Anik & Florian UFC 325 Recap from DOWN UNDA’
UFC 325 RECAP FROM DOWN UNDA’ WITH ANIK & FLORIAN!
All The Smoke Fight Partnership Brings FIRE Analysis From UFC 325 Sydney
By Cody Merrow
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WHAT IS UP Fight Bananas family! If you haven’t been tuning into The Anik & Florian Podcast, you are MISSING OUT on the best MMA analysis in the game right now. And I don’t say this lightly, these guys just came back from Sydney, Australia for UFC 325, and the latest episode (Episode 581!) is absolutely STACKED with insider info, fight breakdowns, and that signature Anik & Flo chemistry that makes this the must-listen pod in combat sports.
Here’s the thing though, this wasn’t just any episode. This was the FIRST show under their new partnership with All The Smoke Fight powered by All The Smoke Productions. That’s right, Jon Anik and Kenny Florian have leveled up, and the energy is ELECTRIC. Let’s break down everything that went down in this instant-classic episode. BUCKLE UP!
🥊 Volk Is BACK and He’s Not Going ANYWHERE
Let’s start with the elephant in the octagon, Alexander The Great Volkanovski absolutely DOMINATED Diego Lopez in their rematch at UFC 325. And when I say dominated, I mean 50-45 across the board. Yes, you read that right, one judge gave Volk EVERY. SINGLE. ROUND.
Anik and Florian dove DEEP into this one, and Kenny brought some incredible insight as a former featherweight title challenger himself. Here’s what stood out:
- Volk’s footwork was absolutely PRISTINE. He made Diego Lopez look like he was chasing a ghost out there.
- Diego couldn’t cut off the cage. Kenny broke down why—it takes YEARS to develop the footwork and defensive skills needed to trap someone like Volk. This rematch was too soon for Diego to make those adjustments.
- You could argue Volk won ALL TEN ROUNDS between both fights. Think about that for a second. TEN. ROUNDS. That’s championship-level dominance.
- And goddamn if that walkout wasn’t one of the TOP FIVE UFC moments ever. The entire Brisbane arena sang Down Under by Men At Work, and when Bruce Buffer announced ALEXANDER the crowd went INSANE. Chills, people. CHILLS.
BUT HERE’S THE CRAZY PART, Anik pointed out that Volk is now +150 on DraftKings to END 2026 as the UFC featherweight champion. That means the bookmakers think there’s a legit chance he loses the belt this year, probably to Movsar Evloev or Lerone Murphy. But after what we just saw? I’m not so sure. Volk is 37 years old and fighting like he’s 27. The hunger is STILL THERE.
IS VOLKANOVSKI THE GOAT?
Breaking down #UFC325 with @Jon_Anik and @kennyflorianLIVE ⬇️⬇️⬇️https://t.co/Nh7oOtulWQ pic.twitter.com/cT8CTd1pEV
— Anik & Florian Podcast (@AnikFlorianPod) February 3, 2026
🥊 Benoit Saint-Denis is a PROBLEM (and Jon Wants Him in a Street Fight)
Okay guys, if you’re not paying attention to Benoit God of War Saint-Denis, you need to start RIGHT NOW. This French special forces operator just demolished Dan Hooker in the co-main event, his FOURTH straight finish, and Anik literally said if he was in a street fight in any foreign city, he’d want BSD by his side. I mean, SAME.
Kenny broke down why Benoit is so damn dangerous:
- He brings CHAOS. Relentless pressure. He’s not the most technical guy, but he will walk through FIRE to finish you.
- Hooker had some success with guillotine attempts early, but once BSD broke through that first layer of defense, it was OVER.
- This dude started training MMA to become a better French Navy SEAL. Like, are you kidding me? He’s built different.
The guys discussed potential matchups, and a Benoit Saint-Denis vs. Justin Gaethje fight came up. WOW. Talk about chaos meeting chaos. Both guys love the brawl, both guys have reckless moments, and honestly? That fight could go EITHER WAY. Sign me up for that violence IMMEDIATELY.
DAN TOM JOINS THE SHOW 🔥 @DanTomMMA with @Jon_Anik and @kennyflorian
LIVE RIGHT NOW powered by @ats_fight https://t.co/Nh7oOtulWQ pic.twitter.com/sO8RrDYbZq
— Anik & Florian Podcast (@AnikFlorianPod) February 3, 2026
🥊 The Ray Longo Minute: Comedy Gold & MMA Wisdom
If you’ve never experienced The Ray Longo Minute, you are MISSING one of the most entertaining segments in podcasting. Ray Longo, legendary coach of Chris Weidman, Aljamain Sterling, and Matt Serra, joins the show every week, and it’s equal parts fight analysis and absolute CHAOS.
This week’s highlights:
- Ray called in from his freezing cold house in New York with NO HEAT and Wi-Fi that kept cutting out. Jon and Kenny absolutely roasted him for it, and Ray fired back with zingers left and right.
- When asked about Justin Gaethje’s recent comments about Ray’s concern for his speech, Ray IMMEDIATELY clarified he’s still Gaethje’s biggest fan. He’s everything you want in a fighter, Ray said. Class act.
- Ray gave Volk ALL the credit: His footwork was beautiful. He kind of beat Diego to the punch. Technically, Volk’s amazing.
- And Ray hilariously admitted he’d rather live in a TREEHOUSE than wear Crocs for the rest of his life. Jon and Kenny died laughing.
Honestly, the Ray Longo Minute alone is worth the price of admission. He’s unfiltered, hilarious, and drops serious MMA knowledge in between roasting Jon and Kenny. LEGENDARY.
🥊 Mauricio Ruffy Is a PROBLEM at Lightweight
Performance of the Night went to Mauricio Ruffy, who put on an absolute CLINIC against Rafael Fiziev After a bit of a slow start (Rua was under the weather AND had just lost his brother days before the fight—sending love, man), he figured out Fiziev and started landing that NASTY pull counter right hand.
Kenny and Jon both pointed out something CRITICAL for any fighter trying to be the best: Ruffy went to Australia to train with Joe Lopez and Alexander Volkanovski. That’s what martial artists DO, they travel to where the best information is. You can’t have a monopoly on knowledge, and Rua is smart enough to know that.
Now the question is, how high can Ruffy climb? Is he a potential lightweight champion? The guys think his ceiling is HIGH, but he needs to keep improving his wrestling and guard game. If he does that? Watch out, 155 pounds.
That’s a pretty good guy to have on your side in a street fight 😭💯
Benoit Saint-Denis is becoming a serious force to be reckoned with.
Watch the full episode on the @AnikFlorianPod YouTube! pic.twitter.com/24Thwk5Em7
— Anik & Florian Podcast (@AnikFlorianPod) February 3, 2026
🥊 Stars Are EVERYWHERE (Stop Saying There Aren’t Any)
Jon Anik went on an INCREDIBLE rant about how tired he is of people saying Where are the UFC stars? and he dropped some TRUTH BOMBS:
- Israel Adesanya made his UFC debut 8 years ago.
- Alex Pereira made his debut 5 years ago.
- Dricus Du Plessis, Sean O’Malley, Ilia Topuria, and so many others are MEGA STARS right now.
- And now you’ve got rising killers like Quillen Salkilld (who just scored another vicious finish in Sydney) and Carlos Prates blowing up.
Jon nailed it: Larry Bird’s not walking through that door. Robert Parish isn’t walking through that door. Kevin McHale’s not walking through that goddamn door. (Rick Pitino reference for the Boston heads out there.) The stars are HERE. If you don’t see them, you’re not paying attention.
🥊 What’s Next: UFC Fight Night Bautista vs. Oliveira
The guys closed out the show by previewing this weekend’s UFC Fight Night: Bautista vs. Oliveira card, and LET ME TELL YOU—this main event is SPICY.
Mario Battle Born Bautista (though Ian Parker hilariously suggested he should just embrace the Super Mario nickname) takes on Vinicius Lock Dog Oliveira in a five-round banger at 135 pounds. Bautista is coming off a loss to Umar Nurmagomedov but had won EIGHT STRAIGHT before that. Oliveira is unpredictable, powerful, and absolutely massive for the division.
Kenny and Jon both like Bautista here because of his consistency, fight IQ, and wrestling. But Oliveira? He’s DANGEROUS. If anyone’s getting a finish, it’s probably him. This one’s going to be FUN.
🥊 The Bottom Line: Subscribe to This Pod RIGHT NOW
Look, I’m not telling you what to do with your life, but if you’re not subscribed to The Anik & Florian Podcast, you are doing yourself a MASSIVE disservice. This is THE premier MMA analysis show—insightful, entertaining, and packed with insider knowledge you can’t get anywhere else.
With the new All The Smoke Fight partnership, the show has leveled up even more. They’re live every Monday at NOON EASTERN on YouTube, and every episode is essential listening for any serious MMA fan.
So do yourself a favor—subscribe, hit that notification bell, and join the Anik & Florian family. You won’t regret it.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO… LET’S GO! 🔥🔥🔥
📺 WATCH THE FULL EPISODE
Catch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/live/XcvnZCaHEQ8?si=WDrXQfjv_F3SPXGU
Trust me—you’re going to want to hear Ray Longo’s Wi-Fi struggles and Jon Anik’s travel nightmares firsthand. Comedy GOLD mixed with world-class fight analysis.
— Anik & Florian Podcast (@AnikFlorianPod) February 3, 2026
🐦 SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS
Alexander Volkanovski walkout video from UFC 325 — The crowd singing Down Under in unison is absolutely ELECTRIC. This is what home advantage looks like, folks.
Volk gets one of the best walkouts in recent UFC history. What a pop 🇦🇺pic.twitter.com/VuL1JIWi7x
— MMA On Point (@mmaonpoint) February 1, 2026
Benoit Saint-Denis finish over Dan Hooker — Relentless ground and pound from the French special forces operator. This dude is SCARY.
Benoit Saint-Denis brutally TKO’s Dan Hooker at UFC 325 🇫🇷👏
pic.twitter.com/vRC8kI2Zwo— Best MMA Moments (@XcellentMMA) February 1, 2026
Follow The Anik & Florian Podcast on social media @AnikFlorianPod and follow Cody Merrow at @cody_merrow for more MMA goodness.
That’s it for this week, Fight Bananas family! Make sure you’re subscribed and I’ll catch you next time. Until then—STAY VIOLENT! 🥊
— Cody Merrow
