UFC 333 features two of the biggest title fights of the year as the Octagon returns to Abu Dhabi for a stacked card.
UFC 333 is just hours away as featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski looks to stop Movsar Evloev’s meteoric rise in the Abu Dhabi headliner. Volkanovski returns to the Octagon after defeating Diego Lopes in a title rematch at UFC 325.
Evloev earned the title shot against Volkanovski after recent wins over Aljamain Sterling, Lerone Murphy, and Arnold Allen. He remains unbeaten in his career and finally gets his long-awaited featherweight title shot.
The UFC 333 co-main event pits reigning bantamweight champion Petr Yan against Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy fight. Yan defeated Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in their second fight at UFC 323 in December.
UFC 333 also features the returns of Alexander Volkov, Dominick Reyes, Aaron Pico, and other savvy veterans. Emerging talents will also look to make statements on one of the biggest cards of the year.
Check out the latest edition of BJPenn’s Best Bets, sponsored by BetOnline, ahead of UFC 333.
ALL betting odds courtesy of BetOnline.
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev OVER 4.5 RDs (-275)
Volkanovski and Evloev have proven to be two of the most dominant fighters in UFC featherweight history during their careers. Ahead of their five-round battle at UFC 333, Volkanovski and Evloev have also shown a tendency to fight the long game inside the Octagon.
Volkanovski’s last stoppage win came against then-interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez at UFC 290. Entering UFC 333, Volkanovski is coming off back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Diego Lopes in his second featherweight title reign.
Meanwhile, Evloev doesn’t have a single stoppage win through 10 UFC fights. His last stoppage win came against Rafael Dias at M-1 Challenge 95 in July 2018, his final fight outside of the UFC before making his promotional debut.
Evloev recently claimed he wants to go the full five-round distance with Volkanovski when they meet in the Octagon, but Volkanovski wants to earn a long-awaited finish. Their intriguing stylistic matchup could mean a slower-paced fight in the Octagon when Volkanovski and Evloev clash.
Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev by KO/TKO (-140)
UFC light heavyweight prospect Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev will look to remain undefeated as he prepares to face the struggling Nikita Krylov on the UFC 333 undercard.
Yakhyaev has quickly risen in the light heavyweight division with three first-round finishes to kick off his UFC tenure. He secured a contract via Dana White’s Contender Series with a 30-second knockout last year.
Three of Yakhyaev’s last four fights lasted no longer than 33 seconds, including an eight-second knockout against Julius Walker in June. Eight of Yakhyaev’s 10 wins have also finished by first-round stoppage.
Meanwhile, Krylov holds a significant experience advantage, but has struggled mightily since 2023. He’s lost three of his last four fights, including against light heavyweight debutant Robert Whittaker at UFC 329 by TKO.
Yakhyaev’s riding a lot of momentum heading into UFC 333, a trend that is worth betting on continuing against the struggling veteran.
Noah Gugnon ML (+136)
UFC lightweight prospect Noah Gugnon is one of the most overlooked talents preparing to fight at UFC 333. The French standout most recently submitted a fighter with twice his experience, Milos Janicic, in his promotional debut in August.
Gugnon has a well-rounded style with nasty grappling when he gets the fight to the ground. While Gugnon’s opponent Kody Steele presents a similar challenge, Gugnon arguably has more ways to win inside the Octagon.
Gugnon vs. Steele has ‘Fight of the Night’ potential at UFC 333. As a modest underdog, Gugnon is well worth taking a chance to continue his six-fight winning streak in Abu Dhabi.
What is your prediction for Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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