Volkanovski and Yan Retain Belts at UFC 333, but Next Challengers Remain Open

Both champions headlining UFC 333 kept their belts, but their paths forward appear to point in different directions. Featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski and bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan each won, and matchmaking questions now follow both.

Volkanovski needed only two rounds to stop Movsar Evloev, who had been unbeaten before the bout. ESPN's analysis suggests the champion could now return to lightweight, the division where two of his three UFC losses came. The preferred matchup is Charles Oliveira, provided Oliveira keeps the BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. A 2027 meeting, the analysis argues, would arrive at the right time for two veterans who have not slowed down, and it would let Volkanovski show he belongs in the lightweight title picture.

That matters because Volkanovski told ESPN in September that he did not like the idea of skipping ahead to fight Justin Gaethje, given that Arman Tsarukyan is an obvious challenger. The wild card is a direct title shot against Tsarukyan. Gaethje has not said whether he will fight again after his White House win in June. Gaethje has said he is next in line, and the UFC has told Tsarukyan the same, but a Gaethje retirement would open the slot.

For Evloev, the road back looks long. His comment that "maybe I'll try again" about another title run drew notice, though the analysis suggests language may be a factor, since English is his second language. He now likely becomes a gatekeeper for a while. The most obvious opponent is Pat Sabatini, who is 9-2 in the UFC, with Steve Garcia as an alternative after Garcia's loss to Diego Lopes at UFC Freedom 250 in June.

Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision to complete their trilogy. The suggested next opponent is Sean O'Malley, who beat Yan in a controversial 2022 fight. O'Malley is 2-0 since losing to Dvalishvili in 2024 and 2025, with a close win over Song Yadong and a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi. Those results are not overwhelming, but the case against him is hard to make. Song is the other candidate, and O'Malley beat him in January. The analysis calls Yan against Song the more explosive matchup, though O'Malley is expected to come first.

Dvalishvili, who has now lost twice in a row, is expected to want a quick return after waiting 10 months for the Yan trilogy. The recommended opponent is Umar Nurmagomedov, in a rematch of their fight of the night at UFC 311 in January 2025. Nurmagomedov broke his hand early in that bout, and Dvalishvili later said he fought through injuries during camp. Nurmagomedov would presumably want to return by January, before observing Ramadan starting in February. Payton Talbott, 28, is the wild card, a big step up in competition that could make him a title contender overnight if he wins.

Elsewhere on the card, featherweight Aaron Pico is linked with Jean Silva, a matchup first suggested after Pico's April win over Patricio Pitbull. With Lopes moving to lightweight to face Oliveira, the bout is seen as arguably the most explosive in the division, and a possible UFC Fight Night main event. Youssef Zalal, 30, is the wild card. He was cut in 2021 after going 0-3 following his 2020 signing, won five straight after returning, and lost to Aljamain Sterling in April.