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UFC 333 Main Card Recap: Volkanovski and Yan Retain Championships

By Nachiket Jadhav

Edited by Drew Zuhosky
37 min ago6 min read
Alexander Volkanovski retains UFC featherweight championship at UFC 333.
Alexander Volkanovski retains the UFC featherweight championship at UFC 333.IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
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UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi delivers an impactful main card featuring two defining championship bouts.

UFC 333 delivered an action-packed and eventful main card headlined by two legacy-defining title fights. UFC's return to Abu Dhabi turned into an instant classic, with vintage performances from featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and bantamweight champion Petr Yan. Besides that, the main card also showcased two quick finishes, a big 2027 announcement, and a special guest appearance.

Aaron Pico Makes Point in Featherweight Division

The Main card opened up with a featherweight showdown between Aaron Pico and Losene Keita. Losene took the fight on short notice, carrying the hype from his last spectacular performance and viral post-fight celebration. Aaron shut down all of that with a wicked first-round TKO, solidifying his status as a true contender in the division.

The accomplished wrestler then called out for a title fight or a rematch with Lerone Murphy, who handed him a knockout loss last year. Aaron has had a big hype since he started his MMA career, but now, 3 fights down in the UFC, he finally seems to get it all together. 

Alexander Volkov Puts on a Clinic 

This was the only fight that was low on excitement compared to the rest of the main card. But Alexander Volkov put on a clinic against his opponent, Rizvan Kuniev. The 6'7" Heavyweight veteran showed off his all-around game and even threatened a finish at the end of the fight. The judges awarded a clear unanimous decision to Drago.

After the fight, Volkov got on the mic and comically asked Dana White for a heavyweight title shot. Alex is currently sitting at No.4 in UFC's heavyweight rankings and is riding momentum with an 8-2 record in his last 10 fights. He will be watching next month's heavyweight title fight between Ciryl Gane and Josh Hokit very closely.

Lone'er Kavanagh Makes  Statement in Flyweight Division

The tactical heavyweight matchup was followed by an interesting fight between top flyweight 10 contenders- Lone'er Kavanagh and Ramazan Temirov. But Lone'er took just one round to finish the Uzbekistani by the way of an emphatic TKO. It started with a flush uppercut, and then the 26-year-old followed it with some patient and nicely chosen shots to close the show. 

This picture-perfect finish earned Kavanagh a performance of the night bonus and gets him closer to the elite top of the flyweight division. He says he is ready for the title but also up to take on anyone else next.

This weekend's UFC 333 main card dropped big news for 2027. UFC officially announced the headliners for its first numbered event of next year, and it's an absolute banger. UFC 336 will take place in Ontario, Canada, on January 30, 2027. 

The main event will be a flyweight clash between Joshua Van and Manel Kape for the UFC gold. The 25-year-old champion will look to make his 3rd title defense, while Kape will look to dethrone him and extend his incredible run that involves a four-fight win streak with all finishes.

The co-main is a fan favorite fight that pits welterweight top contenders, Carlos Prates vs. Michael Moraes, to decide the interim UFC welterweight champion. These exciting knockout artists will fight toe to toe to earn a shot against the pound-for-pound king, Islam Makhachev.

UFC 333 also featured Usman Nurmagomedov, one of the hottest free agents in MMA right now. The former PFL and Bellator lightweight champion was shown cageside during the broadcast, adding fuel to ongoing speculation about a potential move to the UFC. Usman will be an epic addition to UFC's exceptionally talented lightweight division. 

Petr Yan Defeats Merab Dvalishvili Again in Thrilling Trilogy Fight

UFC 333's co-main went the distance as Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili put on a show one more time. 

This was a third fight between two of the best bantamweights of all time. The thrilling fight went like a combination of their last two bouts. The former champion, Merab, pressed the action in the first half with this relentless wrestling mixed with high-volume striking. Then the current 2 time champion, Petr, took over with his precise striking along with his remarkable takedown defense.

All 3 judges scored the bout 48-47, resulting in Petr Yan winning over 'The Machine' and cementing his legacy as one of the, if not the greatest bantamweights of all time. This fight won the fight of the night honours, and it might also contend for the fight of the year award later on. In a post-fight interview, 'No Mercy' expressed that he's willing to fight anyone that UFC puts in front of him.

In the main event, Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski continued writing a legacy of the greatest featherweight of all time by defeating an undefeated contender, Movsar Evloev. Movsar was coming on hot with an undefeated 20-0 record, but Alex showed why he is considered a living legend of the sport. At 38 years old, Alexander not only defended his title against this formidable foe but also finished him in the second round. 

The first round was quite competitive. The second round? It was clear that Alex had taken his mental notes. He unleashed his game and rocked Evloev on the feet before finishing him on the ground. This victory earned Volk the performance of the night bonus, but even more importantly, it also helped him to surpass Jose Aldo with most title fight wins in UFC's featherweight division. 

Even after building a hall-of-fame resume, Alexander still wishes to continue fighting at the top; the featherweight GOAT still has many intriguing challenges to look forward to.

ABOUT THE AUTHORNachiket JadhavStaff Writer

Nachiket Jadhav is a combat sports journalist and Staff Writer at MMA Sucka.

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