UFC 333 is set to take place at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena on October 24, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his 145-pound title against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev. The Australian will headline the event in his second title defense since reclaiming featherweight gold with a win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in April.
Not too long ago, many wondered whether Volkanovski was nearing the end of his MMA career. His brutal knockout loss to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 seemed to signal a changing of the guard. However, the 37-year-old has bounced back in style with statement victories at UFC 314 and UFC 325, proving he still has plenty left in the tank.
After beating Lopes, Volkanovski named rising contenders Lerone Murphy and Evloev as potential challenges he wanted to take on. Now, with his next title defense locked in, the reigning champion has another rising featherweight on his radar.
Alexander Volkanovski Questions Whether He Will Ever Face Kevin Vallejos for the UFC Title
Volkanovski has already indicated that he plans to keep fighting and build on his legacy, provided nothing unexpected happens at UFC 333. With that in mind, the Australian recently shared his thoughts on a potential future matchup against Kevin Vallejos.
The 18-0 contender has caught the champion’s attention, and Volkanovski believes he could be a serious challenge if his title reign continues. For those unfamiliar with Vallejos, the Argentinian featherweight earned his UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2024.
Since joining the promotion, “El Chino” has won four consecutive fights, picking up knockout victories over Josh Emmett and Giga Chikadze. His impressive rise has now earned him a matchup against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC Qatar on November 21.
Speaking on the Precision podcast, Volkanovski discussed Vallejos as a potential future opponent, saying, “I never look past my opponent, like I am happy to talk about other opponents and fights after, knowing I am putting in the work for Movsar anyway. There’s one guy I haven’t watched enough of him, but I’ve seen some highlights; he looks like a little animal. He’s Argentinian, Kevin Vallejos.”
He added, “I’ve watched a couple of guys there’s a few other ones, but it’s just like, by the time they’ve done their work and they’re fighting for a title, will I still be there by then? I don’t know.”
At just 24, Vallejos is already ranked No. 10 in the featherweight division and has plenty of time to climb the ladder. A win over Sterling could put him firmly in the title conversation, although he will need to keep delivering impressive performances to get there.
View this post on Instagram
For now, Volkanovski has a more immediate task: handing Evloev the first loss of his professional MMA career. If he gets past the undefeated contender, a future showdown with Vallejos could become a more realistic possibility. However, with Volkanovski having turned 38 on September 29, the question remains how much longer the Australian plans to compete at the highest level.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
