UFC wanted to milk the action-packed first fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes. And that brought fans to UFC 325, headlined by their rematch in the champion’s hometown. However, as most fans expected, a second fight didn’t change the result much. Instead, it solidified what happened in the first one.

‘The Great’ proved once again why he is the UFC featherweight champion in his own backyard, as he secured a unanimous decision win over his Brazilian opponent at the center of Qudos Bank Arena. Now, the question is—who’s next for Volkanovski? 

There are two men that UFC 325 winner Alexander Volkanovski could fight next

When the rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes was announced, many fans were disappointed that ‘The Great’ wasn’t fighting who they believed he should be. The Australian champion himself didn’t seem particularly eager for the rematch. 

But he accepted what the UFC put in front of him. Now, after defeating Lopes twice, Volkanovski has cleared the deck and can finally turn his attention to opponents who truly deserve a title shot. At the top of that list is the No. 1-ranked featherweight, Movsar Evloev. 

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The undefeated Russian has been on an impressive run, picking up victories over Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen, and Diego Lopes in his last three outings. There may be no better fight to further cement Volkanovski’s legacy in the division.

Add to that the fact that Evloev hasn’t competed since December 2024, and a comeback bout against Volk would be nothing short of a spectacle. However, if that matchup doesn’t materialize, there’s another compelling option waiting in the wings: Lerone Murphy. 

Like his Russian counterpart, Murphy remains undefeated and has been steadily climbing the rankings with strong wins over Dan Ige, Josh Emmett, and Aaron Pico in his last three fights. Currently ranked No. 4 at featherweight, Murphy represents a fresh challenge and a high-stakes opportunity.

For the UFC, this fight would also serve a bigger purpose—building a potential new star. A win over “The Great” could catapult Murphy into true superstardom, while giving Volkanovski yet another chance to prove why he’s one of the greatest featherweights of all time.

However, the latest rumor is that the promotion will pit these undefeated contenders against each other at a London Fight Night in March. If that is the case, someone’s ‘0’ will go, and the winner could take on Volkanovski at the International Fight Week in Vegas or later. It is difficult to see the 37-year-old champion come back sooner than that after a 25-minute scrap and a full training camp for UFC 325.

But what does Volkanovski think?

Volkanovski revealed who is more deserving of a title shot

‘The Great’ previously admitted that Movsar Evloev and Lerone Murphy were more deserving of a title shot. Following the announcement of his UFC 325 title defense in Sydney, Volkanovski acknowledged the confusion among fans, especially since he already defeated Lopes in April last year to win the vacant belt.

“I thought Movsar was deserving,” Volkanovski said. “Lerone Murphy, I thought they were the two guys. They were the guys I called out.” While accepting the UFC’s decision, the champion conceded, “With your Movsars and Lerones, they’re probably more deserving.”

If Volkanovski is not getting one of the two most deserving featherweight contenders next, he has the option to move up. He has already vied for the 155 lbs belt twice against Islam Makhachev. ‘Volk’s resume is even better now, having defended the belt a record eight times, on par with Jose Aldo. That puts to rest any questions about merit.

He also has a loss against lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, which he would want to avenge. It is a longshot and the UFC is unlikely to take this route, given the traffic jam on the lightweight highway. After UFC 326, the matchmakers will have interim champion Justin Gaethje, and the winner of the Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira 2 bout calling for the title fight.

So, the least surprising route will be for the UFC to ideally book a fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy next. But do you think the promotion will go with it?