Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title this Saturday at UFC 333 against the unbeaten No. 1 contender Movsar Evloev (20-0). While the majority of the MMA community respects Volkanovski’s dominant championship run, Evloev is not impressed by the champion’s past opponents.
Evloev has patiently waited for his moment in the spotlight, watching from the sidelines while others took center stage earlier this year. Now stepping into the Etihad Arena, the unbeaten challenger is using fight week to take aim at the champion’s legacy.
Movsar Evloev Says Alexander Volkanovski Has Not Beaten Anyone Like Him
Evloev increased his workload across all aspects of training to eliminate his weaknesses. He believes this intense preparation, combined with a unique skill set, sets him apart from the champion’s previous opponents.
“This preparation is different just because I pushed more than ever,” Evloev said in a pre-fight interview. “And we did more of everything to make sure we didn’t miss anything. He hasn’t beaten anyone like me. There’s many things that make me special, like unique. And I’m about to show it Saturday.”
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
Movsar Evloev (@MovsarUFC) discusses his journey to the title shot and his title fight matchup against champ Alexander Volkanovski
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His point is that Volkanovski’s past opponents do not predict how this fight will go. The comment directly answers “The Great,” who has dismissed Evloev’s wrestling style and warned that the challenger cannot dictate the terms of the fight.
“He’s going to want to shoot, and I will force it to be on the feet,” Volkanovski said on UFC 333 Countdown. “You are going to be forced to be on the feet because I am not going to let you get the takedown. I am not going to let you hold me down, we are going to stand up and fight because I am going to make that happen. There is nothing he can do to stop that.”
Evloev is 10-0 in the UFC, winning all ten fights by decision. He beat Diego Lopes at UFC 288 in 2023 — the same fighter Volkanovski later defeated twice at UFC 314 and UFC 325.
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He also holds decision wins over Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling, and Lerone Murphy. In the Murphy fight, which served as a title eliminator at UFC London in March, Evloev landed nine takedowns over five rounds.
In contrast, Volkanovski built his featherweight resume against strikers and submission threats like Max Holloway, Brian Ortega, Chan Sung Jung and Yair Rodriguez. He did face elite wrestling when he moved up to lightweight and lost a close decision to Islam Makhachev, but he has never fought a featherweight who relies entirely on top control.
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This difference is the core of Evloev’s argument. The challenger wins rounds by taking his opponents down and keeping them there. His record shows he does not need a finish to win.
