Dana White announced that Alexander Volkanovski will defend his UFC Featherweight title against Diego Lopes in Australia on January 31 as the main event of UFC 325.
Notably, UFC 324 will take place the weekend before in Las Vegas.
Volkanovski successfully defended the title against Lopes this past April with a unanimous decision victory at UFC 314. In September, Lopes returned to the Octagon to stop Jean Silva at UFC Noche to put himself back in the title picture.
Arguably, there could have been other featherweights in the rankings deserving of the title fight but with their first bout earning Fight of the Night and a return to Australia where Volkanovski is popular in the region, the fight seemed like the right one.
Lerone Murphy, who had a legitimate argument to challenge for the title posted a day after the announcement on X.
It is what it is. Business is never personal. We dust off and move forward.
— LERONE MURPHY (@LeroneMurphy) November 28, 2025
Meanwhile, Mosvar Evloev, another legitimate challenger for a title shot, made his own pronouncement challenging Murphy.
Leon Murphy I will give you the opportunity to fight the number one contender. Tell your people your ready to fight me on the same card as the championship
— Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) November 27, 2025
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