Movsar Evloev is set to make his long-anticipated title challenge against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24. The undefeated Russian earned this shot by defeating Lerone Murphy at UFC London, improving his record to a perfect 20-0 and finally securing a chance to compete for UFC gold.
For those unfamiliar, Evloev’s victory over Murphy marked his tenth consecutive win inside the Octagon. Normally, such a streak would guarantee an earlier title bout, but a consistent critique of Evloev’s UFC career has been his inability to finish fights inside the cage. All ten of his UFC wins have come via judges’ decisions—eight unanimous, one majority, and one split. While this consistency has kept him unbeaten, it hasn’t delivered the excitement the UFC typically favors when handing out major opportunities.
This distinction became stark when Diego Lopes, who lost clearly to Volkanovski at UFC 314, received another title shot at UFC 325 following a highlight-reel finish against Jean Silva. Lopes’ ability to finish Silva stood out as the difference. On this topic, UFC legend Demetrious Johnson recently questioned how Evloev managed to maintain his UFC spot and land a title shot without any knockouts or submissions to his name.
Evloev’s 10 UFC victories break down into eight unanimous decisions, one majority decision, and one split, while his entire 20-fight career includes only three knockouts and four submissions—all before joining the UFC. Despite his impressive resume featuring wins over notable fighters like Lerone Murphy, Arnold Allen, Diego Lopes, Aljamain Sterling, and Dan Ige, debates have lingered over his lack of fight finishes.
During a recent Precision podcast episode, Johnson expressed surprise, saying, “He’s undefeated, 20-0, no finishes—how is he still in the UFC?” He contrasted Evloev’s situation with Michael “Venom” Page, who was recently released despite a 5-1 UFC record without any finishes. Johnson added, “They’re quick to cut guys who aren’t knocking people out or aren’t flashy, like MVP, but they keep Evloev even though he’s not finishing fights.”
Volkanovski, the reigning featherweight champion and guest on the same podcast, defended Evloev, stating that the Russian fully deserves his place at the top of the division and arguably should have gotten his title shot earlier. Volkanovski also candidly shared how the negative reactions and boos he’s received ahead of UFC 333 have been more mentally taxing than he expected.
Evloev is not alone in facing scrutiny for lack of finishes; fighters such as Leon Edwards, Jon Fitch, and Belal Muhammad have faced similar critiques despite their impressive winning runs. Now, Evloev finally has the platform he’s worked toward—facing Volkanovski in Abu Dhabi, he has the chance to prove the doubters wrong by capturing the featherweight championship.
Fan Take: This matchup is crucial for fight fans because it highlights the ongoing debate in MMA between winning consistently and finishing fights decisively. Evloev’s challenge to Volkanovski not only tests whether technical skill can trump finish power but also signals a possible shift in how UFC values fighters in the future.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
