UFC 325 was supposed to be Diego Lopes’ big night of redemption. Instead it was UFC 314 all over again, but worse.
Alexander Volkanovski handled Lopes with relative ease in Sydney, Australia, earning 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45 scorecards from the three judges cageside. Once again he was just too slick on the feet for Lopes to tag, resulting in a fight on January 31st, 2026 that was almost identical to their April 12th, 2025 tilt.
One important difference this time, though: Lopes limped out of the cage with worse injuries. According to his manager Jason House, the Brazilian-Mexican fighter hurt his feet over the five rounds of fighting with Volkanovski.
“Looks like we broke both feet,” House wrote in an Instagram Story. “Some nights you’re at the afterparty, some nights you’re at the ER. But every morning I give thanks for the opportunity to live this life with my best friends.”
Lopes himself also sent out some messages to his team and fans as well.
“Together until the end, through thick and thin,” he wrote on Instagram as a caption to a photo of his coaches and training partners. “We’ve fallen and gotten back up time and time again. So I’m just grateful that you’re with me on this journey.”
“No excuses,” he tweeted on X. “You’re ‘the great’ for a reason, Alexander Volkanovski. Thanks for the fight.”
Now that Lopes is 0-2 against Volk, he enters the strange shadow realm reserved for all top contenders who have used up their chances against the current champion. Until “The Great” ain’t so great and someone new knocks him from his perch, Lopes will be stuck playing gatekeeper to fighters walking their own path to potential championship gold. Or he will be once his two broken feet heal up.
