Alexander Volkanovski is set to defend his Featherweight title in the Main Event of UFC 333 against Movsar Evloev in one of the most stacked cards of the year. It serves as a huge opportunity for both men as Evloev finally gets his chance at the belt, while Volkanovski will get the chance to add to his already legendary legacy.
The fight will be very interesting from a stylistic standing. Whilst both men are well-versed in all aspects of MMA. Evloev, whilst being more than capable on the feet, is a wrestler by trade and his ability to grind out wins by using his elite grappling to control opponents cannot be understated. Volkanovski on the other hand is predominantly a striker but he mixes in takedown to great effect. His finish against Yair Rodriguez is probably the best example of this. He was able to outstrike the Mexican before quickly shooting for a double and finishing the fight via ground-and-pound.
In this fight, it will be hard to see Volkanovski initiating the grappling exchanges. Whilst his performance against Islam Makhachev in there first fight showed his ability on the ground, keeping this fight on the feet would probably be his best move. For Evloev, using his grappling will be the goal undoubtedly.
Since his loss to Ilia Topuria back in February 2024 which saw him lose his Featherweight crown, Volkanovski bounced back a year later to reclaim his crown against Diego Lopes, and then defend it again in second bout against the Brazillian. The Australian has cemented his name amongst the greatest in the sport’s history and is perhaps the best Featherweight we have ever seen. Evloev presents a different challenge for him at Featherweight, and a win here would further cement that legacy.
Evloev boasts an impressive undefeated 20-0 record. He holds wins over a number of top contenders in the division including Diego Lopes, Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling and Lerone Murphy. Whilst his last fight was perhaps the closest in his career, he used his grappling to great effect to edge out a hard fought win over Murphy. His win over Sterling is perhaps the most entertaining grappling-heavy fight the UFC has produced, with Evloev again doing enough to win the exchanges against Sterling. Doing the same against Volkanovski will be tough. Having done well against Makhachev a weight class up, Volkanovski has proved his grappling is a top level and Evloev will need to produce perhaps the best performance of his career.
This will serve as a huge opportunity for both fighters. If Evloev wins, it is a huge opportunity to start a dynasty of his own in the division. For Volkanovski, it will be another elite name added to his CV.
