Volkanovski Stops Unbeaten Evloev at UFC 333 to Retain Title and Break Jose Aldo’s Record

Alexander Volkanovski is still the king of the featherweight division, and he made a statement doing it. The 38-year-old Australian stopped previously undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev with a second-round TKO at 4:54 of Round 2 in the UFC 333 main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday night, retaining his title and making history in the process.

The win was the ninth UFC title-fight victory of Volkanovski’s career, a mark that makes him the first featherweight to reach that number and pushes him past Brazilian legend Jose Aldo, who held the previous record with eight. Volkanovski improved to 29-4 in MMA and 16-3 inside the UFC, while Evloev, a 32-year-old Russian, saw his perfect record fall to 20-1 overall and 10-1 in the promotion.

How Volkanovski Broke the Unbeaten Run

The opening round was competitive, and Evloev, one of the most efficient wrestlers in the weight class, came in with the reputation of a man who had never lost. The matchup was viewed as close to a pick ’em heading in. Volkanovski, though, began to take over in the second.

A straight left hand sent Evloev backward, and a big right hand put him on the canvas. Evloev recovered and fought on, but late in the round Volkanovski found him again with an uppercut and left hand, then dove into the ground-and-pound. He hammerfisted away at a covered-up Evloev until referee Marc Goddard jumped in to wave it off with only seconds remaining in the round.

The performance was also notable for what it ended. It was Volkanovski’s first finish in three years, and it came against an opponent nobody else had been able to put away. The UFC rewarded him with a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

What Volkanovski and Evloev Said Afterward

Volkanovski was gracious in victory and made clear he knew exactly what he needed to do. “He’s a great fighter, and he was undefeated for a reason. I just said I’m the right guy for that job,” the champion said. “I just knew I needed to land that one big shot that really hurts him and I found it.”

He also reflected on where he is in his career. “I’m so blessed. I’m very happy to be where I am and to be able to do what I’m doing in this sport, and I choose to do it. I don’t have to,” Volkanovski said, hinting that he is not ready to walk away. “I said if I didn’t take too much damage, we’d probably keep going. So maybe we keep going.”

Evloev took the first loss of his career with respect. “He’s like good wine, older, stronger, better. He’s a true legend,” the challenger said. “This is a great lesson for me. I didn’t prove that I am the best. I’m not there yet. Maybe we’ll try again.”

A Second Reign Built on Resilience

Volkanovski’s place in featherweight history has been secure for years, but this chapter of his career has been especially compelling. He lost the belt to Ilia Topuria in February 2024, then regained the vacant title last April. Saturday marked the second successful defense of that second reign. Few fighters have remained as consistent at the top of the sport at his age.

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UFC 333 was a double-title night. In the co-main event, Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy fight to successfully defend his bantamweight title for the first time. Yan became the first fighter to hand Dvalishvili back-to-back defeats. Together, the two championship results saw Yan and Volkanovski reaffirm their places at the top of their divisions.

What Comes Next for the Featherweight Champion

With Evloev’s unbeaten run ended, the featherweight division suddenly looks different. Volkanovski has now beaten the last undefeated contender in the weight class, and the conversation will quickly turn to who earns the next shot. A rematch with Topuria, a defense against another top contender, or a surprise bout at a different weight all remain possible, and the champion himself sounded open to continuing.

For now, the headline is simple. At 38, Alexander Volkanovski did not just survive a dangerous, unbeaten challenger. He finished him, set a record that had stood since 2016, and walked out of Abu Dhabi still holding the gold. With DraftKings promo code offers and other sportsbook promotions already looking ahead to the next big fight night, the next chapter of the Volkanovski story will be one to watch.