Volkanovski and Yan Set Sights on New Rivals After UFC 333 Wins

Alexander Volkanovski stopped Movsar Evloev in two rounds on the main card of UFC 333. Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in the co-main event. Both champions defended their belts, but their paths forward now diverge.

Volkanovski, who holds the featherweight title, is expected to fight Charles Oliveira next. The UFC is scheduling a BMF title defense for Oliveira against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. If Oliveira retains that belt, a unification fight against Volkanovski becomes the logical next step. Both fighters are established stars who have maintained high performance levels into their late careers.

Volkanovski told ESPN in September that he did not want to jump the line at lightweight to face Justin Gaethje. He noted the presence of an obvious challenger, Arman Tsarukyan, in the 155-pound division. A win over Oliveira would position Volkanovski as a legitimate contender for the lightweight title without requiring an immediate move up in weight class.

Yan, the men's bantamweight champion, closed a trilogy against Dvalishvili with the decision victory. The next logical opponent for Yan is Sean O'Malley. O'Malley holds a controversial victory over Yan from 2022. Since that fight, O'Malley has won two bouts, including a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi and a close decision over Song Yadong.

Song Yadong presents another strong option for a Yan rematch. Yan has not yet faced Song, though O'Malley defeated Song in January. O'Malley remains the higher-profile matchup, but Song offers a different tactical challenge with his speed and power. The UFC is expected to revisit the O'Malley and Yan card soon.

For the losers on the card, immediate rematches appear likely. Dvalishvili is expected to face Umar Nurmagomedov. Their first encounter at UFC 311 in January 2025 was named fight of the night. Nurmagomedov broke his hand early in that bout, while Dvalishvili fought through injuries. Both men are now coming off losses, which often accelerates matchmaking in the UFC.

Nurmagomedov is likely to return by January. He will need to fight before the Muslim holiday of Ramadan begins in February. The physical history between the two fighters makes a rematch a clear priority for the promotion.

Movsar Evloev, who lost his first career fight to Volkanovski, will likely face Pat Sabatini next. Sabatini holds a 9-2 record in the UFC. Evloev described his future as a title challenger in uncertain terms, saying he might try again. He now enters a gatekeeper role while attempting to rebuild his momentum.

Aaron Pico, who won a featherweight bout on the card, is positioned to fight Jean Silva. Pico defeated Patricio Pitbull in April. Silva is moving to lightweight to face Oliveira in December, which clears a spot at 145 pounds. A Pico and Silva fight would feature two fighters with high potential and volatile finishes.