Two big lightweight fights are joining the UFC 325 card in Sydney next year.
In the co-main event spot, Dan Hooker (24-13) will be fighting close to home when he takes on France’s Benoit Saint-Denis (16-3, 1NC). Rafael Fiziev (13-4), meanwhile, takes on Mauricio Ruffy (12-2) in a second promising match-up at 155lbs.
Both bouts were announced during Saturday night’s UFC 323 broadcast. UFC 325 takes place in Sydney, Australia at the Qudos Bank Arena on February 1, 2026 (locally, January 31 in North America).
Hooker, a.k.a. “The Hangman,” hails from nearby New Zealand and trains out of the famed City Kickboxing. Hooker was just seen in the main event of UFC Qatar last month, where he was submitted by #1-ranked lightweight Arman Tsarukyan.
Prior to the loss to Tsarukyan, Hooker had compiled a three-fight win streak.
Benoit Saint-Denis was last in action at UFC 322 in New York, where he knocked out Beneil Dariush, earning a Performance of the Night bonus in the process.
Rafael Fiziev snapped a three-fight skid in June, when he defeated Ignacio Bahamondes. Two of those losses, it’s worth noting, came to current lightweight contender and former interim champ Justin Gaethje.
Brazil’s Ruffy suffered the first loss of his UFC tenue last time out, coincidentally losing to Benoit Saint-Denis.
Dan Hooker sits at #6 in the lightweight division, Saint-Denis at #8, while Fiziev is #9 and Ruffy #14.
UFC 325 is headlined by a featherweight title fight, as Alexander Volkanovski throws down with Diego Lopes for the second time. A heavyweight match-up between Tai Tuivasa and Tallison Teixeira is also scheduled.
