Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes are set to face off in a highly anticipated rematch at UFC 325. Both fighters made weight, with Volkanovski at 144.5 pounds and Lopes at 145 pounds. This matchup is crucial for both, especially after Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision at UFC 314 in April, claiming the featherweight title. This victory marked Volkanovski as a two-time champion. Lopes bounced back with an impressive knockout against Jean Silva, securing his shot at Volkanovski again.
In the co-main event, lightweights Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint Denis both weighed in at 155.75 pounds, using the one-pound allowance for non-title fights. Among 28 fighters, Aaron Tau was the only one to miss weight. Unexpectedly, he first weighed in at 122.5 pounds but then came back at 129 pounds after a questionable weigh-in process. His failure to meet the limit led to the cancellation of his bout against Namsrai Batbayar.
For deeper insight, it’s worth noting that weight issues in mixed martial arts have been a long-standing concern. In 2022, over 30% of fighters missed weight across major promotions, highlighting the pressure athletes face. This can often lead to changes in matchups, as seen with Tau’s situation.
The weigh-in results are:
Main Card:
- Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Diego Lopes (145)
- Dan Hooker (155.75) vs. Benoit Saint Denis (155.75)
- Rafael Fiziev (155.5) vs. Mauricio Ruffy (155.25)
- Tai Tuivasa (265.5) vs. Tallison Teixeira (259)
- Quillan Salkilld (155.5) vs. Jamie Mullarkey (155.5)
Preliminaries:
- Junior Tafa (205.25) vs. Billy Elekana (204)
- Cameron Rowston (184.5) vs. Cody Brundage (184.75)
- Jacob Malkoun (185.75) vs. Torrez Finney (185.75)
- Jonathan Micallef (170.5) vs. Oban Elliott (169.75)
Early Prelims:
- Kaan Ofli (145.25) vs. Yizha (145.5)
- Sangwook Kim (155.75) vs. Dom Mar Fan (154.75)
- Keiichiro Nakamura (145.25) vs. Sebastian Szalay (145.75)
- Sulangrangbo (135.75) vs. Lawrence Lui (135.25)
- Aaron Tau (129) vs. Namsrai Batbayar (126) — Tau missed weight; bout cancelled.
A reliable source for further information on this event is the official UFC page, which keeps fans updated on match results and fighter statistics. The intense energy leading up to UFC 325 shows just how serious these athletes are about their craft, and fans are eager to see who will emerge victorious.
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Alexander Volkanovski, Diego Lopes, UFC, UFC flyweight, Aaron Tau, Benoit Saint Denis, UFC
