UFC 333: Volkanovski stops Evloev, Petr Yan beats Dvalishvili in Abu Dhabi
Alexander Volkanovski handed Movsar Evloev his first loss with a round-two TKO to set a featherweight title record, and Petr Yan rallied to beat Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy fight.
At a glance
- Alexander Volkanovski kept the UFC featherweight title by TKO (punches) at 4:54 of round two against previously unbeaten Movsar Evloev at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, on Saturday, October 24.
- It was Volkanovski's ninth win in a UFC featherweight title fight, the most in the division's history, passing Jose Aldo.
- Petr Yan retained the bantamweight title with a unanimous decision (48-47 on all three cards) over Merab Dvalishvili after losing the first two rounds.
- Volkanovski moves to 29-4; Evloev, who was 10-0 in the UFC, drops to 20-1.
- Lone'er Kavanagh, Alexander Volkov, Aaron Pico and Dominick Reyes also won on the 14-fight card.
Alexander Volkanovski kept his UFC featherweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 24, stopping previously unbeaten Movsar Evloev by TKO at 4:54 of the second round. In the co-main event at Etihad Arena, Petr Yan came from two rounds down to beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision and keep the bantamweight belt in the third fight of their rivalry.
The title fights
| Division | Result | Method | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight (title) | Alexander Volkanovski (c) def. Movsar Evloev | TKO (punches) | Round 2, 4:54 |
| Bantamweight (title) | Petr Yan (c) def. Merab Dvalishvili | Unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) | 5 rounds |
Volkanovski, 38, showed no sign of slowing down. After a competitive opening round against one of the division's best wrestlers, the Australian dropped Evloev with a clean left hand late in the second round and finished him with follow-up punches just six seconds before the bell. The win takes Volkanovski to 29-4 overall and 15-1 at featherweight in the UFC, and it was his ninth win in a UFC featherweight title fight — a division record that moves him past the Brazilian great Jose Aldo.
Evloev came into the fight 20-0, including 10-0 in the UFC, but had never fought for a title before. He was gracious in defeat, comparing the champion to "good wine" that keeps getting better with age.
"I'm just so blessed," Volkanovski said after the fight, adding that he was very happy to be where he is at this stage of his career.
Yan wins the rubber match
The bantamweight fight was the decider in one of the sport's best recent rivalries, and the 20th trilogy in UFC history. Dvalishvili, the Georgian known for his relentless pace and takedowns, won the first two rounds on all three judges' cards. Yan, the Russian champion, then turned the fight around, winning rounds three, four and five on every scorecard to take a 48-47 decision.
Dvalishvili had won the first meeting between the two in 2023, and Yan took the title from him by unanimous decision in December 2025, ending a 14-fight winning run. Saturday's win settles the series 2-1 in Yan's favour.
The rest of the main card and prelims
| Bout | Winner | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Flyweight | Lone'er Kavanagh def. Ramazan Temirov | TKO, round 1 (4:28) |
| Heavyweight | Alexander Volkov def. Rizvan Kuniev | Unanimous decision |
| Featherweight | Aaron Pico def. Losene Keita | TKO, round 1 (1:14) |
| Light heavyweight | Dominick Reyes def. Azamat Murzakanov | KO (head kick and punches), round 1 |
| Light heavyweight | Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Nikita Krylov | TKO, round 1 |
| Middleweight | Abus Magomedov def. Cam Rowston | Submission (guillotine), round 1 |
| Lightweight | Grant Dawson def. Nurullo Aliev | Unanimous decision |
Kavanagh's first-round stoppage puts the English flyweight firmly into the title conversation, while Pico's 74-second finish and Reyes's head-kick knockout were among the night's other highlights.
Background
Volkanovski reigned as featherweight champion from 2019 to 2024, lost the belt to Ilia Topuria, and regained it in 2025 after Topuria moved up to lightweight. Many expected the younger, unbeaten Evloev — a smothering grappler from Russia's Ingushetia region — to be his toughest test yet, but Volkanovski's striking made the difference.
The event was the latest in the UFC's long partnership with Abu Dhabi, which has hosted many of its biggest cards in the Middle East and attracts large crowds from across the Gulf, Russia, the Caucasus and South Asia.
Why it matters
Volkanovski's record ninth featherweight title win strengthens his claim to be the greatest featherweight in the sport's history, and he has said that retirement and fighting at 40 do not worry him. For Yan, beating Dvalishvili for a second time removes the biggest threat to his reign and puts him clearly at the top of the bantamweight division.
What happens next
The UFC has not yet named next opponents for either champion. Volkanovski is likely to face the winner of the next featherweight contender bout, while Dvalishvili may need several wins to earn a fourth fight with Yan. Both men will be in demand for the UFC's early-2027 cards.
Questions people are asking
Who won Volkanovski vs Evloev at UFC 333?
Alexander Volkanovski won by TKO (punches) at 4:54 of the second round on October 24, 2026, in Abu Dhabi, keeping his UFC featherweight title and handing Movsar Evloev his first career defeat.
Who won Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3?
Petr Yan won the trilogy fight by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all three scorecards, to keep the UFC bantamweight title. Dvalishvili won the first two rounds before Yan took the last three.
How many featherweight title fights has Volkanovski won?
Nine — the win over Evloev was Volkanovski's ninth victory in a UFC featherweight title fight, a division record that moves him past Jose Aldo.
