UFC 333 will take place at Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates on October 24, featuring multiple title bouts. The event’s main highlight is the featherweight championship defense by Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev. Additionally, bantamweight champion Petr Yan will compete in a trilogy match against Merab Dvalishvili.
UFC 331 Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev
Volkanovski, a two-time featherweight champion, previously held the title from December 2019 to February 2024, successfully defending it five times. His first reign ended with a knockout loss to Topuria in 2024, but he reclaimed the belt in April 2025 via a decision over Lopes.
During his initial title reign, Volkanovski challenged for the lightweight belt twice, losing both encounters to Islam Makhachev. After regaining the featherweight title, he defeated Lopes at UFC 325 and bounced back from a May 2025 knockout loss to Topuria with a February 2026 win against Lopes again.
Evloev, a 32-year-old undefeated fighter (20-0), entered the UFC in 2019 and steadily climbed the featherweight rankings. His recent victory over Aljamain Sterling via unanimous decision at UFC 310 solidified his status as a top contender. Evloev previously faced Topuria but was sidelined due to a COVID-19 positive test in 2022. He rebounded with wins over Ian Garbrandt, Diego Lopes, and Arnold Allen before securing his March 2025 main event bout against Lopez.