Alexander Volkanovski has his next opponent set; see the fights announced for UFC 333.

Volkanovski promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

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During the broadcast of UFC 330 , held last Saturday (15), in Philadelphia (USA), the main events of UFC 333 were announced, which will take place on October 24, at the Etihad Arena, in Abu Dhabi, and will feature two title fights. In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski puts his featherweight title (up to 65,8 kg) on ​​the line against the undefeated Movsar Evloev , while Petr Yan defends his bantamweight title (up to 61,2 kg) against Merab Dvalishvili , in a highly anticipated trilogy.

Champion faces undefeated youth player

Volkanovski promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Volkanovski is considered one of the greatest featherweights in history and arrives at UFC 333 for another important title defense to solidify his legacy in the division. The current champion, boasting one of the most successful careers in the division, will make his second title defense since regaining the belt after defeating Diego Lopes again by unanimous decision in January of this year.

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On the other side, Alexander Volkanovski will face Movsar Evloev , who maintains an undefeated record of 20 wins and comes from important victories over names like Aljamain Sterling , Arnold Allen , and Lerone Murphy . The Russian has 10 fights in the UFC and will have, for the first time, the opportunity to compete for the organization's title.

Trilogy for the belt

Petr Yan focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

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In the co-main event, Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili will face off for the third time. Their head-to-head record is tied 1-1, and now the reigning champion seeks his first title defense, while the challenger attempts to reclaim the title and break the tie in their rivalry.

Merab defeated Yan at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas in 2023. In their first fight, the athlete lived up to his nickname "The Machine." The Georgian pressured from the start, attempting dozens of takedowns and not allowing the Russian to comfortably develop his dangerous striking. With a dominant performance, he won by unanimous decision and solidified himself as one of the top names in the division.

Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in December 2025. In the rematch, the fighter presented a more complete version of himself. The Russian defended takedown attempts better, controlled the distance, and used precise strikes to prevent the former champion from repeating the dominance of their first encounter. With a technical performance, he regained the bantamweight title, winning by unanimous decision.

Duel between prospects

Kavanagh celebrates his UFC victory. Photo: Courtesy of Facebook/UFC

Loneer Kavanagh comes into the fight after suffering the second defeat of his career. The Englishman faced Brandon Royval at UFC 329 in July and was submitted with a rear-naked choke in the third round. Before the loss, the fighter was coming off an important victory over Brandon Moreno by unanimous decision in February.

On the other side, Ramazan Temirov is on a positive run , coming off a resounding victory over Steve Erceg . The Uzbek knocked out the former flyweight (up to 56,7 kg) title challenger in the first round in July, securing his third consecutive win in the UFC.

Kavanagh enters the match with a record of 10 wins and two losses, while Temirov boasts 20 wins and only two losses in his professional career. The duel pits two of the division's top prospects against each other.

Clash between Russians

Kuniev promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC

Jailton Malhadinho 's last opponent in the UFC, Rizvan Kuniev, already has a new fight scheduled in the organization. The 'Russian Giant' will face the experienced Alexander Volkov on the main card. The duel will be contested in the heavyweight category (up to 120,2 kg).

Kuniev comes into the match with a record of 15 wins, three losses, and one draw, while Volkov has 40 wins and 11 losses in his professional career and has been in the event since 2016.

Full fight card for UFC 333

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