2:53: Volkanovski stops Evloev in two rounds at UFC 333
Yan closes trilogy with Dvalishvili via unanimous decision as both champions chart paths toward 2027 rematches.
By Javier Sanders ·
Alexander Volkanovski defended his UFC featherweight title in two rounds on Sunday.
The champion stopped Movsar Evloev at the 2:53 mark of the second round. This result ended Evloev's undefeated record. Volkanovski secured his 26th career victory. The stoppage allowed Volkanovski to keep his belt at 145 pounds. He now faces a decision about his next weight class.
Petr Yan also won at the event. The men's bantamweight champion defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision. The scorecards read 29-28, 29-28, and 30-27. This fight completed the trilogy between the two rivals. Dvalishvili suffered his second consecutive loss. Yan remains the divisional champion.
Volkanovski is considering a move up to 155 pounds. The lightweight division is where he lost two of his three career fights. He told ESPN in September that he did not love the idea of jumping the line to fight Justin Gaethje. Gaethje won a title at a White House event in June. Volkanovski said Arman Tsarukyan is an obvious title challenger. Volkanovski could also fight Charles Oliveira for the BMF title. Oliveira is scheduled to defend that belt against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. A win over Oliveira would position Volkanovski as a lightweight contender.
Yan is looking at a rematch with Sean O'Malley. O'Malley holds a controversial victory over Yan from 2022. O'Malley has won his last two fights. He beat Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi. Yan also faces a potential rematch with Song. Song knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov with one shot. Yan is likely to face both fighters eventually. O'Malley presents a strategic challenge. Song offers explosive speed.
Dvalishvili is expected to fight Umar Nurmagomedov next. The two men fought in January 2025 at UFC 311. That bout was named fight of the night. Nurmagomedov broke his hand early in that fight. Dvalishvili fought through injuries during camp. Both fighters are coming off losses. Nurmagomedov wants to fight before Ramadan begins in February. Dvalishvili waited 10 months for his trilogy bout. He will likely return to the cage soon.
Evloev said he might try again as a featherweight challenger. He is now in a gatekeeper role. Pat Sabatini is the most obvious next opponent for Evloev. Sabatini is 9-2 in the UFC. Evloev took a long time to reach the top. It will likely take time for him to return to the title picture.
