UFC 333 Brings a Star-Studded Fight Night to Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena.
Dubai: The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Abu Dhabi for UFC 333, with two championship bouts headlining a packed card promising a high-octane night of elite MMA action.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will headline the event against undefeated No. 1 contender Movsar Evloev at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Saturday, October 24.
In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan will defend his title against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili.
Tickets
Tickets go on sale at 1pm GST on Monday, August 17, through Etihad Arena and Ticketmaster.ae.
VIP ticket packages for UFC 333 are already available through On Location, the UFC’s official VIP experience provider. Packages include premium seating, access to an all-inclusive private VIP lounge, meet-and-greet opportunities with UFC athletes and other exclusive experiences. Full package details are available at UFCVIP.com.
The main event
Volkanovski will take on undefeated Evloev in the headline bout, setting up a highly anticipated clash between one of the featherweight division’s most decorated champions and its leading unbeaten contender.
Volkanovski enters UFC 333 on a two-fight winning streak against Diego Lopes, having reclaimed the featherweight title at UFC 314 before successfully defending it against Lopes in their rematch at UFC 325. The former long-reigning champion also recorded five successful title defences during his first reign.
Evloev, meanwhile, enters the bout with a perfect 20-0 record after securing a majority-decision victory over Lerone Murphy in London. The Russian contender has also picked up notable wins over Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen and Diego Lopes as he continues his pursuit of UFC gold.
The co-main event
The co-main event will feature UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan against former champion Merab Dvalishvili in a highly anticipated trilogy bout, with the bantamweight title on the line.
Yan reclaimed the championship by defeating Dvalishvili via unanimous decision at UFC 323 in December 2025, avenging his earlier defeat to “The Machine” two years earlier. With the rivalry tied at one win apiece, their third encounter is set to decide the score between two of the division’s top contenders.
Both fighters have already gone through two fiercely contested encounters, making this latest chapter one of the most anticipated matchups on the card.
Additional bouts on the card
England’s No. 6-ranked flyweight contender Lone’er Kavanagh will take on No. 7-ranked Ramazan Temirov in another highly anticipated flyweight showdown.
The heavyweight division will also feature prominently, with No. 2-ranked Alexander Volkov facing No. 5-ranked Rizvan Kuniev in a clash between two top contenders.
At featherweight, No. 5-ranked Arnold Allen will meet No. 13-ranked Aaron Pico in another compelling matchup featuring two ranked fighters.
No. 8-ranked light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes will face No. 9-ranked Azamat Murzakanov, with both fighters aiming to climb the division’s rankings and strengthen their title aspirations.
In the middleweight division, No. 14-ranked Abus Magomedov will face Australia’s Cam Rowston, while veteran No. 15-ranked light heavyweight Nikita Krylov takes on undefeated Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev.
At lightweight, No. 15-ranked Grant Dawson will meet unbeaten Nurullo Aliev, with both fighters looking to make a statement and move up the division’s rankings.
