Alexander Volkanovski and Peter Yan are ready to work.
Two reigning UFC champions hit the stage Friday for the UFC 333 weigh-ins in Abu Dhabi, one day before both are set to defend their titles against formidable challengers — undefeated Movsar Evloev for Volkanovski, and longtime rival Merab Dvalishvili for Yan. All four championship contenders, in addition to the other 24 fighters on the UFC 333 card, squared off for their final faceoffs during the morning’s action and made their remarkable final remarks.
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Volkanovski, who is defending his UFC featherweight title against No. 1-Evloev engaged in a timely but dutiful nose-to-nose with his challenger in Saturday’s main event, then gave a shout-out to the meritocratic champion between the two fights — a setup that’s becoming increasingly rare in the current UFC era.
“You’re in for a treat,” Volkanovski, 38, said. “The co-main and main event, champion vs. No. 1 contender — that’s how it is. Let’s show you how.”
Evloev, 32, appears to be undefeated in his UFC run, despite a grueling streak that forced him to take the belt. He enters Saturday’s title challenge with a 10-0 record in 10 appearances with the promotion.
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“All the work has been done, everything that needs to be said has been said,” Evloev said. “Now I need to do what I’ve been working on for so long. Let’s go.”
Co-headliners Yan and Dvalishvili were also taking a final faceoff before their trilogy ends for Yan’s bantamweight championship.
Dvalishvili, 35, beat Yan, 33, in a non-title flight deal in 2023, but suffered a rematch loss last December to drop the UFC belt.
“On Saturday, I will show you who the best is the best,” said Yan.
“This is going to be an exciting fight,” Dvalishvili said. “And the new…”
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev is set to kick off Saturday at 10 am ET on Paramount+ with a 14-fight card. There will be live streaming coverage of the entire event.
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Complete UFC 333 weigh-in results:
Major balls: Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (145)
Bantamweight Championship: Petr Yan (135) Merab Dvalishvili vs.
Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh (125.5) vs.
Heavy: Alexander Volkov (256) Rizvan Kuniev vs.
Featherweight: Aaron Pico (145.5) vs.
Light heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov (206) vs. Dominic Reyes (205)
Light heavyweight: Nikita Krylov (206) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206)
Middleweight: Abu Magomedov (185.5) vs. Cam Rowston (185).
Lightweight: Da Dawson (156) vs. Nurullo Aliev (155)
Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse (135.5) vs.
Middleweight: Abubakar Vagaev (185.5) vs.
Featherweight: Bolaji Oki (146) vs. Daniel Santos (146) vs.
Lightweight: Kody Steele (156) vs. Noah Gugnon (156) vs.
Women’s straw: Jasmin Lucindo (115) vs. Nicolle Caliari (12.5)*
*Caliari lost weight by 4.5 pounds; Caliari loses 30% of his bag to his opponent and the fight proceeds as scheduled