Saturday, October 24
Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Volkanovski stops Evloev late in Round 2 as Yan wins the bantamweight trilogy
UFC 333 delivered two major championship results.
Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski retained his title with a second-round technical knockout of previously undefeated Movsar Evloev, while bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in their highly anticipated trilogy.
Volkanovski’s finish came with just six seconds remaining in Round 2, ending Evloev’s perfect professional record at 20–1.
Yan, meanwhile, swept the judges’ scorecards 48–47 to successfully defend his championship.
Alexander Volkanovski def. Movsar Evloev
TKO — Round 2, 4:54
UFC featherweight championship
Volkanovski delivered a spectacular championship performance, overcoming Evloev’s grappling threat and finishing the previously unbeaten challenger in the closing seconds of the second round.
After a measured opening round, the Australian champion found his rhythm with accurate combinations in the second.
He pressured Evloev toward the cage, connected with a powerful sequence and followed up with unanswered punches that forced the referee to stop the contest.
At 38, Volkanovski once again demonstrated why he remains one of the elite fighters in the featherweight division.
The victory preserved his championship and handed Evloev the first defeat of his professional career.
Verdict: A statement win for Volkanovski. His striking precision and composure under pressure proved decisive.
Co-Main Event — Petr Yan defeats Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan def. Merab Dvalishvili
Unanimous decision — 48–47, 48–47, 48–47
UFC bantamweight championship
The championship trilogy delivered 25 minutes of relentless action.
Dvalishvili started aggressively, using repeated takedown attempts and constant pressure to disrupt Yan’s offence during the opening rounds.
Yan gradually adjusted. His defensive wrestling held up, and he began landing increasingly effective strikes.
A damaging body kick in the third round helped swing momentum, and the champion’s sharper stand-up attack proved influential in the championship rounds.
Dvalishvili continued pushing until the final horn, but Yan’s more effective striking secured identical 48–47 scores from all three judges.
Verdict: Yan completed an impressive championship performance, reinforcing his position at the top of the bantamweight division.
UFC 333 Main Card Results
Lone’er Kavanagh def. Ramazan Temirov
TKO, Round 1 — 4:28
Kavanagh produced a decisive finish with a sharp uppercut followed by a barrage of strikes, strengthening his credentials as a flyweight contender.
Alexander Volkov def. Rizvan Kuniev
Unanimous decision — 29–28, 30–27, 30–27
Volkov used his striking and clinch control before finishing strongly with ground control in the third round.
Aaron Pico def. Losene Keita
TKO, Round 1 — 1:14
Pico timed his attack perfectly, dropping Keita with a right hand before finishing with ground strikes.
Preliminary Card Results
Dominick Reyes vs. Azamat Murzakanov Reyes won by KO, Round 1 — 2:40
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev vs. Nikita Krylov Yakhyaev won by TKO, Round 1 — 2:38
Abus Magomedov vs. Cam Rowston Magomedov won by guillotine choke, Round 1 — 1:44
Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev Dawson won by unanimous decision, 29–27 on all cards
Colby Thicknesse vs. Asaf Chopurov Thicknesse won by split decision
Abubakar Vagaev vs. Jacob Malkoun Vagaev won by unanimous decision
Daniel Santos vs. Bolaji Oki Santos won by unanimous decision
Early Preliminary Results
Kody Steele vs. Noah Gugnon Steele won by KO, Round 1 — 3:54
Iasmin Lucindo vs. Nicolle Caliari Lucindo won by unanimous decision, 30–27 on all cards
Biggest Takeaways from UFC 333
Volkanovski strengthens his legacy
The champion stopped a dangerous, undefeated challenger and reaffirmed his standing among the featherweight division’s elite.
Yan wins the rivalry
After splitting their first two encounters, Yan earned a second consecutive victory over Dvalishvili and defended his bantamweight title.
A strong night for the finishers
Reyes, Yakhyaev, Kavanagh and Pico all scored stoppage victories, making the event particularly memorable for its decisive finishes.
UFC 333 was a successful night for the champions.
Volkanovski produced the most dramatic moment of the event with his late second-round stoppage, while Yan demonstrated the technical discipline needed to overcome Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling.
The supporting card added several impressive finishes and important wins for rising contenders.
Fight of the Night candidate: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili — a competitive, high-paced championship trilogy.
Performance of the Night candidate: Alexander Volkanovski — a decisive finish against an undefeated contender.
