In the main event of UFC 333, Alexander Volkanovski extended his second title reign by knocking out Movsar Evloev and handing him a first loss.
Although Evloev is known for his wrestling skills, featherweight great Volkanovski struggled with the Russian’s underrated striking in the first two rounds. But the Australian began applying greater pressure late in round two, dropping Evloev with a left hook and right cross to force a finish just before the buzzer.
In the co-main event in Abu Dhabi, Petr Yan rounded out his trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili by outpointing the Georgian for the second fight in a row.
With that, the Russian retained the bantamweight title that he took from Dvalishvili last December, extending his second reign – just as Volkanovski did.
Follow live updates and results from UFC 333, below:
Read MoreAlexander Volkanovski becomes first man to beat Movsar Evloev as KO win extends UFC title reign
Islam Makhachev makes huge UFC decision as unexpected title fight is confirmed
Meet Lone’er Kavanagh, the British UFC star whose comeback story surprised even himself
UFC 333 LIVE
- Alexander Volkanovski retains featherweight title with KO of Movsar Evloev
- Two-time champ Volkanovski becomes first fighter to beat Evloev
- Petr Yan outpoints Merab Dvalishvili in instant classic to win trilogy
- Yan retains bantamweight title with epic comeback over five rounds
- Britain’s Lone’er Kavanagh survives tense spell to score huge KO win
- UFC announces Prates vs Morales for interim version of Makhachev’s belt
- Action streamed live on TNT Sports in the UK and Paramount+ in the US
What a resume!
03:00 , Alex PattleVolkanovski’s hit list is STACKED 🐐#UFC #MMA #UFC333 pic.twitter.com/JUdCloA4zD
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
The greatest?
02:00 , Alex PattleTHE GREAT 🐐
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Alexander Volkanovski is the greatest featherweight of all time 🏆#UFC333 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/jDDX0EImAY
Islam Makhachev news reminder
01:00 , Alex PattleIslam Makhachev will not be defending his welterweight belt anytime soon, with an interim-title fight announced for UFC 336 in January.
Saturday brought the unexpected news that Carlos Prates and Michael Morales will fight at that event in Toronto, Canada, with the interim welterweight belt on the line.
Makhachev had been rumoured to headline the card at Scotiabank Arena on 30 January, with Prates standing out as his likeliest contender.
However, the Russian, 34, will seemingly take more time out before returning to the Octagon, leading the UFC to announce Prates vs Morales during UFC 333 on Saturday.
The fight will be the co-main event before Joshua Van’s flyweight-title defence against Manel Kape.
UFC 333 in photos
00:30 , Alex Pattle
UFC 333 in photos
00:00 , Alex Pattle
UFC 333 in photos
23:30 , Alex Pattle
UFC 333 in photos
23:10 , Alex Pattle
Pound-for-pound rankings update?
22:57 , Alex PattleWe previously had Volkanovski as our pound-for-pound No 1, but three losses over the last four years had him drop down the rankings. After a couple more wins, he rose back to No 5, but what about now?
I think he’ll move up to No 3 on our list, especially given Dvalishvili will fall from that spot – which we protected for him after his loss to Yan in December, given Merab’s immense run before that defeat.
Dvalishvili will drop towards the bottom of our top 10, and Yan may enter the list, too...
Looking back on the co-main event
22:50 , Alex Pattle"He beat me today, he's the better man 🤝
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Merab Dvalishvili is classy in defeat 👏#UFC333 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/BCADk4ko3z
UFC 333 in photos
22:43 , Alex Pattle
Volkanovski’s post-fight interview
22:36 , Alex PattleAlex Volkanovski reacts to his TKO victory over Movsar Evloev 🐐#UFC333 pic.twitter.com/OrDhDZTH6u
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
UFC 333 in photos
22:29 , Alex Pattle
How it happened...
22:23 , Alex PattleALEXANDER VOLKANOVSKI DEFEATS MOVSAR EVLOEV IN THE SECOND ROUND 🐐#UFC333 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/yFiRWy14E8
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Evloev reacts to first defeat
22:14 , Alex PattleEvloev: “Yeah, it was a terrible fight. He’s like good wine: older, stronger, better
“I’m grateful for this oportunity to be here, this is great learning.
“I didn’t prove that I’m the best – I’m not yet maybe, right? Maybe we’ll try again.
“I need to go home, take some rest, recover my injuries.”
Volkanovski speaks
22:11 , Alex PattleVolkanovski: “Look he’s a great fighter, he was undefeated for a reason. I just said I’m the right guy for that job. But yeah, it feels good to get a finish.
“It was actually my wedding anniversary on Wednesday, so I promised her a quick one so she wasn’t stressing.
“I knew there wasn’t long and I was just looking for that one shot that really hurt him. I knew the ref would stop it when he covered up like that.”
So late in round two
22:09 , Alex Pattle4:54 into round two when the stoppage came...
VOLKANOVSKI SUDDENLY TURNS TIDE TO SCORE KO
22:07 , Alex PattleVolk stumbles Evloev with a left hook, and the Russian replies with some digs to the body in a clinch.
Volkanovski is struggling to get his range right. Both men are landing, though.
OH!! Hardddd left hook and a right cross by Volkanovski! Evloev covers up!!! What is happening?!
He drops to the mat, but he’s able to hold Volk close for a while...
Not anymore!! Volk creates space and bludgeons Evloev, and the REF STEPS IN!
THE GREATEST.
Round two: Evloev proves his striking is underrated
22:04 , Alex PattleBiggg straight from Evloev as Volkanovski kicks low.
Decent one-two from the champ, but he’s tagged by another Evloev right. Evloev’s punching has been so crisp tonight.
Volkanovski overshoots with a combination while chasing Evloev, who then gets a body lock but can’t take down the champ.
Volkanovski’s face is a little marked up under his left eye. Again the Aussie overshoots and he’s taken down... but he reverses well! So slick, and he’s on top for now.
He can’t keep Evloev down for long, though. Back on the feet, and Volkanovski is LOADING up on his shots!
He has Evloev stumbling off balance, but Volk needs to beware the counters.
Evloev takes round one, Indy Sport thinks
22:00 , Alex PattleVolkanovski breaks free but Evloev lands some clean shots soon after! He might be taking over this round.
Volk initiates a clinch, but Evloev knees the body well twice in a row.
He lands a grazing high kick, but Volkanovski doesn’t seem too fazed.
The champ tries to land some eye-catching hooks on the taller man late on, but he fails.
Volkanovski vs Evloev: Round one
21:59 , Alex PattleBoth men stand orthodox. Volk presses forward early on, feinting. He kicks inside low, and again. Volk bites on a feint and smiles.
Evloev kicks to the body, then outside low. Nice one-two from Volk, who then chases after Evloev. Another good jab.
Nice body hook from Volk, but Evloev fires back with a jab upstairs. Another Evloev body kick, then Volk misses with a hook.
Evloev tries to trip Volk but fails. Decent cross from Volk, but a stern jab from Evloev.
It’s Volk who initiates the first wrestling exchange, but he’s spun around in the clinch. Evloev then takes the back and drives Volk to the mat, but the Aussie bounces right back up!
Better punching from Volk now, but Evloev is able to time a takedown well again! He throws one punch on the mat, and the champ is back on his feet. Volk almost meets a takedown attempt with an uppercut – did it land or not? Hard to say.
Volkanovski vs Evloev: Round one
21:54 , Alex PattleOff we go!
MAIN EVENT TIME
21:52 , Alex PattleVolkanovski and Evloev are in the cage.
Will “Alexander The Great” extend his second title reign?
Or will Evloev fulfill the prophecies that he’d become a champion one day?
We’re about to find out.
VOLK MAKES THAT WALK! 🇦🇺#UFC333 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/piiNeH2Y2o
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Volkanovski is at a tipping point – can Evloev push him over the edge?
21:43 , Alex PattleFor all the focus on jabs, elbows, knees and throws, sometimes all it takes is a little push in MMA. Especially when you’re on the precipice.
That’s where Volkanovski finds himself, as much as in Abu Dhabi and at the Etihad Arena. People can talk down the physical threat of Evloev – and they have – based on the Russian’s relative lack of finishes, but Volkanovski stands on the edge of a sheer drop.
It is a long way down, even for the man who walks out to “Down Under”. And this is perhaps the greatest threat to the Australian’s second reign as UFC featherweight champion, at 38 years old.
Volkanovski has been one of the finest fighters of a generation, and is arguably the greatest featherweight of all time (even if the Jose Aldo debate may never end), but there exists a trend that even the sacred few atop the MMA mountain have been able to outfight or outthink...
Full preview:
Volkanovski is at a tipping point – here’s the Evloev plan to push him over the edge
Main event INCOMING
21:39 , Alex PattleIt’s almost time for the main event!
All-time great Alex Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against the unbeaten Movsar Evloev.
AND STILL!
21:31 , Alex PattlePetr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
And STILL! What a performance from the two-time champ.
"Give me Song Yadong, give me King Kong" 😂
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Petr Yan calls out the rest of the division#UFC333 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/wsYZCRYp5H
Yan pulls off huge comeback?
21:28 , Alex PattleRound five
Yan blocks a kick and jettisons a cross to the body. Now he’s beating up the lead leg of Merab. Jumping knee partially lands for Yan!
1:40 to go. Brutalllll left hook to the body by Yan. Another lashing body kick.
Right uppercut and left hook from Yan! Another hard body kick and Merab skips away. Now a one-two has him teetering back to the fence. A body kick has Merab stumbling now.
The final buzzer brings an eruption of noise from the crowd.
Yan SURELY just came back from two rounds down to retain his title...
21:25 , Alex PattleWell, this trilogy started with a one-sided showing from Merab, continued with a masterclass from Yan, and it’s ending with a well-balanced CLASSIC. Fitting.
Round five
Merab with a cross to begin the round. Yan comes forward and Merab tries to deter him with strikes. Merab with another good right, but Yan lands a left hook.
Now YAN shoots! He goes for a double-leg against the fence. No joy, but he throws a jumping knee that seems to partially land.
Low kick by Yan, now a blitz upstairs. A left hand has Merab stumbling back to the fence. Now a body kick on Merab, but the ex-champ fires back.
Yan ties it up before final round??
21:22 , Alex PattleRound four
Yan with a left hook to the body and an uppercut to the head. A spearing rear uppercut lands for Merab. He tries a sloppy single-leg and is punished for it.
A grazing uppercut tags him upstairs. Yan’s own nose is bloodied, mind.
He makes Merab miss wildly, though, with the Georgian stumbling off balance.
HARD body shot from Yan. Counter cross to the head. Kick to the body on the buzzer!
It’s surely 2-2 heading into the final round.
Yan dialing it up at crucial juncture
21:19 , Alex PattleRound four
Okay, we have it 29-28 to Merab, heading into the championship rounds.
Bigggg left hook by Yan off the break!! Merab eats it well.
Merab’s takedown attempts have gotten less effective, though, as a single-leg shows now. Merab with two head kicks but neither lands clean.
Good one-two from Yan!! Now a body hook! Merab has three minutes left in this round and he doesn’t look comfortable.
He sees a head kick blocked and eats a piston jab. Now a left hook!
Yan is DIALING it UP. Merab’s nose is busted.
Yan with three big moments to steal the round!
21:16 , Alex PattleRound three
Yan with a big land and the crowd erupts, but Merab fires right back! The crowd made it sound like a bigger Yan moment than it was, I’d say.
Good jabs from Yan now, however. He’s pressing forward, he kicks low.
Another eruption of noise as Yan lands well, but AGAIN Merab comes back with punches and takedown attempts.
OH!! A body kick has Merab grimacing and covering up!! This has happened to Merab before, but opponents haven’t been able to capitalise!!
He has to survive 40 seconds in this round... Another body kick by Yan, and Merab grins.
But he’ll survive for now... Good round for Yan in the end!
Yan defending well but not scoring
21:13 , Alex PattleRound three
Yan kicks low, then Merab does the same. An overhand grazes Merab. Yan swings a right hook and Merab ducks under, shooting for a double-leg.
It’s not there, but Merab soon tries again. He switches to a single, then a body lock. He’s RELENTLESS. Merab with a knee to the body off the break.
Yan is doing a better job of defending the takedowns now, but he NEEDS to start scoring more with his strikes.
Merab, by the way, is throwing low kicks and jabs Yan’s way as we speak.
Hard cross to the body by Yan.
Merab 2-0 up
21:10 , Alex PattleRound two
Hard low kick by Merab after Yan stands once again.
The takedowns are obviously scoring BUT only to an extent; Merab is not keeping Yan down or dealing any damage on the mat.
Yan tries a combination upstairs and gets through with the final punch, a rear uppercut. Cross lands for Merab, then he fails with a single-leg.
The next single-leg works! He drivessss through Yan, who tips backwards onto the mat. Yan soon stands, but he eats a body kick right after.
I know this is how Merab fights but it’s still SO shocking to see this pace. He’s twitching all the time, too.
Yan with fantastic defensive wrestling
21:07 , Alex PattleRound two
Merab with a ton of feints and a fair few punches early on, but none land. Yan with a couple of crisp crosses, though!
Now a good cross from Merab, exploding off the fence! Merab then goes for a single-leg and switches to a double, hauling Yan down. Again, however, Yan does very well getting up.
Now Merab takes the back and trips Yan – a very different takedown. Yan reverses well, though, rolling and taking the back of Merab! He chooses to stand, though, and let Merab do the same.
AGAIN Merab takes the back and tries to trip Yan, as the crowd boos. It takes a while, but eventually he drags down the ex-champ by the fence.
Merab with terrific first round in bid to win belt back
21:03 , Alex PattleRound one
Oh! Merab with a good right hand early on. He then shoots for a single-leg but Yan scrambles free, evading the following up punches after crashing into the fence.
Now Merab has the back, but Yan is preventing a trip with his own foot. Yan spins free, and Merab kicks to the body.
Merab tries another single-leg and Yan is tipped to the side, and he grabs Yan’s leg to try to stabilise himself. Again he shimmies away and regroups. Yan misses with a jab and Merab lands a cross.
Such a fast pace from Merab, as we’re used to. Historically he’s sustained it well over five rounds, but he’s also 0-2 on takedowns so far, having gone 2-28 (or 29?) in their second fight.
Now he gets Yan down!! But the champ pops right back up. Merab sticks out his tongue. Bigggg level change and another takedown from Merab – boos from the crowd...
Islam Makhachev makes huge UFC decision as unexpected title fight is confirmed
20:54 , Alex PattleFull story:
Islam Makhachev makes huge UFC decision as unexpected title fight is confirmed
Co-main event next! Yan vs Merab 3
20:46 , Alex PattleOkay, bantamweight gold on the line next! Petr Yan defends his title against former champ Merab Dvalishvili, in their third fight.
Merab previously outpointed the Russian, before Yan reversed that result last December to end the Georgian’s title reign.
With that, Yan became a two-time champion, and he tests himself against Merab again tonight.
The well-rounded Yan produced a masterclass to dethrone Merab in December, but can Merab again use the relentless wrestling that saw him beat Yan – and so many others – in the first place?
Let’s find out.
WOW! Kavanagh weathers tense spell to score big KO
20:29 , Alex PattleRound one
Both fighters stand orthodox. Temirov tries a flashy side kick early on. Kavanagh’s coach told the UFC tonight that the Uzbek is a “three-minute fighter”. Can Kavanagh get through the first three minutes? That’s the first task.
Kavanagh just misses with a front kick to the body then Temirov misses with a HUGEEE couple of attempted shots: an overhand and a left hook.
Good left hook to the body by Kavanagh. Now he lands one upstairs, but only after coming up from a single-leg attempt that sees him crash his head into Temirov’s chin.
Kavanagh’s nose is reddened. Temirov with a clean right hand! And another decent one... Good low kicks from Kavanagh. Tons of pressure from Temirov now. A body kick from Kavanagh draws a cross out of Temirov, which lands over the top.
Left hook by Temirov, then another right! He’s building momentum...
But Kavanagh stuns him with an uppercut! OH! A flurry of punches, and Temirov stumbles to the mat and covers up... It’s all over!!
Next up: Britain’s Lone’er Kavanagh in action
20:18 , Alex PattleBritish flyweight Lone’er Kavanagh is in action next, fighting Ramazan Temirov. Here’s an exclusive interview with Kavanagh by our own Will Castle:
Just 14 months ago, Lone’er Kavanagh was coming off the worst night of his career.
A 26-year-old prospect at the time, Kavanagh had been knocked out by Charles Johnson - a fighter with a career-high ranking of No 14 (and one of the most out-there haircuts in the fight game) - simultaneously stripping him of his undefeated record and dashing his momentum.
“Obviously it was hard,” he told The Independent. “Losing is never fun.”
Jump to present day and Kavanagh’s one career loss is now two. But instead of being resigned as a faltering prospect, he finds himself in the upper echelons of the flyweight division, maybe a couple fights away from a title shot.
Meet the British UFC star whose comeback story surprised even himself
Birthday win – title fight next?
20:06 , Alex PattleAlexander Volkov def. Rizvan Kuniev via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Happy birthday to the next heavyweight title challenger (surely!).
Volkov defeats Rizvan Kuniev in a dominant decision! 👏#UFC333 | Stream TNT Sports on HBO Max pic.twitter.com/m1ZzvqisDZ
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) October 24, 2026
Volkov almost celebrates 38th birthday with submission win!
20:04 , Alex PattleRound three
Well, well, well. Fans online are torn on who won round two. For us, it was a Volkov round.
Kuniev with a slow spinning back kick that misses. Volkov lands a body kick. Both men land punches at close range; they’re throwing more combinations now, mixing in hooks and uppercuts.
It’s dangerous from Volkov if he’s 20-18 up, but he can’t be sure that he is. So, maybe he feels the risks are necessary.
Volkov trips his fellow Russian and weighs on Kuniev, who is on his knees. Volkov then circles around and takes the back with ease!
Just over a minute to go, and Volkov has the neck! Can he celebrate his birthday with a submission win? Kuniev survives to the buzzer, but surely Volkov sealed the decision win anyway.
Volkov comfortable ahead of final round
19:58 , Alex PattleRound two
Kuniev with a couple of good jabs of his own, but to land them, he’s leaning steeply to his right; a head kick is there for Volkov if he can time it.
Kuniev’s nose is bloodied. He just misses with a big cross effort then eats a couple of smart counters.
A clinch ensues, and Kuniev glances at the clock. They separate.
Volkov’s team is calling for a right head kick, not the left I’d identified.
Instead, Volkov lands a couple of good punches at close range.
Volkov full of confidence
19:56 , Alex PattleRound two
Volkov with a jab up top and some more body work. Kuniev clinches, but again Volkov spins him around and holds him against the fence.
Off the cage wall, and Kuniev tries to bounce around and be light on his feet. Volkov with another nice jab, then a front kick to the body.
You get the feeling he won their past sparring rounds; that’s how confident and positive he looks tonight.
Another knee to the midriff of Kuniev in a clinch. Hook from Kuniev and uppercut by Volkov. One-two by Volkov, then a poor takedown shot from Kuniev.
Superman punch from Kuniev lands!
Volkov vs Kuniev
19:52 , Alex PattleRound one
Nice low kick by Volkov, who slides out of range of a front kick to the body from Kuniev. It’s Volkov going forward still.
Another low kick, but he’s jabbed over the top at the same time. Kuniev with a right hook in the clinch, but Volkov fires back with a knee to the body.
Volkov is cut around his right eyebrow due to some of that clinch work from his compatriot.
Volkov vs Kuniev
19:50 , Alex PattleRound one
The crowd is more behind Volkov than I’ve ever heard before; they seem to really be rooting for him after the past injustices against him.
He lands a great uppercut then backs up Kuniev, who is breathing heavily here. Kuniev grabs ahold of Volkov, but the veteran reverses the clinch against the fence.
Out in the open, Volkov steps in with a stern jab. Kuniev complains of a low blow, but does he just want another breather?
No, it’s a low blow. Time out.
Pico runs through Keita with blistering KO
19:27 , Alex PattleRound one
Both men stand orthodox. Keita is very light on his feet.
Pico shoots for a single-leg takedown in the first 10 seconds or so, and he’s so fast with it. He gets Keita down.
Keita is trying to get some hooks inside Pico’s legs, but he fails to do so. He does get back to his feet, though, before landing a grazing hook.
OH!! But a left from Pico and a lightning right cross, and Keita is on SHAKY feet!
He tips over backwards, and Pico swarms him on the mat, forcing the stoppage!
Regular-prelim results in full
19:00 , Alex PattleDominick Reyes def. Azamat Murzakanov via first-round KO (head kick and cross, 2:40)
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev def. Nikita Krylov via first-round TKO (knee, 2:38)
Abus Magomedov def. Cam Rowston via first-round submission (guillotine choke, 1:44)
Grant Dawson def. Nurullo Aliev via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)
Main card incoming
18:53 , Alex PattleMain card
Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs Movsar Evloev (featherweight title)
Petr Yan (C) vs Merab Dvalishvili 3 (bantamweight title)
Lone’er Kavanagh vs Ramazan Temirov (flyweight)
Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev (heavyweight)
Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita (featherweight)
Early-prelim results in full
17:07 , Alex PattleColby Thicknesse def. Asaf Chopurov via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Abubakar Vagaev def. Jacob Malkoun via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Daniel Santos def. Bolaji Oki via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Kody Steele def. Noah Gugnon via first-round KO (jab and ground and pound, 3:54)
Iasmin Lucindo def. Nicolle Caliari via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Volkanovski addresses sparring sessions with Evloev
15:40 , Alex Pattle“I’m not one to talk, I’m not one to talk,” Volkanovski told Red Corner MMA, when asked about his past sparring sessions with Evloev.
“Again, it was a long, long time ago. He was only young, but yeah, I’ll leave it at that.”
When asked whether he could have foreseen Evloev becoming a UFC title challenger, the Aussie said: “Well, look, I didn’t know. I think he was the M1 Global... they had a promotion, he was the champion then.
“But again, yeah, he was young. We’re both much better; he’s much better than back then, so you can’t go by how that training session went. I’m expecting a much tougher Movsar, a much more well-rounded, fit Movsar.”
More thoughts from Volk here:
Volkanovski addresses sparring sessions with Movsar Evloev before UFC title clash
How to watch UFC 333
15:14 , Alex PattleIn the UK, the card will air live on TNT Sports and is also accessible via HBO Max, EE TV, Virgin Media, Amazon Prime Video, and Sky Sports. In the US, Paramount+ will stream the action, with CBS showing a segment of the card.
UFC 333 LIVE! Welcome
15:00 , Alex PattleHello and welcome to our live coverage of UFC 333!
On paper, there’s a great card ahead this afternoon and this evening (for those in a British or European timezone...).
How nice it is to have fights at these times, and high-stakes bouts as well: the main event pits Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev, with Volk’s featherweight belt on the line; and the co-main event is Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili 3 – a bantamweight title showdown.
Stick around for key details, previews and interviews, as well as live updates!
