Volkanovski vs. Evloev Headlines UFC 333 Title Doubleheader

Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev in the main event of UFC 333 on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with Petr Yan putting his bantamweight belt on the line against Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy co-main event. The UFC confirmed both title fights during Saturday's UFC 330 broadcast, locking in one of the stronger championship doubleheaders on the 2025 calendar.

Volkanovski Finally Gets Evloev, and Evloev Finally Gets His Shot

Volkanovski vs. Evloev is a matchup that has been floated for years, and it finally has a date. The UFC officially announced the fights during Saturday's UFC 330 broadcast, with Volkanovski's featherweight title defense against Evloev being marked as the main event for the Oct. 24 event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Volkanovski (28-4) seeks the second successful defense of his second reign, while Evloev finally gets his championship opportunity after going 20-0 in his pro career.

That unbeaten record is the whole story with Evloev. He's a grinder who wins rounds through positional control and volume rather than highlight finishes, and he's never been forced to prove he can take a real step up in finishing ability against a champion of Volkanovski's caliber. Volkanovski, at 37, is coming off a run that has re-established him as arguably the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter outside heavyweight, and both fighters hold spots in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings, with Volkanovski at 5, tied with Tom Aspinall and Ilia Topuria, and Evloev at 19.

Yan and Dvalishvili Run It Back a Third Time

Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili settle their rivalry for good in a bantamweight trilogy fight, and this one carries actual stakes after Yan flipped the series in his favor. Yan delivered arguably the best performance of 2025 when he defeated Dvalishvili at UFC 323 to reclaim the bantamweight title, snap Dvalishvili's 14-fight win streak, and avenge a loss from their first meeting in 2023. "No Mercy" has now won four straight fights following a career-worst three-fight skid and looks to put the stamp on his rivalry with Dvalishvili.

Dvalishvili's resume speaks for itself even in defeat. He is coming off a well-deserved layoff after successfully defending his belt three times in 2025 before Yan foiled his attempt to become the first UFC fighter to record four successful defenses in a calendar year, and prior to that loss, his seven-year unbeaten streak included victories over Yan, Jose Aldo, Sean O'Malley, Henry Cejudo, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Cory Sandhagen, among others. Dvalishvili sits at No. 8 in the pound-for-pound rankings, tied with Sean Strickland, while Yan checks in at No. 3.

What Else Is on the Card

The rest of the lineup is already taking shape around the two title fights. Other main card bouts announced for the event include Lone'er Kavanagh vs. Ramazan Temirov, Alexander Volkov vs. Rizvan Kuniev, and Arnold Allen vs. Aaron Pico. Several preliminary bouts are also official, including Dominick Reyes vs. Azamat Murzakanov, Abus Magomedov vs. Cam Rowston, Nikita Krylov vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, and Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev.

Betting Angle

The featherweight title fight is already shaping up as a true toss-up at the sportsbooks, with Volkanovski sitting around -108 and Evloev around +150 as of now, essentially a coin flip on the moneyline despite Volkanovski's championship pedigree. That number reflects genuine uncertainty about whether Evloev's perfect record and wrestling-heavy pressure can offset Volkanovski's five-round experience and finishing instincts at the championship level. Expect that line to move as fight week nears and public money starts leaning toward the champion's name recognition.

The co-main is trickier to price this early, but the trend line favors Yan. He solved the puzzle that had stumped everyone else for years, and Dvalishvili has never had to answer a loss inside the Octagon before. Bettors who like live underdogs will want to watch how the market treats Dvalishvili once official lines open, since a former champion coming off just one loss in eight years rarely opens at a steep price.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where is UFC 333?

UFC 333 takes place on Oct. 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, headlined by Alexander Volkanovski's featherweight title defense against Movsar Evloev.

What is the co-main event of UFC 333?

The co-main event is a bantamweight title trilogy fight between champion Petr Yan and former champion Merab Dvalishvili, who split their first two meetings.

Is Movsar Evloev undefeated heading into his title shot?

Yes, Movsar Evloev is 20-0 as a professional and is getting his first UFC championship opportunity against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333.