Alexander Volkanovski after regaining the UFC featherweight title (Getty Images)

Alex Pattle13 April 2025 06:55

Alexander Volkanovski (left) and Diego Lopes show mutual respect (Getty Images)

What a fight. If someone told you beforehand that Volk would get dropped, would you have backed him to recover and win? Almost certainly not.

He showed he still has physical resilience, while showing his skillset is still incredible.

Alex Pattle13 April 2025 06:31

Lopes: “Listen, it was an honour to share the Octagon with a legend like Alexander Volkanovski, but I’ll be back.

“This is a man who’s so experienced in the UFC, what a career he’s had. Tonight, maybe I came up short, but I can see myself coming back.

“I’ll get better […] I’m gonna become a champion.”

Volk: “Oh, man, it’s good to be back. I’ve never felt the love so much.

“I was saying all week, I even said it to the camera before I walked out: I promised my girls I’ll bring the belt back to them, but then I thought… it doesn’t matter about bringing the belt back.

“A lot of people counted me out […] To come back and beat a gun like Diego Lopes…

“It’s good to be back. To everyone watching, hey, adversity is a privilege, it truly is.

“This moment is incredible. I love you all, I really appreciate you.

“It’s an opportunity: you get adversity, if you build yourself back; it’s only gonna make you stronger, even if it doesn’t work out

“This is the s*** people are gonna write books about.”

Alexander Volkanovski def. Diego Lopes via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 49-46)

TWO-TIME! Volk regains the 145lb title! Deservedly so.

Alex Pattle13 April 2025 06:16

Final frame! Lopes is pressing forward. He misses with a wheel kick, wasted motion.

Nice right hook and jab by Volk. Hard cross now. Lopes with a straight of his own. Volk is denied a double-leg, then Lopes complains of an eye poke, but ref Marc Goddard isn’t having it.

Stiff jab from Volk, then a cross, and a knee to the body in close. Lopes is stalking Volk but looks frustrated.

One minute to go. Left hook gets through for Lopes, but he eats a jab. Lopes looks angry, and he’s going after the ex-champ now!

Volk has to be smart here. He almost trips the 30-year-old. Now he prioritises skipping around, trying to reach the buzzer, and he does!

WHAT A FIGHT! It should be Volk’s!

Into the championship rounds, familiar territory for Volk – not so much for Lopes!

Lopes gets the crowd going. This is a great, tense fight.

One-two connects for Volk. Now an overhand right in a messy trade.

Volk is landing frequently, but an uppercut has hurt him, and Lopes is bearing down on him!! Volk is looking really sloppy here!

A left hook gets through for Lopes… He needs to put it on Volk, but he isn’t!

Volk makes it to the buzzer, but that’s a Lopes round. Volk may be 3-1 up, but it could be 2-2 depending on how the judges interpret round two.

Alex Pattle13 April 2025 06:06

That second round might *still* be Volk’s; although he was dropped, he half-dropped Lopes earlier and was winning the round handily.

Round three. Volk gets in and out and avoids a couple of wild throws by Lopes. Low kicks from Volk. A decent one-two again by Lopes.

Volk is pulling his head back straight a lot, he might want to mix up his exits to avoid getting predictable. Both men land in a heavy exchange now… Volk lands two right hooks while retreating. Stern jab from Lopes.

Din Thomas and Joe Rogan say Volk needs to turn this into a brawl, as he’s the bigger hitter – absolutely NOT, awful advice.

Volk shoots for a double-leg, to no avail. He switches stances back and forth. Grazing cross now. Lopes misses with a wheel kick. Hard overhand from Volk. Lopes with a front kick to the body.

Lopes presses forward now, trying to gain some momentum. He misses with a slashing right hand.

Volk is managing the range well at the moment. He lands a decent right hook. Lopes denies Volk a takedown, and the Aussie gets back to his low kicks.

Good cross by Volk as Lopes kicks low. Tidy jab by the former champ. Lopes with one of his own.

OH! Again Volk lands heavily, with a right and left, and Lopes stumbles badly to the fence! Volk pounces, grabbing the challenger, but he fails to take him down.

Good recovery in the short term by Lopes. Stabbing jabs from Volk, but he has a bad cut around his right eye now…

OH!!! Late in the round, Lopes drops Volk with a massive one-two!!! Wow!