UFC 325 UK Start Time: Volkanovski vs Lopes Sydney Showdown Tonight
Alexander Volkanovski makes a highly anticipated return to Sydney as he aims to defend his featherweight championship on home soil against the surging contender Diego Lopes. This headline bout caps off a thrilling UFC 325 card, set to ignite the Qudos Bank Arena in Australia.
Volkanovski's Redemption Quest After Turbulent Years
It has been a challenging period for Alexander Volkanovski over the last three years. Following two defeats to Islam Makhachev in pursuit of the lightweight title, the Australian fighter lost his featherweight belt to Ilia Topuria in 2024. That knockout loss prompted Volkanovski to take a year-long hiatus from the sport, reflecting on his career and strategy.
Upon his return, Volkanovski seized an opportunity to reclaim championship status after Topuria moved up in weight class. However, he faced a formidable challenge in Diego Lopes, a dynamic force who has impressed during his UFC tenure. In their previous encounter, the 37-year-old Volkanovski was knocked down by the younger star but demonstrated resilience to secure a points victory. Nearly a year later, they are set for a rematch in what promises to be an epic showdown Down Under.
What Time Does UFC 325 Start in the UK Tonight?
For fans in the United Kingdom eager to catch the action, here are the detailed start times for UFC 325. The event is scheduled to take place at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia, with timings adjusted for GMT.
- Early Prelims: Expected to begin at approximately 10pm GMT on Saturday.
- Regular Prelims: Due to start at 12am GMT on Sunday.
- Main Card: Will kick off at a new time of 2am GMT on Sunday.
- Main Event Walkouts: Diego Lopes is likely to enter the cage first at around 4am GMT on Sunday, followed immediately by Alexander Volkanovski.
Please note that all fight timings are subject to change and may depend on the duration of the undercard bouts.
How to Watch Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes on TV and Live Stream
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the event live on TNT Sports. This coverage is also accessible via platforms such as Discovery+, EE TV, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video, and Sky Sports. For those in the United States, the event will be available for live streaming on Paramount+. Additionally, the early and regular prelims can be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.
Full Fight Card and Undercard for UFC 325
The UFC 325 card features a stacked lineup of bouts across multiple weight classes. Below is the complete fight card:
Main Card
- Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes
- Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint-Denis
- Rafael Fiziev vs Mauricio Ruffy
- Tai Tuivasa vs Tallison Teixeira
- Quillan Salkilld vs Rongzhu
Prelims
- Junior Tafa vs Billy Elekana
- Cam Rowston vs Cody Brundage
- Jacob Malkoun vs Torrez Finney
- Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott
Early Prelims
- Kaan Ofli vs Yizha
- Sangwook Kim vs Dom Mar Fan
- Keiichiro Nakamura vs Sebastian Szalay
- Sulangrangbo vs Lawrence Lui
Quotes Corner: Fighters' Mindsets Ahead of the Bout
Alexander Volkanovski: In a recent interview with ESPN, Volkanovski shared his aggressive strategy for the fight. He stated, "I feel like I could have done this to all of my opponents: proper bulldoze them and go straight through these guys. And that’s what I plan on doing this time. You wanna come aggressive at me? Be ready for big, big shots coming your way." He emphasised his intent to dominate, adding, "I’ll be strategic, I’ll make sure you don’t hit me, but you come aggressive, something big’s coming back at you."
Diego Lopes: Reflecting on their first fight, Lopes acknowledged areas for improvement. He told reporters, "I know I make a lot of mistakes in the first fight with Volk. I tried to only finish him with one big hit, you know, one big punch. After the second round I dropped him I feel like okay I have the power for finishing him. I only looked for this. I forget many things in my game plan. I fixed this in training camp so now it’s completely different."
