Volkanovski vs. unbeaten Evloev: on the feet or on the mat?
The champion vows to force Evloev into a striking fight; the challenger says he'll take him down whenever he wants. Here's how they head into the UFC 333 main event.
By Equipo La Jaula Props · · 1 min read
Photos: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Press Service of the Head and Government of the Republic of Ingushetia, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
The UFC 333 main event pits two opposite ideas of how a fight should play out, and neither man has hidden it during fight promotion.
The champion's plan
Alexander Volkanovski (28-4) said he will keep the fight standing even if Evloev tries to take it to the mat, and that he will be the one forcing the exchanges. The 38-year-old Australian regained the featherweight title in 2025 after knockout losses to Islam Makhachev and Ilia Topuria, and a win on Saturday would give him the most wins in featherweight title fights, ahead of José Aldo.
The challenger's answer
Movsar Evloev (20-0) called the champion's message contradictory and made it clear he intends to decide where the fight happens: in his words, he will take Volkanovski down whenever he chooses.
The 32-year-old Russian is 10-0 in the UFC, with wins over Diego Lopes and Aljamain Sterling, and earned the shot by beating Lerone Murphy via majority decision in March. His weak spot, according to analysts, is that he has yet to finish an opponent in the promotion.
The keys
- Volkanovski lands 57% of his significant strikes; Evloev, 48%.
- 13 of Evloev's 20 wins came by decision.
- It's a five-round fight: pace and top control may matter late.
Most published previews lean towards the champion, although many analysts see a close fight. Our full technical analysis is on the fight page.
