Volkanovski and Yan have big fights ahead after brilliant performances in Abu Dhabi on Saturday
Oct 25, 2026 at 9:00 am ET • 4 min read
UFC 333 proved what great matchmaking can accomplish. The storylines were rich, the fights were tremendous, the skill level was high and there's a lot to look forward to thanks to performances from guys like Alexander Volkanovski and Petr Yan.
Volkanovski and Yan had memorable title defenses in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Volkanovski was prepared to retire if things went horribly wrong against Movsar Evloev. Instead, he delivered a timeless performance, setting the record for most UFC featherweight title fights in the process. With his confidence intact, Volkanovski faces a terrifying challenge.
His fellow champion thrived under very different circumstances.
Yan and Merab Dvalishvili were tied one apiece heading into their trilogy. Saturday's fight was just as competitive as their series record implied. It came down to the wire as they split the first four rounds down the middle. When push came to shove, Yan had a little more juice. In his last fight, Yan achieved the longest gap between two undisputed UFC title reigns for any male athlete. This weekend, he successfully closed his trilogy with whom many considered the best bantamweight ever. Next, he can avenge what might be the loss that haunts him most.
UFC 333 results, takeaways: Alexander Volkanovski reminds of his greatness, Petr Yan pulls off masterclass
Brian Campbell
In the aftermath of a memorable UFC 333, take a look at the best fights to make next year.
Featherweight
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Jean Silva: Volkanovski promised to turn back the clock against Evloev. He did exactly that by knocking out the title challenger and snapping his 20-fight undefeated streak. Volkanovski said his future would depend on Saturday's performance. Well, he couldn't have done much better. The only two viable contenders for him are Silva and Aljamain Sterling, the latter of whom has a fight booked against Kevin Vallejos. The promotion will likely choose Silva, knockout artist. Volkanovski is technically better, but Silva's ferocious power and fearlessness will make for a scary fight against a champion whose speed and durability are waning.
Movsar Evloev -- wait and see: I'm not entirely sure what to do with Evloev. The problem with being a top contender for years without fighting for the title is that he's already beaten most other contenders. He's beaten three of his four contemporaries in the top five, with Silva being the omission. None of the rematches seem plausible right now either. Other contenders like Youssef Zalal and Steve Garcia don't seem up to the challenge after recent losses. If Vallejos loses to Sterling, that's a reasonable follow-up, but there's nothing available that makes good use of Evloev. It might be best for Evloev to take time off and assess what went so horribly wrong against Volkanovski. In the meantime, he can see how the division shakes up.
Aaron Pico vs. Yair Rodriguez: Pico might actually be everything people predicted before his MMA debut in 2014. It just took longer than anticipated. He's finally perfected his combination of collegiate wrestling and Golden Gloves boxing. His durability will always be a concern, but he's clearly an elite featherweight. Pico wanted a title shot or rematch against Lerone Murphy; both seem unlikely. Others think he should reschedule his fight with Arnold Allen, his original opponent for Saturday. I think there's a more valuable direction. Beating Rodriguez would elevate Pico more in the rankings and the public eye. If it's truly time to feed "El Pantera" to the next generation, I can't think of a better predator than Pico.
Losene Keita vs. Melquizael Costa or Jared Gordon: You can't help but feel for Keita. The three-time OKTAGON MMA champion has the building blocks of a great fighter. But a split decision loss to Nathaniel Wood, followed by a quick KO loss to Pico, forces us to reassess. "Melky" Costa is scheduled to stake his spot in the featherweight top 15 against veteran Jared Gordon at UFC 334. The loser will sit just outside the rankings, like Keita. Matchmakers could reasonably pair the losers off.
Bantamweight
Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley: This should be the only bantamweight title fight on UFC's radar. O'Malley upset Yan by controversial split decision in 2022, propelling O'Malley to the bantamweight championship in his subsequent bout. For Yan, it was the second in a three-loss skid from which it seemed that he'd never recover. Both men have flourished since then. Yan beat Dvalishvili in the trilogy after the longest road back to an undisputed UFC title for any male athlete. O'Malley bounced back from losing the title by beating fellow contender Song Yadong and knocking out Aiemann Zahabi at the White House. Yan will seek vengeance while O'Malley can prove the first fight wasn't a fluke. Plus, the build should be fun.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Mario Bautista: Song would've likely been next in line for a title shot at Dvalishvili if he won on Saturday. Now that Yan is champion, UFC shouldn't risk Song's status as a title challenger. Instead, "The Machine" and Bautista should clash. Bautista, a teammate of O'Malley's, scored the biggest win of his career against Cory Sandhagen at International Fight Week. His name recognition pales in comparison to his talents. A fight with Dvalishvili is exactly what he needs to level up; meanwhile, a win puts Dvalishvili back on track.
