UFC 333 Preview: Volkanovski vs Evloev, Yan vs Dvalishvili 3 and Full Card Breakdown

The UFC returns to Abu Dhabi for one of the most anticipated events on the UFC calendar this year, as UFC 333 takes place at the Etihad Arena on Saturday, 24 October.

Headlining the card are two championship fights, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev and Petr Yan facing Merab Dvalishvili in a highly anticipated trilogy bout.

Arguably the greatest featherweight ever to grace the Octagon, and one of the sport's most elite champions, Alexander Volkanovski once again defends his throne. This time against an unbeaten Russian force in Movsar Evloev, with his record sitting pretty at 20-0.

'The Great' has only tasted defeat once at 145lbs, against Ilia Topuria. He was the unfortunate first MMA icon on the Spaniard's superstar rise, which saw him dispatch Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.

Other than that blemish, the Australian has been perfect inside and outside the Octagon. A true model champion, something the UFC is severely lacking in the current climate.

Now at 38 years old, there is the shadow of 'Father Time' looming, but it has loomed before, and Volkanovski has overcome it in style.

Hoping to capitalise on the timing is the undefeated Evloev, who has yearned for a title shot for years.

The problem for the Russian is that even with an unblemished record, there is a huge lack of star power. A 10-0 record in the UFC is excellent on paper. However, he is without a single finish in the organisation and is known for inactivity.

Hence the long road to the title for Evloev, particularly recently, with the UFC seemingly shifting more towards entertainment than ability.

He is now certainly undeniable after taking out four top contenders: Diego Lopes, Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling and Lerone Murphy.

The co-main event also features a mouthwatering title bout and the potential conclusion to one of the great trilogies in the sport's history.

Two-time bantamweight champion Petr Yan makes the first defence of his second reign against the man he took the belt from, Merab Dvalishvili.

The Georgian workhorse racked up four defences of the title in 2025, but it was the final fight of the year that saw him taste defeat and lose his belt.

That rematch in December 2025 was over two years in the making, with their first bout back in March 2023 resulting in a dominant Dvalishvili decision victory.

In one of the best fights of 2025, Yan showed such quality and willpower to break a machine that looked unbreakable, earning a well-fought decision victory.

Now, the trilogy commences this weekend in Abu Dhabi at UFC 333.

Recent numbered events pale in comparison to the quality on display on the main card at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.

Topped by two stellar title fights, the main card is also full of superb ranked talent in high-stakes matchups.

Lone'er Kavanagh vs Ramazan Temirov

At flyweight, striking wizard Lone'er Kavanagh faces off against aggressive Uzbekistani Ramazan Temirov.

The powerful Uzbek is 3-0 in the UFC, and his last performance was by far his best, a first-round KO over Steve Erceg.

For Kavanagh, his last performance was disappointing, as he was competing with Brandon Royval in a great fight until he got caught in a submission.

At 10-2, Kavanagh has risen to the top quickly. This fight at UFC 333 is another test to prove he belongs there.

Alexander Volkov vs Rizvan Kuniev

At heavyweight, the division is now trying to move forward with champion Tom Aspinall sidelined until further notice. The title is on the line next month at UFC 334, so the rest of the division are scheduling matchups.

Alexander Volkov can certainly feel hard done by, as he and many others believe he defeated Ciryl Gane back in 2024.

Even prompting Dana White to state after the bout that he felt the decision was wrong and they would look after Volkov.

Since that night, he has been fed to rising contenders twice, and a third time awaits at UFC 333. He continues to win and show his experience as a veteran of the game.

Against Rizvan Kuniev, he will need to use those same qualities, as Kuniev is only three fights into his UFC tenure and has already suffered defeat against the elite in Curtis Blaydes on his debut in 2025.

Aaron Pico vs Losene Keita

Injury forced Arnold Allen to withdraw from his matchup with Aaron Pico, offering the opportunity for popular powerhouse Losene Keita to take the fight on just six weeks' notice.

Keita stole the show at UFC Paris with a first-round KO of Muhammed Naimov and now wants to build momentum with a shot at the rankings.

Pico is also 1-1 in the UFC, and a victory against the Belgian star would certainly hold weight across the MMA community due to the hype behind 'Black Panther'.

The prelims feature some future stars and top talents aiming to make their names on this massive event.

Three unbeaten prospects make the walk at the Etihad Arena.

Nurullo Aliev and Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev get big steps up in competition after their first few bouts in the UFC as they approach the fringes of their respective rankings.

Most exciting of the three is Asaf Chopurov, making his UFC debut at 135lbs.

The 11-0 prospect faces the talented Australian Colby Thicknesse, who holds a 9-1 record, with his only defeat coming at the hands of Aleksandre Topuria.

Chopurov has finishing potential wherever the fight goes, with five submissions and five TKOs in his 11 wins.

Azamat Murzakanov vs Dominick Reyes

Headlining the prelims, Azamat Murzakanov aims to bounce back after a disappointing first career defeat to Paulo Costa earlier this year.

The Russian was perfect through his first six UFC bouts and was edging into title contention prior to the loss, which has undoubtedly propelled the more popular Costa into title conversations.

Standing across the Octagon is a seasoned veteran in Dominick Reyes, whose fabled UFC career has been somewhat of a roller-coaster.

After a title fight loss to Jon Jones in 2020, he lost three fights consecutively and could well have been cut.

However, he turned his form around and is now 4-1 in his last five, with that sole loss coming to current king Carlos Ulberg.

A high-calibre win against Murzakanov would propel him back towards the top of the division.

With two championship fights, a highly anticipated trilogy and several rising contenders looking to make their mark, UFC 333 has all the ingredients for a memorable night in Abu Dhabi.

Whether Volkanovski can turn back another challenger or Evloev finally claims UFC gold remains to be seen, while Yan and Dvalishvili prepare to settle their rivalry once and for all.