Volkanovski defends featherweight title against unbeaten Evloev at UFC 333
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against unbeaten Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24.
- Evloev is 20-0 and has won all 10 UFC fights by decision. Volkanovski, 38, says he will finish the challenger in style.
- The co-main event is a bantamweight title trilogy between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. The main card starts at 2 pm ET on Paramount+.
Alexander Volkanovski defends his UFC featherweight title against Movsar Evloev on Saturday, October 24. The fight tops UFC 333 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Evloev has never lost in 20 pro fights.
The matchup
Volkanovski is the UFC featherweight champion. Featherweight is a weight class for lighter fighters. He owns a 28-4 record in mixed martial arts.
Fifteen of those wins came inside the UFC. He is 38 years old. He is the oldest champion on the UFC roster right now.
Evloev is 32 and unbeaten at 20-0. He is 10-0 in the UFC. Every one of those 10 wins came by decision.
That means the judges scored him the winner each time. He has never been finished. His main weapon is wrestling.
He has landed 52 takedowns in his 10 UFC fights, according to MMA Junkie. A takedown means dragging the other fighter to the floor. From there, Evloev takes control.
Volkanovski is not impressed. He told MMA Junkie there is "no way" Evloev can outwork him over 25 minutes. A title fight lasts five rounds of five minutes each.
"Trying to outgrapple me for 25 minutes, I can't see it," he said. He spoke at a fan event in Abu Dhabi ahead of fight week.
The champion went further. He promised a finish. "I think I can do it in pretty wild fashion," Volkanovski told MMA Junkie.
"I believe I can get a finish," he said. "I believe I can do it inside the five rounds for sure."
He added that fans may call it the best show of his career. "Is that the best Volk we've ever seen?" he asked.
Evloev sees it differently. He told MMA Junkie about his plan on Friday. He wants to dominate Volkanovski for all five rounds.
He said he would not mind if the fight goes to a decision. His plan is simple. Control the champion and take the belt home.
Why it matters
This is a classic clash of styles. Evloev wants to wrestle. Volkanovski wants to strike.
The champion believes the fight must stay on the feet. "I think I'm the better striker," he told MMA Junkie. "I've proved it time and time again," he added.
He knows Evloev will try to take him down. He plans to stop every attempt.
The stakes go beyond the belt. Volkanovski first won the title against Max Holloway in 2019, according to Sherdog. He defended it five times.
Then Ilia Topuria took the crown from him in 2024. When Topuria moved up to lightweight, Volkanovski beat Diego Lopes to reclaim the vacant title.
He defended it again in a rematch in January.
Now, at 38, questions about his future are growing. Volkanovski admitted he would likely retire if things go "horribly wrong" at UFC 333.
He told this to MMA Junkie. But he has no plans to walk away now. "There's no plans to retire," he said.
"Maybe a few more, though. Maybe a couple. We'll see," he added.
For Evloev, this is the chance of a lifetime. talkSPORT reports he earned his shot with a unanimous decision win over Lerone Murphy in London.
Unanimous means all three judges agreed. A win on Saturday would make him champion. It would stretch his perfect record to 21 wins and zero losses.
The fight night also carries a second title fight. Two belts are on the line in one evening. That makes this card stand out.
How to watch
UFC 333 takes place at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. It is the UFC's annual October stop in the city, according to UFC.com.
The event is in the United Arab Emirates. So the start time is earlier than usual for American fans.
The full schedule, per UFC.com:
- Early prelims: 10 am ET / 7 am PT
- Prelims: 12 pm ET / 9 am PT
- Main card: 2 pm ET / 11 am PT
In the United Kingdom, that means 3 pm, 5 pm, and 7 pm BST, according to talkSPORT. The main event fighters should walk to the cage at around 9 pm UK time.
That is 4 pm ET. In the United States, the whole card streams on Paramount+.
There is no pay-per-view fee, according to Paramount+. Plans start at 8.99 dollars per month.
In the United Kingdom, TNT Sports will show the card, according to Newswav.
The co-main event is a bantamweight title trilogy. Champion Petr Yan faces Merab Dvalishvili for the third time.
They meet to settle the score, according to UFC.com. The bantamweight belt is the prize.
The rest of the main card is strong too. Aaron Pico meets Losene Keita at featherweight. Heavyweights Alexander Volkov and Rizvan Kuniev collide.
Lone'er Kavanagh faces Ramazan Temirov. The prelims include two light-heavyweight bouts, per UFC.com.
Azamat Murzakanov faces Dominick Reyes. Nikita Krylov faces Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev.
What happens next
Saturday will answer the big question. Can Evloev's wrestling break the champion? Or will Volkanovski's striking end the unbeaten run?
The winner takes the featherweight crown. The loser goes back to the drawing board.
For Volkanovski, a win would quiet the retirement talk. It would prove he still rules the division at 38.
For Evloev, a win would crown a perfect rise. Twenty wins, zero losses, and now a world title.
Combat sports fans have plenty to follow. Jake Paul is also working toward a boxing comeback.
But on October 24, all eyes are on Abu Dhabi. An unbeaten challenger meets a proven champion. talkSPORT calls it one of the most stacked cards of the year.
Related stories
Why Is Altitude Sickness Worse for Some People?
Altitude sickness hits some people harder because of genetics, ascent speed, and prior history, not fitness level. Here is what raises risk
Why Do You Get Blisters When Hiking and How to Prevent Them
Friction plus moisture plus heat equals a blister. Learn why hiking breeds all three, and the boots, socks, and tape system that keeps
How to choose hiking boots for beginners: fit, features, and break-in
Beginners should buy for fit first: snug everywhere, tight nowhere, with a thumb's width at the toes. Here is how to size, test,