The UFC has confirmed its headline fight for UFC 325, and along with it, the worst possible matchup for Alexander Volkanovski. Set to take on Diego Lopes for a rematch, Volkanovski is gearing up for a turn of events that could recreate Lopes’ iconic knockdown at UFC 314, only to turn out worse than last time.

The two have some history at Miami that put the cracks in his game on full display. In the end, ‘The Great’ edged out Lopes via decision, but his head coach wanted it quits right then. But the featherweight is looking at another title fight, with everything to lose and nothing to gain.

Volkanovski’s no-win paradox explained

Speaking at the Bohnfire podcast, retired UFC fighter Din Thomas shared his two cents on what he believes to be one of the most trivial yet threatening fights ever. It’s Volkanovski vs Lopes 2. Responding to whether a win in this fight will affect his legacy in any way, Thomas was brutally honest.

“No, it doesn’t. But it will do a lot for Diego Lopez if he wins.” Further, he added, “So Volk is kind of—actually, I think Volk is in a no-win situation here. In a way he’s in a no-win situation, because if he wins, hey, you just beat this guy last year. And if he wins, you say, yeah, but there are two other guys that probably deserve it more than he does.”

Thomas’ words couldn’t ring truer with Lopes being the perfect combination of high-threat yet obscure fighter in the UFC. Having already defeated him, even though with a shaky fight, winning this fight again would hardly add anything to the legacy Volkanovski has already created. On the flip side, Lopes has everything to gain and more if he wins.

Moreover, Lopes seems to have a real edge over his Australian challenger. He’s significantly taller at 5ft 11 with a greater reach of 72.5 inches. Topping that is his latest jaw-dropping win against the previously undefeated Jean Silva with a fierce back fist, and Lopes has got both a jiu-jitsu edge and a striking maestro in his arsenal.

However, Volkanovski, at 37, has nothing to prove against his younger opponent. A loss in the UFC 325 headlining fight could make a dent in the path of his exit. However, it is far from scarring his legacy in the MMA.

“I think if he loses, this might be it for him, you know? I mean, he’s a Hall of Famer. Come on, man. Of course. So if he loses, this might be it for him. If he wins, there’s no way; if he’s going to continue to fight until he loses. If he wins this fight, he’s going to fight the next challenger, whoever that may be, Leon or Movsar. But if he loses, this is probably it for him,” Thomas stated.

Alexander Volkanovski’s head coach made his plans clear on sighting the BMF title after UFC 325, but even he believes calling it quits in a good position would have been a wiser decision. But this paradoxical trivia isn’t the only downside to this matchup.

Volkanovski vs Lopes snubs more deserving fighters

The current UFC 325 headline fight is a rinse-repeat of UFC 314, and Alexander Volkanovski will be catching strays, despite winning or losing. On the other hand, two other fighters deserved a better shot at this title fight, but were painfully sidelined—Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev.

The undefeated contender from England, Murphy, has a daunting pro record of 17-0-1. In the UFC, the Brit has already secured 9 wins, the most recent of them coming at UFC 319 in August. Finishing the fight with a highlight-reel performance, Murphy KO’ed Aaron Pico in the first round with a spinning back elbow. Volkanovski himself complimented Murphy after this win, naming him as the next top challenger for the Aussie.

“I think it’s a bit of a no-brainer. December’s looking good. There were earlier dates that probably wouldn’t work for guys that are fighting right now anyway, so the later dates were always looking better for me anyway – and for my future potential opponents. So, December’s looking like it could be there,” Volkanovski contemplated on a potential fight with Murphy in December.

The featherweight champion also considered Evloev, also undefeated in the FW division. However, Evloev, set to fight Aaron Pico, withdrew from the fight due to an injury he suffered in the training camp. That has been a major setback for Evloev in gaining a title fight. Regardless, Volkanovski vs Lopes isn’t looking good, both for the FW champion and the fans. Do you believe Chapter 2 in their arc to be a necessary matchup?