Movsar Evloev Wants First UFC Finish Against Volkanovski at UFC 333
The undefeated challenger says he wants Volkanovski at his best and plans to do what he's never done in the Octagon: get a stoppage.
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Movsar Evloev has won all 10 of his UFC fights. He's never lost a professional bout. And heading into the biggest night of his career at UFC 333, his goal is to do something he's never done inside the Octagon: finish a fight.
"This is my first title fight," Evloev told MMA Fighting. "And we're looking to make it my first finish in the UFC."
Evloev challenges Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title on October 24 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. He earned the shot with dominant wins over Aljamain Sterling and Lerone Murphy, relying heavily on his grappling to control both fights from start to finish.
The 30-year-old Russian dismissed the idea that Volkanovski, now 38, is past his prime. "I used to beat champions before joining the UFC," Evloev said. "People called those champions 'not that good like before' after I beat them."
He wants no part of that narrative. "I want him to be in his prime, in the best condition, so I can show my skills."
Volkanovski has said he plans to keep the fight standing and believes Evloev's wrestling-heavy approach won't work against him. The champion has warned that if Evloev tries to grind him out, he'll "shut that completely down" and force a striking contest.
Evloev also shot down recent retirement rumors that surfaced after a cryptic social media comment. "No. No," he said. "That means I'm gonna win."
I've been watching Evloev for a while now, and the guy is a problem. Ten UFC wins, no losses, and he's beaten a former champion in Sterling plus a top contender in Murphy. The resume is real.
But finishing Volkanovski is a different conversation. Volk survived five rounds with Islam Makhachev, arguably the best grappler in the sport. If Evloev thinks he's going to take Volk down and submit him, he'd better bring something Makhachev didn't.
I think Evloev's best path is mixing his wrestling with improved striking to keep Volk guessing. If it turns into a pure striking fight, Volkanovski has the edge. If it turns into a grappling match, Volk has the experience to survive. Evloev needs to be unpredictable. That's how you beat a champion this smart.
