Volkanovski defeats Evloev in 2 rounds at UFC 333
The featherweight champion stopped his opponent in the second round, while Petr Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili by decision to close out their trilogy.
By Fatou Diop ·
Alexander Volkanovski retained his UFC featherweight title on Sunday by stopping Movsar Evloev in the second round at UFC 333. The fight ended with Evloev, who entered the bout with an undefeated record, no longer unbeaten. Volkanovski, who holds the belt, now looks toward a potential move to the lightweight division where he has previously competed.
The featherweight division winner is set to face Charles Oliveira if Oliveira defends his BMF title against Diego Lopes in December. A bout between the two would also serve as a trial for Volkanovski at 155 pounds. He has expressed interest in proving himself as a contender for the lightweight belt, which is currently held by Justin Gaethje.
Evloev, who lost his first professional fight on the night, said he might try again for the title. He now sits in the role of gatekeeper for the division. Pat Sabatini, who holds a record of 9-2 in the UFC, is the most likely next opponent for Evloev. Steve Garcia, who lost to Diego Lopes in June, is another candidate for a spot in the top of the featherweight rankings.
In the co-main event, Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision. The result closed out the trilogy between the two fighters, with Yan securing his second victory in the series. Yan is now in a position to face Sean O'Malley, who holds a controversial win over Yan from 2022. O'Malley has won his last two fights, including a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi.
Dvalishvili, who suffered his second consecutive loss, is expected to seek a rematch against Umar Nurmagomedov. Their first fight in January 2025 was named fight of the night. Nurmagomedov is likely to return before February, when he observes Ramadan. The UFC is expected to pair the two again because both fighters are coming off losses.
Aaron Pico won his featherweight bout on the main card. He is now positioned to face Jean Silva. Pico has shown high potential but has suffered several knockout losses in his career. Silva is a step up in the rankings for Pico. The fight would be a main event for a future UFC Fight Night card.
Source: ESPN
