The facts
- UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev, Saturday, October 24, 2026, Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.
- Alexander Volkanovski keeps the featherweight title, stopping Movsar Evloev by TKO at 4:54 of round 2.
- Petr Yan keeps the bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all three cards.
- Volkanovski passes Jose Aldo for the most championship-fight wins in UFC featherweight history.
- Seven of the 14 bouts ended inside the distance.
- Fight of the Night went to Yan vs Dvalishvili, Performance of the Night to Volkanovski and Lone’er Kavanagh.
Two belts stayed with their holders at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, October 24, 2026. Alexander Volkanovski stopped the previously unbeaten Movsar Evloev in the second round of the main event. Earlier, Petr Yan had kept the bantamweight title over five rounds against Merab Dvalishvili on three identical cards.
The main event
Movsar Evloev held the first round and was still tracking Volkanovski early in the second. A straight right backed him up and turned him away. The champion chased, took him down and finished with strikes at 4:54, six seconds before the bell. Alexander Volkanovski, 38, defends his belt and passes Jose Aldo for the most wins in a championship fight at UFC featherweight. Evloev loses for the first time as a professional.
The co-main event
Petr Yan let Merab Dvalishvili set the pace for two rounds, mixing a high output with repeated takedown attempts. The champion found his range in the third by working the body, took over on the feet in the fourth, then dictated the tempo in the fifth while landing the cleaner shots. All three judges scored it 48-47. This third meeting closes the rivalry between the two men.
Main card results
| Division | Winner | Opponent | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Featherweight, title | Alexander Volkanovski | Movsar Evloev | TKO (strikes), round 2, 4:54 |
| Bantamweight, title | Petr Yan | Merab Dvalishvili | Unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47) |
| Flyweight | Lone’er Kavanagh | Ramazan Temirov | TKO (strikes), round 1, 4:28 |
| Heavyweight | Alexander Volkov | Rizvan Kuniev | Unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27) |
| Featherweight | Aaron Pico | Losene Keita | TKO (strikes), round 1, 1:14 |
Alexander Volkov picked up his third straight win and the 41st of his professional career, on his 38th birthday, against a former training partner. He was the more aggressive man from the opening bell, controlled Rizvan Kuniev in the clinch and spent the last 90 seconds of the third round hunting a submission on the ground. Volkov is 7-1 over his last eight fights, his only loss a disputed split decision against Ciryl Gane, and sits at the front of the heavyweight title queue for UFC 334.
Aaron Pico landed the quickest finish of the night at 1:14. After an opening takedown, he caught Losene Keita with a right hand to the chin in the following exchange and finished on the floor. It is his first KO/TKO in the Octagon and his second win of the year. Lone’er Kavanagh, who beat Brandon Moreno in February on very short notice, froze Ramazan Temirov with an uppercut before closing with a flurry.
Prelim results
| Division | Winner | Opponent | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light heavyweight | Dominick Reyes | Azamat Murzakanov | KO/TKO, round 1, 2:40 |
| Light heavyweight | Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev | Nikita Krylov | KO/TKO, round 1, 2:38 |
| Middleweight | Abus Magomedov | Cam Rowston | Submission, round 1, 1:44 |
| Lightweight | Grant Dawson | Nurullo Aliev | Unanimous decision |
| Bantamweight | Colby Thicknesse | Asaf Chopurov | Split decision |
| Middleweight | Abubakar Vagaev | Jacob Malkoun | Unanimous decision |
| Featherweight | Daniel Santos | Bolaji Oki | Unanimous decision |
| Lightweight | Kody Steele | Noah Gugnon | KO/TKO, round 1, 3:54 |
| Women’s strawweight | Iasmin Lucindo | Nicolle Caliari | Unanimous decision |
The prelims produced four finishes in nine bouts, all in the first round. Dominick Reyes and Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev closed their light heavyweight fights two seconds apart on the clock, at 2:40 and 2:38. Abus Magomedov submitted Cam Rowston in 1:44. The other five bouts went the distance, including a single split decision, for Colby Thicknesse.
The bonuses
The UFC gave Fight of the Night to Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili, the only championship bout to reach the final bell. Both Performance of the Night awards went to Alexander Volkanovski, for his second-round TKO of Movsar Evloev, and Lone’er Kavanagh, for his first-round TKO of Ramazan Temirov. The official bonus page did not list the amounts.
What comes next
No opponent was announced for Alexander Volkanovski or Petr Yan on the night. A full list of recent event results is kept up to date on the UFC results page.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the UFC 333 main event?
Alexander Volkanovski beat Movsar Evloev by TKO at 4:54 of the second round to keep the featherweight title, on October 24, 2026 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.
Did Petr Yan keep his title against Merab Dvalishvili?
Yes. Yan won by unanimous decision after five rounds, with all three judges scoring it 48-47. The third fight closes the rivalry between them.
Who earned the UFC 333 bonuses?
Fight of the Night went to Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. Both Performance of the Night awards went to Alexander Volkanovski and Lone’er Kavanagh. The amounts were not disclosed.
How many fights ended inside the distance?
Seven of the 14 bouts on the card, including the main event. All four prelim finishes came in the first round.
What record did Alexander Volkanovski break?
The most wins in a championship fight in UFC featherweight history, passing Jose Aldo.
