Skip to content
MMAtown

UFC 333 Results: Volkanovski Stops Evloev, Yan Beats Dvalishvili & Full Fight Card

UFC 333 Results: Volkanovski Stops Evloev, Yan Beats Dvalishvili & Full Fight Card

Alexander Volkanovski is still the man to beat at featherweight. The 38-year-old Australian stopped previously undefeated Movsar Evloev with just six seconds remaining in Round 2, successfully defending his title in the main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi.

The co-main event delivered an entirely different kind of championship performance. Petr Yan survived Merab Dvalishvili's relentless wrestling pressure, hurt the Georgian repeatedly with body shots and won the final three rounds to retain his bantamweight championship by unanimous decision.

Elsewhere, Aaron Pico demolished Losene Keita in 74 seconds, Lone'er Kavanagh produced a spectacular uppercut finish against Ramazan Temirov, and Dominick Reyes knocked out Azamat Murzakanov with a head kick and follow-up punches.

The October 24, 2026 event took place at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, featuring 14 fights, seven finishes and two successful championship defenses. Both titleholders collected $100,000 performance bonuses, with Yan sharing Fight of the Night honors with Dvalishvili.

Alexander Volkanovski stops Movsar Evloev in Round 2 to retain UFC featherweight title

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev was supposed to be one of the toughest stylistic tests remaining for the featherweight champion.

Evloev entered UFC 333 with a perfect 20-0 professional record, having won all 10 of his previous UFC appearances. His relentless wrestling, positional control and ability to neutralize dangerous opponents had carried him to the top of the division without a single defeat.

Volkanovski, meanwhile, was defending his championship at 38, an age when most featherweights are already well past their prime.

Evloev had success early. The Russian managed to bring the fight into grappling exchanges and forced Volkanovski to defend takedowns during the opening round. The champion also suffered a cut and swelling beneath his left eye.

But Evloev struggled to establish the kind of sustained control that had made him so effective against previous opponents. Volkanovski repeatedly worked back to his feet and began finding opportunities with his boxing.

The decisive moment came late in Round 2.

Volkanovski connected with a clean right hand that visibly hurt Evloev. As the challenger retreated and turned away, the champion followed aggressively, unloading punches until Evloev collapsed to the canvas.

Volkanovski continued attacking on the ground, forcing the referee to stop the contest at 4:54 of the second round.

 

 

It was Volkanovski's first stoppage victory since defeating Yair Rodríguez at UFC 290 in July 2023. More importantly, it handed Evloev the first defeat of his professional MMA career.

The Australian improved to 29-4 while Evloev fell to 20-1. It was also another significant result in Volkanovski's pursuit of the greatest featherweight résumé in UFC history, strengthening the comparison with longtime divisional benchmark José Aldo.

Afterward, Volkanovski made it clear that he wasn't planning to retire. He welcomed the emergence of new contenders and expressed satisfaction at defeating the division's clear No. 1 challenger.

Evloev's wrestling was supposed to present a particularly difficult obstacle. Instead, Volkanovski once again demonstrated why his takedown defense, ability to escape bad positions and disciplined boxing have kept him at the top for so long.

Movsar Evloev's unusual UFC introduction sparks social media reaction

Evloev also became the subject of an unrelated discussion during the broadcast after a social media account circulated what it described as an unusually worded fighter introduction.

The post appeared to show a biographical detail containing a controversial remark about younger women, prompting criticism of the presentation.

The exact context and authenticity of the purported broadcast graphic have not been independently established, however. The viral post should not be treated as verified evidence of Evloev's personal views.

 

 

Petr Yan beats Merab Dvalishvili 48-47 in UFC 333 trilogy

The third meeting between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili finally produced the competitive, back-and-forth fight many expected from their rivalry.

Dvalishvili dominated their first encounter in March 2023, using his wrestling and extraordinary pace to overwhelm Yan across five rounds. Yan reversed that result in December 2025, defeating the Georgian to reclaim the UFC bantamweight championship.

Saturday's deciding chapter began with Dvalishvili apparently determined to prove that his approach could still overwhelm the Russian champion.

For the opening two rounds, it worked.

Dvalishvili pressed forward relentlessly, repeatedly attacking Yan's legs and forcing the champion to spend much of his energy defending takedowns. The Georgian's activity made it difficult for Yan to establish his preferred boxing rhythm.

By Round 3, however, the momentum had changed.

Yan's takedown defense remained sharp, and he began punishing Dvalishvili's entries with cleaner punches. The most significant strike of the round was a hard kick to the body that visibly hurt the challenger.

 

 

Dvalishvili reacted to the impact but kept moving, demonstrating the resilience that has become one of his defining characteristics.

At one point, he even appeared to jog away from the exchange, shaking off the damage before returning to his usual relentless pressure.

 

 

But the damage was accumulating.

Yan grew increasingly comfortable in Round 4, connecting with jabs, counterpunches and further attacks to the body. Dvalishvili continued pursuing takedowns, but the champion was defending them and making him pay for unsuccessful entries.

That left the fight effectively tied entering the fifth round.

Yan produced another strong five minutes, landing combinations, a jumping knee and additional body kicks while frustrating Dvalishvili's attempts to return the fight to the ground.

After 25 minutes, all three judges scored Yan vs. Dvalishvili 3 48-47 for the champion.

Yan had won the final three rounds on every official scorecard, completing another comeback against one of the most demanding wrestlers in UFC history.

Dvalishvili attempted 58 takedowns, an extraordinary measure of the pace he maintained despite repeatedly being denied. His persistence made for a gripping fight, but Yan's cleaner offense ultimately decided it.

The victory gave Yan a 2-1 advantage in their trilogy and marked his first successful defense since regaining the bantamweight title.

Lone'er Kavanagh finishes Ramazan Temirov with spectacular uppercut

Lone'er Kavanagh delivered one of the cleanest knockouts of UFC 333, stopping Ramazan Temirov at 4:28 of Round 1.

Temirov entered on a 12-fight winning streak and immediately tried to impose his power on the English flyweight. He threw heavy punches and kicks, attempting to force Kavanagh into exchanges.

Kavanagh remained composed, moving defensively, working behind his jab and waiting for Temirov to overcommit.

Late in the opening round, that patience paid off.

Kavanagh slipped a punch and fired a perfectly timed left uppercut that badly hurt Temirov. The Uzbek fighter staggered as Kavanagh followed with rapid combinations.

Another uppercut sent Temirov crashing down near the fence, and the referee intervened as Kavanagh continued attacking.

 

 

The result of Kavanagh vs. Temirov was Kavanagh's most impressive UFC finish to date and earned him a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

The London-based fighter entered the event ranked No. 6 at flyweight and made no secret of his championship ambitions afterward.

For Temirov, the loss ended a remarkable winning streak and exposed the danger of attacking an opponent whose counterpunching is as precise as Kavanagh's.

Aaron Pico destroys Losene Keita in 74 seconds

Aaron Pico needed only 1:14 to stop former OKTAGON champion Losene Keita in the opening fight of the UFC 333 main card.

The American initially used his wrestling to create a threat that Keita had to respect. He secured an early takedown, forcing the Belgian fighter to adjust defensively when they returned to their feet.

Moments later, Pico landed a powerful right hand that sent Keita crashing to the canvas.

Pico immediately followed him down and unleashed punches until the referee stopped the contest.

The official result of Pico vs. Keita was a first-round TKO at 1:14.

It was Pico's first UFC finish and his second consecutive victory after recovering from his debut loss to Lerone Murphy.

Keita arrived with the reputation of one of Europe's most dangerous featherweights, but Pico's combination of wrestling and explosive punching gave him little opportunity to establish his own striking game.

Afterward, Pico called for another opportunity against Murphy and indicated that he wanted to move toward the division's leading contenders.

Alexander Volkov beats Rizvan Kuniev to extend heavyweight winning streak

Alexander Volkov continued his climb toward another heavyweight title opportunity by defeating Rizvan Kuniev via unanimous decision.

The fight was a tactical battle between two Russian heavyweights who knew each other's strengths. Volkov was particularly effective in the clinch, neutralizing an area where Kuniev usually enjoys considerable success.

Volkov showed greater aggression during the early rounds and finished strongly in the third, taking Kuniev's back and hunting for submissions during the final stages.

The judges awarded Volkov vs. Kuniev to Volkov by scores of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27.

Celebrating his 38th birthday, Volkov secured his third consecutive victory and 41st professional MMA win. With another ranked heavyweight defeated, he remains firmly involved in the championship conversation.

Dominick Reyes and Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev deliver devastating preliminary finishes

The biggest preliminary-card statement came from Dominick Reyes, who knocked out Azamat Murzakanov in the first round of their light heavyweight contest.

Murzakanov had connected with a solid left hand shortly before the finish, but Reyes responded with a head kick that badly hurt the Russian. He immediately followed with punches, forcing the stoppage at 2:40 of Round 1.

The victory in Reyes vs. Murzakanov gave the former UFC title challenger his fifth victory in six fights, with his only recent defeat coming against current light heavyweight champion Carlos Ulberg.

Reyes' return to finishing form strengthens his argument for another high-profile fight in the division.

Earlier, undefeated Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev made an equally convincing statement against veteran Nikita Krylov.

Krylov landed a powerful counter early and bloodied Yakhyaev's nose, but the 25-year-old responded by forcing a grappling exchange and threatening a D'Arce choke.

When Krylov escaped the submission attempt and tried to stand, Yakhyaev connected with a knee to the head and followed with punches to secure a TKO at 2:38 of Round 1.

The result of Yakhyaev vs. Krylov improved the Turkish prospect to 11-0, with four victories in four UFC appearances, all by first-round stoppage.

His latest win was particularly significant because Krylov represented the most experienced and established opponent of his professional career.

Abus Magomedov submits Cam Rowston; Grant Dawson ends Nurullo Aliev's unbeaten run

Abus Magomedov needed just 1:44 to finish Australian middleweight Cam Rowston.

The German-based fighter began attacking Rowston's lead leg, forcing his opponent to change tactics and attempt a takedown.

Magomedov immediately countered with a guillotine choke. Rowston lost consciousness in the hold, producing a first-round technical submission victory.

The result of Magomedov vs. Rowston extended Magomedov's recent success and prompted him to call for a matchup with Gregory Rodrigues.

Grant Dawson, meanwhile, handed previously unbeaten Nurullo Aliev his first professional loss in a lightweight matchup shaped partly by an early point deduction.

Aliev began aggressively and enjoyed success in the opening round, but referee Marc Goddard deducted a point for illegal strikes to the back of Dawson's head.

Dawson subsequently took greater control, combining improved striking with his established grappling game.

All three judges scored Dawson vs. Aliev 29-27 for Dawson, who secured his second consecutive victory.

Other UFC 333 preliminary results

The remaining preliminary contests included two more important prospect defeats and another highlight-reel knockout.

Australian bantamweight Colby Thicknesse handed previously unbeaten Asaf Chopurov his first professional loss, winning a competitive split decision by scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29. The victory in Thicknesse vs. Chopurov extended the Australian's winning streak to three.

Abubakar Vagaev moved successfully into the middleweight division, defeating Jacob Malkoun by unanimous decision (29-28 on all three scorecards). Vagaev's greater punching power and timely takedowns proved decisive in Vagaev vs. Malkoun.

Brazilian featherweight Daniel Santos defeated Bolaji Oki in another closely contested decision. All three judges scored Santos vs. Oki 29-28, with Santos' activity helping him edge the striking exchanges.

Kody Steele produced another first-round finish, knocking out Noah Gugnon with an overhand right at 3:54. The result of Steele vs. Gugnon gave Steele his second consecutive UFC stoppage victory.

The event opened with Iasmin Lucindo defeating Nicolle Caliari by unanimous decision (30-27 on all three scorecards). Lucindo mixed effective grappling with damaging strikes, including a spinning back elbow that cut her opponent, to control Lucindo vs. Caliari across three rounds.

UFC 333 full results: Main card and prelims

Complete official results from Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi:

Main Card

Preliminary Card

Early Prelims

UFC 333 bonuses: Volkanovski, Yan, Dvalishvili and Kavanagh earn $100,000

Four fighters received $100,000 post-fight bonuses following UFC 333.

  • Performance of the Night: Alexander Volkanovski — $100,000
  • Performance of the Night: Lone'er Kavanagh — $100,000
  • Fight of the Night: Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili — $100,000 each

Five additional fighters who recorded finishes received $25,000 bonuses: Aaron Pico, Dominick Reyes, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Abus Magomedov and Kody Steele.

The card produced seven stoppages across 14 fights, with two title defenses and several performances that should influence the next rounds of featherweight, bantamweight, flyweight and light heavyweight matchmaking.

UFC 333 results FAQ

Who won Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev at UFC 333?

Alexander Volkanovski defeated Movsar Evloev by second-round TKO at 4:54, successfully defending the UFC featherweight championship. It was Evloev's first professional MMA defeat.

Who won Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili 3?

Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 48-47. Yan won the final three rounds to retain the UFC bantamweight title and take a 2-1 lead in their trilogy.

How did Lone'er Kavanagh knock out Ramazan Temirov?

Lone'er Kavanagh hurt Ramazan Temirov with a left uppercut before following with additional punches and another uppercut. The referee stopped the fight at 4:28 of Round 1.

Who won Aaron Pico vs. Losene Keita at UFC 333?

Aaron Pico defeated Losene Keita by first-round TKO at 1:14. After threatening with an early takedown, Pico landed a powerful right hand and finished the fight with punches on the ground.

What happened in Dominick Reyes vs. Azamat Murzakanov?

Dominick Reyes knocked out Azamat Murzakanov with a head kick and follow-up punches at 2:40 of Round 1, strengthening his position among the UFC's leading light heavyweights.

Why were the Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev scorecards 29-27?

Nurullo Aliev received a one-point deduction in Round 1 for illegal strikes to the back of Grant Dawson's head. Dawson went on to win by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 29-27.

Who received UFC 333 performance bonuses?

Alexander Volkanovski and Lone'er Kavanagh earned $100,000 Performance of the Night bonuses, while Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili received $100,000 each for Fight of the Night.

Where was UFC 333 held?

UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev took place on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Top News