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UFC 333 championship fights in Abu Dhabi

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2026-10-26 20:25 UTC → 2026-10-27 02:47 UTC · added ~~removed~~

UFC 333 took place on October 24, 2026, at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Leading up to the event, UFC CEO Dana White confirmed the promotion would proceed despite a U.S. Department of State level three travel advisory for the UAE due to regional security concerns. In the featherweight division, Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his title against undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev. Evloev, who entered the bout with a 20-0 record, suffered the first loss of his ~~career.~~ career when Volkanovski secured a second-round technical knockout at ~~4:54 after a barrage of ground-and-pound, including a right hand that dropped Evloev.~~ 4:54. Following the bout, Volkanovski revealed he had been battling a chest ~~infection, noting that overcoming such obstacles added~~ infection and declined legal medication to ~~the satisfaction~~ avoid any perception of ~~victory. He stated,~~ an unfair advantage, stating, “It would have been too easy if I hadn't been ~~sick,” and noted he declined legal medication to avoid any perception of an unfair advantage.~~ sick.” This win marked Volkanovski’s ninth featherweight title-fight win, tying Jose Aldo for the most in division history. ~~Fighter Paddy Pimblett criticized Evloev’s performance, accusing him of “quitting” by covering up and rolling over during the final seconds of the round. Volkanovski~~ Post-fight discussions regarding Volkanovski’s next move have expanded. While he previously expressed interest in a ~~potential~~ retirement superfight against lightweight champion Justin ~~Gaethje.~~ Gaethje, other potential matchups include a rematch with Ilia Topuria or a bout against Aljamain Sterling. Although contender Jean Silva has publicly called for a title shot, Volkanovski’s head coach, Joe Lopez, stated that his team does not believe Silva has earned the spot and would prefer a fight against Sterling. In the bantamweight division, Petr Yan successfully defended his championship, defeating Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision with scores of 48-47 across all three judges. While Dvalishvili controlled early stages with high-volume striking and wrestling, Yan mounted a comeback in the fourth and fifth rounds using precision striking, settling their 1-1 rivalry. decision. In the heavyweight division, Alexander Volkov secured a unanimous decision victory over Rizvan Kuniev. Other notable results included Lone’er Kavanagh securing a first-round knockout against Ramazan Temirov.

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