UFC 333: Title Fights Set as Prelim Fighter Misses Weight by Nearly 5 Pounds

WHO:

Sportskeeda - Alexander Volkov said he had signed a new “very good” multi-fight deal with the UFC.

ESPN - Alexander Volkanovski is in his second featherweight title reign; Movsar Evloev has won every UFC fight by decision.

MMA Fighting - Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev are scheduled to compete for the featherweight title; Volkanovski is the defending champion, and Evloev is undefeated.

MMA Fighting - Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili are scheduled for a trilogy bout with Yan’s bantamweight title at stake.

MMA Fighting - Preliminary strawweight fighters Nicolle Caliari and Iasmin Lucindo are scheduled to fight; Lucindo weighed 115 pounds.

MMA Fighting - The article lists these additional bouts: Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Ramazan Temirov; Alexander Volkov vs. Rizvan Kuniev; Aaron Pico vs. Losene Keita; Azamat Murzakanov vs. Dominick Reyes; Nikita Krylov vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev; Abus Magomedov vs. Cam Rowston; Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev; Colby Thicknesse vs. Asaf Chopurov; Abubakar Vagaev vs. Jacob Malkoun; Bolaji Oki vs. Daniel Santos; and Kody Steele vs. Noah Gugnon.

NY Post - The article identifies Volkanovski vs. Evloev and Yan vs. Dvalishvili as UFC 333’s title fights.

WHAT:

MMA Fighting - Alexander Volkov said the UFC heavyweight belt may be losing the meaning fans want it to have, arguing that title opportunities can depend on fame rather than fighting ability. He said, “If I will have the belt, the belt will have meaning.”

MMA Fighting - Volkov said he hoped to earn a heavyweight title shot with a win over Rizvan Kuniev, but acknowledged that the decision depends on whether UFC decision-makers like the fight.

Sportskeeda - Aaron Pico knocked out Losene Keita in the first round at UFC 333 and called for a title shot, saying featherweight contenders “need to be benched for a year.”

ESPN - Volkanovski won his two most recent Octagon appearances against Diego Lopes by unanimous decision.

ESPN - Merab Dvalishvili won the first fight against Petr Yan; Yan won their next fight to claim the championship.

ESPN - Yan and Dvalishvili’s upcoming bout will be the 20th trilogy in UFC history.

MMA Fighting - All four competitors in the two championship bouts made weight: Volkanovski weighed 144.5 pounds, Evloev 145, and Yan and Dvalishvili 135 pounds each.

MMA Fighting - Caliari weighed 120.5 pounds, 4.5 pounds over the 115-pound strawweight limit, despite a one-pound allowance for a non-title fight.

MMA Fighting - Caliari’s bout with Lucindo will proceed at catchweight, and Caliari will forfeit 30 percent of her purse as a penalty.

MMA Fighting - The other 27 fighters who weighed in made weight.

MMA Fighting - Listed weigh-in weights: Kavanagh 125.5, Temirov 126, Volkov 256, Kuniev 265, Pico 145.5, Keita 146, Murzakanov 206, Reyes 205, Krylov 206, Yakhyaev 206, Magomedov 185.5, Rowston 185, Dawson 156, Aliev 155, Thicknesse 135.5, Chopurov 136, Vagaev 185.5, Malkoun 186, Oki 146, Santos 146, Steele 156, and Gugnon 156 pounds.

NY Post - The article presents UFC 333 predictions, fight-card picks, and best bets for Volkanovski vs. Evloev and Yan vs. Dvalishvili.

WHERE:

Sportskeeda - UFC 333 is being held at Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.

NY Post - UFC 333’s two title fights are set for Abu Dhabi.

MMA Fighting - The card is scheduled in Abu Dhabi.

WHEN:

MMA Fighting - The article lists the main card on Paramount+ at 2 p.m. ET, the preliminary card at 12 p.m. ET, and early prelims at 10 a.m. ET.

WHY:

MMA Fighting - Volkov criticized the heavyweight title’s status after Ciryl Gane received multiple title shots and was booked to defend the championship against Josh Hokit.

HOW:

MMA Fighting - The weigh-ins took place Friday morning local time; the other fighters who stepped on the scale made weight.

UFC 333’s two title fights are set for Abu Dhabi, with Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight championship against undefeated Movsar Evloev, and Petr Yan facing Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight belt. Volkanovski is in his second title reign and has won his last two fights against Diego Lopes; Evloev has won every UFC bout by decision. Yan and Dvalishvili are set for their third meeting: Dvalishvili won the first fight, then Yan took the next and claimed the title. All four made weight. Strawweight Nicolle Caliari missed the limit by 4.5 pounds, so her bout with Iasmin Lucindo will proceed at catchweight, with Caliari forfeiting 30 percent of her purse. Heavyweight Alexander Volkov says he has signed a new multi-fight UFC deal and hopes a win over Rizvan Kuniev earns him a title shot.