Background
The event marked the promotion's eighth visit to Sydney and first since UFC 312 in February 2025.[2]
A UFC Featherweight Championship rematch between reigning two-time champion Alexander Volkanovski and former title challenger Diego Lopes headlined the event.[3] The pair previously met at UFC 314 in April 2025, where Volkanovski captured the vacant championship with a unanimous decision victory.[4]
A welterweight bout between Oban Elliott and Jonathan Micallef took place at the event.[5] The pairing was originally expected to take place at UFC Fight Night: Ulberg vs. Reyes in September 2025, but was cancelled less than 48 hours before the event after Elliott withdrew due to illness.[6][7]
A heavyweight bout between Serghei Spivac and 2022 PFL Heavyweight Tournament winner Ante Delija was initially scheduled for this event.[8] The bout was later rescheduled to UFC Fight Night: Strickland vs. Hernandez in February.[9]
A lightweight bout between Road to UFC Season 2 lightweight tournament winner Rong Zhu and Quillan Salkilld was originally scheduled for this event.[10] However, Rong withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Jamie Mullarkey.[11]
A light heavyweight bout between Jimmy Crute and Dustin Jacoby was scheduled for this event.[12] However, Crute withdrew due to a ruptured ACL and the bout was cancelled.[13] Jacoby was then re-scheduled to compete the following week at UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira.[14]
Additionally, three Road to UFC Season 4 finals took place at the event.[15] The flyweight tournament final between Aaron Tau and Namsrai Batbayar was also scheduled for the event. At the weigh-ins, Tau initially used a curtained privacy box and weighed in at 122.5 pounds, 3.5 pounds under the flyweight non-title fight limit. When asked for a second attempt without the box, he then weighed in at 129 pounds, three pounds over the limit, resulting in the cancellation of the bout.[16][17]
