.

    “I guess people are just going off of what I say,” Volkanovski said. “Like, I’m like, ‘How many more do I have?’ You know, if I was to get beaten up, am I going to come back and fight? No, but that’s not my plans.

    “Unless things go horribly wrong, I’m planning on going back out there.”

    Alexander Volkanovski Claims No Plans For Retirement After UFC 325

    This year marks Volkanovski’s 10th anniversary in the Octagon. Making his professional MMA debut in May 2012, Volkanovski arrived to the UFC as a 13-1 fighter in November 2016.

    He won his first seven Octagon fights, including wins over Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, and Darren Elkins, before defeating Max Holloway for the UFC featherweight title at UFC 245. He made four consecutive title defenses, defeating Holloway (twice), Brian Ortega, and “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung-Jung.

    In 2023 and 2024, things seemed to hit a low point for Volkanovski. Outside of a successful title defense against Yair Rodriguez, he unsuccessfully challenged then-lightweight champion Islam Makhachev twice before dropping the featherweight title to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298. At UFC 314, however, he regained the then-vacant championship by defeating Lopes.

    Volkanovski admitted, however, that it wasn’t long after that fight that he had an honest conversation about his future.

    “There was a talk straight after my last fight.” Volkanovski said. “I’m like, ‘How many more?’ You never know. There were talks like that, but as soon I started training, I was like ‘Ah, let’s keep going.’”

    Volkanovski took a clear unanimous decision over Lopes in their first meeting, but Lopes rebounded with a finish of Jean Silva in the main event of Noche UFC 3 in September.

    Nevertheless, Volkanovski aims for a similar (or better) result this go-around.

    “Right now, I plan on everything going well, getting my hand raised, hopefully taking minimal damage so I can have a good turnaround,” Volkanovski said. “So the plan isn’t definitely to retire.”

  • January 2026 UFC Calendar: Everything You Need to Know Before UFC 324 & 325

    January 2026 UFC Calendar: Everything You Need to Know Before UFC 324 & 325

    January 2026 is the month the UFC officially enters its new era. The Paramount+ transition is complete. The streaming platform is live. And the biggest fights are about to happen. Here’s everything you need to know about the UFC’s January schedule.

    UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett

    Saturday, January 24, 2026
    T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
    Live on Paramount+

    This is it. The first major numbered event on Paramount+ and arguably the most important card of the early 2026 season. Everything here is significant.

    Main Event: Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett (Interim Lightweight Title)

    The interim lightweight title is on the line, with the winner earning the next shot at reigning champion Ilia Topuria. Both Gaethje and Pimblett have been vocal about their desire to challenge Topuria, and this fight will settle the question definitively.

    Gaethje is the veteran with elite wrestling and championship pedigree. He’s fought the best lightweights in the world and hasn’t backed down from anyone. His gas tank is legendary, and his ability to control pace and tempo is unmatched. A win puts him directly into a title fight.

    Pimblett brings momentum, charisma, and a loyal fanbase that extends beyond MMA. The Liverpool native has been climbing the rankings with impressive victories. He’s younger than Gaethje and potentially entering his athletic prime. A win here would be the signature victory of his career.

    Co-Main Event: Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes (Women’s Bantamweight Title)

    Amanda Nunes is coming out of retirement. Let that sink in. The fighter most people consider the greatest women’s MMA competitor of all time is putting on the gloves again to challenge Kayla Harrison for the bantamweight title.

    This fight has backstory. Harrison and Nunes were teammates at the same gym. There’s history. There’s rivalry. And there’s the intriguing question of whether Nunes’ remarkable technical skills have diminished at all during her time away from competition.

    Harrison is the defending champion and one of the most dominant fighters in the sport right now. She’s a heavy favorite in this matchup, but Nunes is Nunes. The striking, the grappling, the fight IQ—these don’t disappear. This could be the most compelling women’s fight of 2026.

    Additional UFC 324 Main Card Bouts

    Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva (Featherweight): Elite ranked featherweights colliding. Silva brings finishing ability and flashy striking. Allen brings technical depth and wrestling. Divisional implications are huge here.

    Derrick Lewis vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta (Heavyweight): The heavyweight division always delivers fireworks, and Lewis has been vocal about perceiving disrespect from oddsmakers. This should be a war.

    Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (Bantamweight): Championship pedigree meets rising contender in a bantamweight battle that will influence divisional positioning.

    Sean O’Malley vs. Yadong Song (Bantamweight): The former champion faces a fighter hungry for a title shot. Song has made his intentions clear. O’Malley has the experience but needs to prove he’s still dangerous after time away.

    UFC 325: Volkanovski vs. Lopes 2

    Saturday, January 31, 2026 (technically very early February)
    Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
    Live on Paramount+

    Just one week after UFC 324, the promotion returns to Sydney, Australia, for UFC 325. The featherweight championship rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes is the main event.

    Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2 (Featherweight Title)

    Volkanovski is a future hall of famer defending his belt against Diego Lopes in a rematch. The first fight between these two was competitive, and the second chapter profiles as a technical chess match between two elite strikers.

    Volkanovski brings championship experience, elite wrestling, and the credentials of being one of the best featherweights in UFC history. Lopes brings a hungry challenger’s mentality and striking that’s earned him a second crack at the title.

    This is quality featherweight action at its finest. Volkanovski will be the favorite, but Lopes has every chance to pull off the upset on the biggest stage.

    The Broader Context: A Stacked January

    What makes January 2026 so significant isn’t just that UFC 324 and 325 are strong cards—it’s that they’re bookending the month and establishing the tone for the entire year. The Paramount+ platform gets tested with two major numbered events in a single week. The streaming infrastructure needs to hold up. The fights need to deliver. The viewership numbers need to justify the massive investment.

    For fight fans, it’s straightforward: two great cards, packed with compelling matchups, broadcast on your Paramount+ subscription. No PPV fees. No additional charges. Just great fights.

    Looking Beyond January

    While UFC 324 and 325 are the headline acts for January, it’s worth noting what comes next:

    UFC Houston (February 21): Sean Strickland vs. Anthony Hernandez headlines this card at Toyota Center in Houston.

    UFC 326 (March 7): A numbered event in Las Vegas that was supposed to feature Paulo Costa vs. Brunno Ferreira in a middleweight bout, though Costa has since withdrawn.

    UFC London (March): Lerone Murphy has predicted he’ll return here, with possible matchups against top featherweight contenders like Aljamain Sterling or Movsar Evloev.

    UFC Seattle (March 28): The promotion heads to the Pacific Northwest with a card at Climate Pledge Arena.

    But all of that is secondary to what January represents. This is the month the new era truly begins. This is when Paramount+ proves it can deliver. This is when the 2026 season establishes itself as something special.

    Final Thoughts

    January 2026 will be remembered as the month that defined the entire year. Two elite numbered events, blockbuster matchups, incredible depth across multiple divisions, and the debut of the sport’s new distribution model. Whether you’re a casual fan tuning in for Gaethje vs. Pimblett or a hardcore viewer planning your entire month around both cards, January is unmissable.

    Mark your calendars. Get your Paramount+ subscription sorted. And prepare for one of the most compelling months in recent UFC history.

    The year has just begun, and the sport has never looked better.