TLDR
- Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev at UFC 333 on October 24 in Abu Dhabi
- The 38-year-old champion said he would only retire if things go ‘terribly wrong’ at UFC 333
- Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight title with two wins over Diego Lopes after losing to Ilia Topuria
- Evloev brings a perfect 20-0 record into his first UFC title shot
- Volkanovski has no current plans to retire and expects to continue fighting beyond October
Sources: yardbarker.com | nyfights.com
Alexander Volkanovski has laid out the only scenario that would end his UFC career at UFC 333, though the featherweight champion expects to fight well beyond his upcoming title defense.
The 38-year-old Australian will defend his 145-pound title against undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev on October 24 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main event tops a card that also features bantamweight champion Petr Yan facing Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event.
In a recent interview with 10 News, Volkanovski explained his approach to retirement. “If things go terribly wrong, alright, we’re done,” he said. “If things go very well, like the last one, with no damage, we’ll keep it rolling.”
Champion Taking Career One Fight at a Time
Volkanovski emphasized he has no immediate plans to hang up his gloves. “I’m taking each fight as it goes. I’m trying to be real with it, but I don’t have plans on retiring right now,” he told the outlet. “I’m pretty sure we are gonna keep going.”
The Australian will turn 38 on September 29, just weeks before his title defense. At an age when many fighters in lighter weight divisions consider retirement, Volkanovski is coming off two of his best performances.
Alexander Volkanovski has a message for Islam Makhachev pic.twitter.com/sq3VlpZbqF
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) December 16, 2022
He reclaimed the vacant featherweight title with a win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 in Miami last April. Volkanovski then defended the belt at UFC 325 in Sydney with an even more impressive rematch victory over the same opponent.
These wins marked a stunning comeback for a fighter many thought was finished. Volkanovski had lost his featherweight title to Ilia Topuria at UFC 298 following two defeats to Islam Makhachev at lightweight, including a brutal knockout at UFC 294.
The champion has been open about struggling with his mental health during that difficult period. His family encouraged him to consider walking away from the sport, especially after the birth of his fourth child.
Evloev Brings Perfect Record to Title Shot
Movsar Evloev earned his title shot by keeping his undefeated record intact. The Russian fighter improved to 20-0 with a majority decision win over Lerone Murphy at UFC London in March.
Evloev has won 10 straight fights inside the Octagon. His recent victories include wins over former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and Diego Lopes, the same fighter Volkanovski has now beaten twice.
A victory over Evloev would give Volkanovski three consecutive wins since the Topuria loss. It would also further cement his legacy as one of the greatest featherweights in UFC history.
Volkanovski currently sits at No. 2 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings. This will be his second title defense during his second reign as featherweight champion.
The weigh-ins for UFC 333 are scheduled for October 23, one day before the fight.
