Petr Yan Backs Alexander Volkanovski to Defeat Movsar Evloev at UFC 333

If Volkanovski is in good shape, good condition, then it might be a tough one for Movsar, bantamweight champion Petr Yan said in an interview with UFC Eurasia, backing the Australian titleholder ahead of an upcoming championship bout.

Alexander Volkanovski will defend his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev in the main event at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. The card also features a trilogy fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight championship.

Volkanovski Seeks Second Defense After Reclaiming Title

Volkanovski aims for the second defense of his second featherweight reign. He reclaimed the vacant title with a victory over Diego Lopes at UFC 314 last April.

The champion has won eight UFC featherweight title fights, tying the division record. His professional mixed martial arts record stands at 28 wins and 4 losses, including three victories over Max Holloway alongside wins against Jose Aldo, Chad Mendes, and two wins over Lopes.

Evloev Earns Title Shot With Undefeated Streak

Evloev secured his long-awaited opportunity at UFC gold after defeating Lerone Murphy in a title eliminator at UFC London in March. The Russian contender enters the bout with an undefeated professional record of 20 wins and no losses.

During a 10-fight winning streak inside the UFC, Evloev has defeated notable opponents including Lopes, Arnold Allen, and Aljamain Sterling. Capturing the belt from a champion with Volkanovski’s resume presents a formidable challenge for the undefeated challenger.

Yan Evaluates Champion’s Defensive Wrestling

Yan pointed to Volkanovski’s striking and defensive wrestling as vital advantages in the upcoming matchup. He highlighted the champion’s performance during his first bout against Islam Makhachev at UFC 284, where Volkanovski moved up to lightweight and proved difficult to control on the ground.

Because in this scenario, to beat Volkanovski, Movsar will need to either submit him or knock him out. Just those two ways (to win). Volkanovski is good on the feet; he also has good defensive wrestling. What he actually proved in his first fight with Islam. He showed that it’s not easy to control him on the ground.

Petr Yan

Yan assessed the championship bout as a competitive pairing. He offered a slight edge to the reigning titleholder given his proven skill set.

It’s an interesting matchup. 55/45 in favor of Volkanovski. Movsar is younger and more motivated, but he still has to beat today’s version of Volkanovski.

Petr Yan

Yan shares training experience with Volkanovski at Tiger Muay Thai in Thailand and has previously ruled out moving up to challenge for a second division title while Volkanovski holds the featherweight belt.

Abu Dhabi Championship Bout Scheduled for October

The featherweight championship clash takes place on October 24. Evloev will attempt to dethrone the champion and secure his first UFC title in the headline event at Abu Dhabi.