UFC 333 Results Set Paths for Volkanovski, Yan, and Dvalishvili

Two rounds. That is all it took for featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski to stop Movsar Evloev at UFC 333. The victory ended Evloev's undefeated run and set the stage for immediate speculation regarding next matchups for the card's top contenders.

The event featured two title defenses. Volkanovski retained the 145-pound belt, while bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision. This bout concluded the trilogy between the two fighters, with Yan securing the third win in their series.

The timeline for these fighters' next steps is already forming. Charles Oliveira is scheduled to fight Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. This upcoming bout is a prerequisite for a potential clash between Oliveira and Volkanovski.

Volkanovski has expressed interest in moving up to the lightweight division, where he has suffered two of his three career losses in the UFC. He told reporters in September that he did not favor jumping the queue to fight Justin Gaethje while Arman Tsarukyan remains the clear title challenger. A win over Oliveira could serve as a proving ground for the 155-pound title.

For Petr Yan, the most logical next step is a rematch with Sean O'Malley. O'Malley holds a controversial victory over Yan from 2022. Since losing to Dvalishvili in 2024 and 2025, O'Malley has won two fights, including a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi. Song Yadong presents another option, having just defeated O'Malley in January.

Merab Dvalishvili is expected to seek a rematch with Umar Nurmagomedov. Their first encounter at UFC 311 in January 2025 was named the fight of the night. Nurmagomedov broke his hand early in that bout, while Dvalishvili fought through injuries sustained during camp. Both fighters are currently coming off losses.

Nurmagomedov is likely to return before the Muslim holiday of Ramadan begins in February. This timeline aligns with Dvalishvili's desire to get back in the cage after waiting ten months for his trilogy fight with Yan. The UFC often matches fighters who have recently lost, making this pairing a strong possibility.

On the featherweight side, Aaron Pico is positioned to fight Jean Silva. Pico defeated Patricio Pitbull in April, and Silva is moving to lightweight in December. This matchup would place two fighters with high potential against each other in a high-stakes bout.

Movsar Evloev, now in a gatekeeper role, may face Pat Sabatini next. Sabatini is 9-2 in the UFC. Evloev described his future as a title challenger with the phrase, "maybe I'll try again." His path back to the top will likely involve defending against top contenders before another title shot becomes available.

The results of UFC 333 have clarified the divisional rankings and fight paths. Volkanovski, Yan, and Dvalishvili each have specific targets in mind. The next major events will determine if these predicted matchups come to fruition.