Michael Bisping Backs Alexander Volkanovski to Cement his Featherweight Legacy Ahead of UFC 333
Alexander Volkanovski has another chance to strengthen his claim as the greatest featherweight in UFC history, and Michael Bisping believes he will make the most of it.
Standing in his way at UFC 333 is undefeated Movsar Evloev, who is looking to take the title from one of the division's most accomplished champions. Despite the Russian’s unblemished record and revered grappling credentials, Bisping is backing “The Great” to find a way through and leave with the belt still around his waist.
Michael Bisping Explains Why Alexander Volkanovski Can Handle Movsar Evloev
The former UFC Middleweight Champion sees more than a title defense in Volkanovski’s future. He believes the Australian can further cement his legacy as the greatest featherweight to ever compete in the Octagon.
Breaking down the UFC 333 main event ahead of Saturday’s card in Abu Dhabi, Bisping first addressed the biggest question surrounding Volkanovski’s matchup with Evloev: can the champion keep the undefeated challenger from taking the fight to the ground?
“Can he stop the takedowns? I think so,” Bisping said.
The former champion pointed to Volkanovski’s first meeting with Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 as a reason for his confidence. Facing one of the best wrestlers in the sport, Volkanovski managed to make it difficult for the Dagestani champion, showing that he could hold his own against an opponent capable of controlling the fight on the mat.
“He was able to for the most part disregard the takedown threat of Islam Makhachev, other than the rematch, we know what happened there. But he was able to do that. And he does have an intelligent footwork and he did get caught by Ilia Topuria.”
That said, Volkanovski’s knockout loss to Topuria showed how costly a single mistake can be at the highest level. At 38, the Australian is also further along in his career, and Bisping believes he needs to be more measured in how he approaches the fight with Evloev.
“That tells you, you can’t as many risk. That tells you you maybe getting a little bit older. That tells you, you got to fight a little smarter and I think that’s what he’s going to do in this fight.”
Looking Back at First Bout Between Volk, Machachev
Volkanovski’s first fight with Makhachev offers some context for that assessment. At UFC 284 in Perth, he defended five of the Russian’s nine takedown attempts and landed four takedowns of his own. Even when Makhachev brought him to the mat, Volkanovski repeatedly worked his way back to his feet and kept the fight competitive over five rounds.
Although Volkanovski (28-4-0) ultimately lost by unanimous decision, his performance showed he could challenge an elite grappler without being completely neutralized by the wrestling threat. While their rematch ended very differently, with Makhachev knocking him out in the first round, the result only reinforces Bisping’s point about the fine margins Volkanovski now faces against the best in the world.
Michael Bisping Thinks "...And Still" Will be Heard Saturday
Evloev (20-0-0) presents another difficult test, particularly given his undefeated record and wrestling credentials. Bisping believes Volkanovski’s grit, footwork, and adaptability will be enough to get him through the challenge.
His prediction went beyond a successful title defense. Bisping added, “And I think he walks away as still the featherweight champion of the world and will definitely cement himself as the greatest featherweight fighter to ever compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.”
Volkanovski and Makhachev Planning a Trip to Dagestan
Losing to Makhachev twice hasn't changed how the featherweight king views the Russian champion. Instead, their rivalry appears to have left the Australian with even greater respect for his former opponent.
Their relationship now extends well beyond what happened inside the Octagon. The 38-year-old recently reflected on their first meeting at UFC 284. Despite the hard-fought defeat, Volk has always valued the technical battle they shared, explaining how Makhachev pushed him into situations few opponents had managed to create.
That respect has carried over into their relationship outside competition, too. During a recent conversation with Kris Fade, Volkanovski revealed that the two are planning a trip to Dagestan, where he hopes to experience some of Makhachev's life away from fighting.
“We are (going to Dagestan),” Volkanovski said, exuding enthusiasm. “It won’t be two or three years. I was like, ‘Maybe a few days,’ and he said, ‘That’s not long enough. Two-three weeks. Let’s go two-three weeks.’ So we’ll definitely do that.”
In fact, as per the champ himself, the trip won't be limited to training. Volkanovski also expects to spend time cooking with Makhachev and experience some of the local activities that have caught his attention, including horseback hunting.
“We’ve done some cooking together. I love all that stuff. I love the content that we can get, and that’s just next level. So I can’t wait to go and do that with him.”
