TLDR
- Volkanovski denied reports that UFC 325 will be his final fight, calling them a misunderstanding
- The champion said his career may not extend beyond two years but retirement is not imminent
- He wants to face an undefeated fighter as his ideal final opponent, possibly Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy
- Volkanovski considered retirement after UFC 314 but changed his mind once he resumed training
- He defends his featherweight title against Diego Lopes at UFC 325 on January 31
Sources: Heavy | Fight Sports | MMA Mania
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has shut down reports suggesting his upcoming fight at UFC 325 will be his last. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, the champion called the retirement speculation a misunderstanding.
“I don’t know where [those reports] came from exactly,” Volkanovski said. “Unless some things go horrendously wrong, I plan on going back out there.”
Volkanovski will defend his featherweight championship against Diego Lopes in the main event of UFC 325. The rumors gained traction after the champion discussed his future following his previous victory over Lopes at UFC 314.
The Australian fighter clarified that while his career may not extend beyond two years, he has no immediate plans to retire. He explained that people may have misinterpreted his comments about wondering how many fights he has left.
“If I was to get beaten up, am I going to come to fight? No,” Volkanovski said. “But that’s not my plans.”
He added that he expects to win at UFC 325 and continue fighting. “Right now, I plan on everything going well, getting my hand raised,” Volkanovski said. “Hopefully taking minimal damage, so I could have a quick turnaround and still fighting. The plan definitely isn’t to retire.”
Alexander Volkanovski addresses retirement rumors ahead of Diego Lopes rematch at #UFC325 👀
Full details: https://t.co/854aAqaBpe pic.twitter.com/DMQD4qBqKe
— Sportskeeda MMA (@sportskeedaMMA) January 13, 2026
Champion Outlines Ideal Retirement Scenario
While denying immediate retirement plans, Volkanovski offered insight into how he envisions ending his career. The champion said he doesn’t want his final fight to be against someone he has already beaten.
Instead, Volkanovski wants to face an undefeated fighter as his final challenge. “Whether [it is] the next one taking on an undefeated fighter in the UFC or something like that, I mean, that’s appealing,” Volkanovski said. “Maybe that could be one that I finish up on.”
Based on his comments, Volkanovski appears to have approximately two fights remaining in his career. His ideal final opponent could be Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy, both undefeated contenders he showed interest in before Lopes was named his UFC 325 opponent.
Evloev currently holds a perfect 19-0 record. Murphy stands at 17-0-1 and is coming off a knockout victory over Aaron Pico.
Training Renewed Champion’s Motivation
Volkanovski revealed he did have honest discussions about retirement after defeating Lopes at UFC 314. He won that fight by unanimous decision to capture the vacant featherweight championship.
The victory marked a comeback after Volkanovski suffered a knockout loss to Ilia Topuria the previous year. Despite absorbing damage in the Lopes fight, he proved he could still compete at the highest level.
“There were talks straight after my last fight [with Lopes],” Volkanovski told The Ariel Helwani Show. “I’m like, ‘Alright, how many more?’ You never know.”
However, his perspective changed once he returned to the gym. “There were talks like that but as soon as I started training, I was like, ‘Let’s keep going,'” Volkanovski said.
The champion has been fielding questions about his future for months following his recent losses. He remains focused on defending his title at UFC 325 on January 31 against Lopes in their rematch.
