Brett OkamotoFeb 1, 2026, 12:00 PM ET
- Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
Alexander Volkanovski put to bed any suggestion that his win over Diego Lopes last April was a fluke when he defeated Lopes again at UFC 325 in Sydney on Saturday. With that settled, attention now turns to who could beat Volkanovski. Two names immediately come to mind, but to get to Volk, they might have to go through one another.
With big wins of their own, lightweights Benoît Saint Denis, Mauricio Ruffy and Quillan Salkilld each took major steps toward establishing themselves among the division's elite. Lucky for them, matchmaking options are plentiful at 155 pounds. Take a look at who we foresee as the next opponents for the stars of UFC 325.
Alexander Volkanovski, featherweight champion
Who should be next: Winner of Movsar Evloev vs. Lerone Murphy
The UFC hasn't announced a bout between Evloev and Murphy, but it's a strong possibility -- and at this point, it makes sense. Volkanovski likes quick turnarounds, but at 37 years old, it would be appropriate for him to take time before jumping right back into camp. And to make Volkanovski's next title defense as big as possible, let's be honest, Evloev and Murphy both need a win first. They're both deserving of a title shot, but neither fighter is terribly exciting at the moment. Perhaps a fight between them would give UFC fans a true, exciting, No. 1 contender.
Wild card: Evloev
If Volkanovski decides he really wants to fight again in a matter of months, he would need a challenger. And even though Evloev hasn't fought in over a year, he is the No. 1 contender, and Volkanovski wants to face him.
Diego Lopes, featherweight
Who should be next: Yair Rodriguez
There's animosity between these two, dating back to a news conference last spring when they went back and forth over Lopes' ties to Mexico. Rodriguez has had trouble staying active throughout his career and he has been dealing with a hand injury as of late. But if he can be ready to go in a reasonable time frame, this is 100 percent the fight to make.
Wild card: Winner of Josh Emmett vs. Kevin Vallejos on March 14
Especially if Vallejos beats Emmett. Vallejos looks like a juggernaut, with knockouts in two of his first three UFC appearances. If he were to knock out Emmett in his first UFC main event, the UFC would have a hard time fighting the temptation to turn him loose against the top of the division. Stylistically, Lopes vs. Vallejos would be a home run, featuring two of the hardest hitters in the division. And to be clear, Lopes vs. Emmett would be just fine as well. Emmett is 40 years old, so he's looking to make the biggest moves possible, as soon as possible. If he stops the hype that's behind Vallejos, why not elevate him to a big opportunity, knowing he's on borrowed time?
Benoît Saint Denis, lightweight
Who should be next: Arman Tsarukyan
Anything outside of a title opportunity feels like a slight to Tsarukyan, but that's where we're at. He's not getting a title shot next, outside of something really wild taking place. So, what then? Saint Denis has now entered similar territory. It doesn't make sense for him to fight down in the rankings, other than simply to stay active. It's not a perfect situation for either of these guys, frankly. The entire division is logjammed, with champion Ilia Topuria on a leave of absence, an interim belt in the mix and two monster names, Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway, still ranked in the top 5. Unless Saint Denis and Tsarukyan both want to sit and wait, they'll need to keep taking fights, and this one undoubtedly makes the most sense.
Wild card: Winner of Oliveira vs. Holloway at UFC 326
This fight is doubtful because I don't see Oliveira or Holloway having any interest in it. Sometimes the UFC will try to force a matchup, but I don't think even the promotion would see sense in this one. The winner of the BMF title fight at UFC 326 will absolutely be looking for a bigger fight than Saint Denis -- but depending on what happens, they might not have a choice. For his part, Saint Denis was smart to call for the BMF winner in his postfight interview.
Mauricio Ruffy, lightweight
Who should be next: Michael Chandler
I feel bad about this suggestion because Chandler deserves better. We all know it. Chandler played every card right in terms of getting a bout with Conor McGregor, but McGregor took too long, and some of the steam he built is gone. Is it the "right thing" for the UFC to book Chandler a fight with McGregor? Yes, it is. Are there other great options to pair McGregor against? Yes, of course. If Chandler doesn't get the McGregor fight, he's likely looking at a matchup like Ruffy -- a dangerous fighter, who has more to gain than Chandler. As unfair as that might be for Chandler, it's a great proposition for Ruffy. Ruffy has all the potential in the world, despite losing to Benoît Saint Denis last year, and this is the kind of matchup that could catapult his popularity.
Wild card: Beneil Dariush
Ruffy called out the likes of McGregor and Paddy Pimblett, which is smart and might come to fruition. At the moment, I don't see either lining up. So if Ruffy can't get the big name (throw Chandler in there as well), the next best thing is to continue to solidify himself as a legitimate contender against the established names of the division. Dariush is as established as they come, even though he's likely near the end of his career. Dariush needs to defend his ranking, and Ruffy is one of the bigger figures knocking on the door.
Quillan Salkilld, lightweight
Who should be next: Manuel Torres
How much hype can one fight have, right? It's hard to temper excitement for a young talent such as Salkilld. He's a well-rounded finisher with plenty of charisma -- and has performed well under the spotlight. The UFC has a million matchmaking options for Salkilld and might elect to take the slow approach. Personally, I wouldn't. A matchup against another high-octane finisher such as Torres would be electrifying and could already serve as a main event. Torres is 5-1 in the UFC with five first-round knockouts. The UFC is always in need of a star, and one way or another, a star would emerge from this matchup.
Wild card: Jalin Turner
Not too long ago, Turner was being viewed as a potential title hopeful. Then he lost four of five fights and even "retired" for a minute before getting back in the win column in December against Edson Barboza. Is Turner back for real and ready to make a run, or is he on borrowed time, less than a year removed from announcing an MMA departure? We could find out in a matchup like this.
