Diego Lopes has signaled a possible move to lightweight and Alexander Volkanovski has locked in a new deal, shifting both fighters’ immediate career paths. 11: 15 a. m. ET — both developments followed their rematch at ufc 325, when Volkanovski cruised to a lopsided win for the featherweight title.
Diego Lopes Eyes Lightweight Move After Ufc 325 Loss
The most immediate change is for Diego Lopes: he has hinted at potentially moving up to lightweight and is processing the loss with no regrets. Lopes sits at 27-8 as a professional, and he told Hablemos MMA in Spanish that he is “good” and “at peace with myself, ” framing the loss as one he can accept rather than a career-ending setback.
Alexander Volkanovski Signs New Contract After UFC 325
Alexander Volkanovski has signed a new UFC contract after UFC 325, a formal move that secures his future with the promotion following the rematch. The contract signing is the defining administrative consequence of the event for Volkanovski and establishes his standing with the organization going forward.
Diego Lopes Details Tactics in Rematch With Alexander Volkanovski
Lopes says he executed a fuller game plan at ufc 325 — he took Volkanovski down, locked in a submission attempt, and landed nearly as many strikes, citing a strikes-landed count of 169 to 168. He also said he “kicked a ton” and that the kicking left his feet damaged; in Round 5 he described multiple scrambles that Volkanovski exploited. Lopes argued the margin round-to-round was often only a strike or two and that, despite adjustments, Volkanovski was simply better that night.
Still, Lopes framed the loss as competitive progress: he said he did more than in their first meeting and defended takedowns and submissions while cutting angles on Volkanovski’s movement. That tactical account explains why Lopes is not planning an immediate exit from competition but is instead weighing a shift to a different weight class.
Closing: The next scheduled televised card mentioned in the available context is UFC 326, taking place tonight; that event offers the next public milestone in the promotion’s calendar. If Lopes formally moves to lightweight, he would begin competing in that division by his next scheduled fight cycle and alter matchmaking for both him and potential opponents in the lightweight ranks.
