ABU DHABI: The Ultimate Fighting Championship, in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, is set to return to the UAE capital with UFC 333.
The event will see UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and undefeated No. 1-ranked contender Movsar Evloev headlining at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Oct. 24, with the co-main event featuring bantamweight champion Petr Yan as he defends his title against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili. Tickets are available from today.
Volkanovski (28-4-0, fighting out of Windang, New South Wales, Australia) and Evloev (20-0-0, fighting out of Ingushetia, Russia) will meet in a blockbuster featherweight clash as part of a lineup that includes established contenders, rising stars and other fan favorites from around the world.
Volkanovski enters UFC 333 on the back of consecutive victories over Diego Lopes, having reclaimed the featherweight title at UFC 314 before successfully retaining it in their rematch at UFC 325. A former long-reigning champion with five successful title defenses during his first reign, “The Great” has established himself as one of the most accomplished featherweights in UFC history.
Standing across the Octagon will be Evloev, who arrives in Abu Dhabi with a perfect 20-0 professional record. The No. 1-ranked featherweight most recently extended his unbeaten run with a majority-decision victory over Lerone Murphy in London, adding to notable wins over Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen and Diego Lopes as he continues his pursuit of UFC gold.
The co-main event sees Yan (20-5-0, fighting out of Omsk, Russia) renew his rivalry with former champion Dvalishvili (21-5-0, fighting out of Garden City Park, New York) in a pivotal bantamweight showdown.
Yan reclaimed the title with a unanimous-decision victory over Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in December 2025, avenging his 2023 defeat to “The Machine.” Their latest meeting sets the stage for a compelling third chapter between two of the division’s elite competitors.
