Alexander Volkanovski Weighs In on Movsar Evloev’s Title Eliminator Performance at UFC London

UFC ALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI MEDIA OPP, Newly crowned UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski poses for a photograph with his championship belt during a media opportunity at Observatory Hill Park in Sydney, Tuesday, December 17, 2019. ACHTUNG: NUR REDAKTIONELLE NUTZUNG, KEINE ARCHIVIERUNG UND KEINE BUCHNUTZUNG SYDNEY NSW AUSTRALIA PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xDANxHIMBRECHTSx 20191217001438292301
by Kshitiz Kumar Singh

When Alexander Volkanovski returned from a lengthy layoff at UFC 314 and reclaimed the featherweight title with a convincing win over Diego Lopes, many fans expected the Australian to usher in a new wave of challengers at 145 pounds. After all, ‘Volk’ had openly expressed interest in testing himself against rising contenders like Lerone Murphy and Movsar Evloev. 

Now, if the champion’s own assessment is anything to go by, his next opponent may already be all but decided. In the main event of UFC London, Evloev preserved his perfect record, improving to 20-0 with a hard-fought majority decision over Murphy. The Russian endured a tricky opening as he chose to trade on the feet with the Englishman across the first two rounds, but eventually leaned on his grappling advantage to regain control and edge the contest.

The judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47 in Evloev’s favor, despite a fourth-round point deduction for two low blows. With the victory, the undefeated contender further strengthened his claim for a shot at gold, and Volkanovski was paying close attention.

 

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Watching from afar as two top contenders battled for a potential crack at his title, Volkanovski shared his thoughts during the UFC’s Paramount broadcast. The Australian admitted he was surprised by Evloev’s striking approach but ultimately came away impressed with how the Russian adapted, even as Jean Silva had been campaigning for his own opportunity before the fight.

During the UFC on Paramount+ post-fight show, ‘Volk’ appeared and said, “It was an interesting one. I don’t think we all expected Movsar to just want to stand with Lerone. Whether that was something that he felt he had to do to just so he can guarantee himself a title shot, I’m not too sure.”

That strategy may not have been accidental. Despite riding a nine-fight winning streak inside the Octagon, Evloev has yet to secure a finish, with all of his victories coming via decision. His grappling-heavy style has often drawn criticism from fans and even influenced matchmaking narratives, making this more well-rounded performance feel like a calculated statement.

The Aussie added, “But you could see he was a lot stronger when he wanted to take it down, and then was able to outdo him on the feet. So for me, it’s quite impressive, to be honest. Fair play to him. He’s 20-0 now, and I guess he’s next.”

 

With that endorsement, Evloev appears to have firmly positioned himself as the leading contender for featherweight gold. The Russian now boasts wins over top names such as Diego Lopes, Arnold Allen, and Aljamain Sterling. And now, in his first appearance in over 460 days, he also snapped the 17-0 run of Murphy, further strengthening his case.

However, when it comes to the UFC’s matchmaking in 2026, nothing is ever guaranteed. Even Volkanovski himself remains cautious about whether Evloev will actually get the nod, given how events unfolded last year. Following his title-winning performance at UFC 314, Volkanovski publicly called for a showdown with the Russian, emphasizing his desire to hand Evloev his first career loss as his first title defense.

Instead, the promotion opted for a different direction, granting Lopes a rematch at UFC 325 in Sydney, a fight Volkanovski won convincingly. Adding to the uncertainty, Dana White has remained non-committal about Evloev’s title chances. While he dismissed any controversy surrounding the London result, the promotion has yet to make a definitive call, leaving the question of who faces ‘Volk’ next still up in the air.