• What: UFC 325
  • Who: Alexander Volanovski (c) vs Diego Lopes, for the UFC featherweight title; Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint Denis, lightweight bout
  • Where: Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, Australia
  • When: Saturday, January 31, 9:00 p.m. EDT
  • Watch: Paramount+

The main event at UFC 325 is a rematch between champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Diego Lopes for Volkanovski's world featherweight title belt.

Champion Volkanovski is set as the -155 favorite. You'll be accessing +133 underdog odds if you opt to go with the challenger Lopes.

Let's look at the latest betting lines. Odds are subject to change.

UFC 325 OddsThe PickBovadaBetOnlineBetUS
Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego LopesVolkanovski-155-155-155
Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint DenisHooker+260+250+246

The co-main event is a lightweight bout between Dan Hooker and Benoit Saint Denis. Saint Denis is the heavy -320 chalk in the UFC betting odds in this bout. UFC betting odds of +260 are available on Hooker.

In this article, OSB will be analyzing the fighters in each of these main event bouts, offering a predicted winner in both matchups, and also providing some additional notes and information regarding UFC 325 picks and UFC betting.

UFC 325 Overview: Alexander Volkanovski vs Diego Lopes

This bout is a rematch of their first meeting at UFC 314, when Volkanovski and Lopes clashed for the vacant UFC featherweight world title. Volkanovski defeated Lopes by unanimous decision to claim the belt.

Fighter Spotlight: Alexander Volkanovski

Formerly a boxer, Volkanovski (27-4) is a two-time UFC featherweight world champion. He was the first Australian-born fighter to win a UFC world title belt.

He originally claimed the crown by beating champion Max Holloway at UFC 245 in December 2019. Volkanovski successfully defended his title belt five times before losing to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024. He reclaimed the title by beating Lopes in what was his previous bout to this one.

He has lost three of his past five fights. However, two of those setbacks were against champion Islam Makhachev as Volkanovski stepped up in weight to challenge for the UFC lightweight world title.

Fighter Spotlight: Diego Lopes

Brazilian Lopes (27-7) was riding a five-fight win streak when he lost his title challenge to Volkanovski in their first meeting. He rebounded by defeating Jean Silva via TKO last September.

Lopes is 8-2 over his past 10 bouts. He was named the 2024 breakout fighter of the year by ESPN. Lopes is the No. 2 contender in the UFC featherweight division.

Prediction: Considered one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history, Volkanovski is situated as No. 5 on the UFC pound-for-pound rankings. He is the more experienced of the two fighters, especially in terms of major fights. Volkanovski is also the more versatile fighter in terms of his volume and range control inside the octagon.

Alexander Volkanovski To retain lightweight title at UFC 325
Bovada
-155
Bet Now!

The best hope for Lopes is to take advantage of his punching power and hunt for an early knockout. Volkanovski has been knocked out twice in his last three fights, leading to questions about his chin. However, he'll use his savvy combination of jabs and leg kicks to keep Lopes at bay and outpoint him for a unanimous decision victory. Take Volkanovski to win in the UFC 325 betting picks.

UFC 325 Overview: Dan Hooker vs Benoit Saint Denis

Hooker (N0. 5) and Saint Denis (N0. 8) are both rated among the top 10 contenders in the lightweight division. A victory in this bout could set the winner up for a title shot.

Fighter Spotlight: Dan Hooker

New Zealander Hooker (24-13) lost his last bout to Arman Tasrukyan. He's dropped five of his past nine fights.

Hooker has been in the cage against many of the world's top lightweights and held his own. He displays a 78% career takedown defense.

Fighter Spotlight: Benoit Saint Denis

Saint Denis (16-3-1) was a corporal in the French army before turning to MMA. He joined UFC in 2021 and is 8-3-1 fighting in the promotion.

Saint Denis has won each of his last three fights within two rounds, either by knockout or submission.  Before that, he lost two in a row, including a second-round knockout loss to Dustin Poirier.

Prediction: Saint Denis is an aggressive fighter with supreme wrestling skills. He looks to go forward from the outset, seeking an early finish by knockout or submission. However, when he doesn't get that early finish, his gas tank tends to run out quickly.

Dan Hooker To defeat Benoit Saint Denis at UFC 325
BetOnline
-300
Bet Now!

This is where Hooker can utilize his veteran savvy to gain the advantage over the Frenchman. He'll use his 2.5-inch reach advantage to hold off Saint Denis. Once this fight moves into the championship rounds, that's when Hooker's durability edge will kick into gear. Take the price and go with Hooker for the upset in the UFC 325 picks.

Boost Your UFC Picks

Before getting your wagers down on UFC 325, don't forget to check out the best UFC betting odds to ensure you are getting the best bets available. You can also use sportsbook reviews 2026 to find a betting site to service your needs in UFC betting picks. And if you're new to the world of online sports betting, don't fret about being in over your head. There are plenty of how-to tips that you can peruse in our handy sports betting guide.