Movsar Evloev’s perfect 20-0 record? Poof. Gone. UFC 333 saw the Russian fighter suffer the first loss of his MMA career, stopped by Alexander Volkanovski in less than two rounds. It was a tough night, no doubt, with the Australian’s sharp striking and takedown defense proving too much to handle after an early strong showing from Evloev. Volkanovski landed a brutal overhand right, sending Evloev crashing, and referee Marc Goddard stepped in to stop the fight.
The Loss That Sparked Controversy
You’d think after a first career loss, especially to the champ, there might be some sympathy, right? Not everyone saw it that way. Fighters like Paddy Pimblett and Dustin Poirier openly criticized Evloev, alleging he quit when things got really tough. But here’s where it gets interesting: the reigning featherweight champion himself, Alexander Volkanovski, has a totally different take on Evloev’s performance. He believes Evloev remains a serious threat to the rest of the division and could absolutely give almost anyone at 145 pounds a tough night in the Octagon. Seriously, the guy who just beat him says he’s a monster.
Volkanovski’s Shocking Endorsement: ‘He Walks Through Them’
Despite seeing his unblemished 20-fight record shattered, Evloev stayed humble, even changing his Instagram bio to “0-1” and vowing to return stronger. Volkanovski pointed to that response, combined with Evloev’s in-Octagon performance, as proof why we absolutely cannot count him out. In his UFC 333 breakdown video, the featherweight champion actually *praised* Evloev’s game plan. Volkanovski noted, “A big part of his game plan was going to be to fire off the break as well, knowing that I’d get up so again; that game plan was perfect.” He did add he thought Evloev would be “a little more aggressive on the feet” once the takedowns weren’t landing, but the overall assessment was wild. Volkanovski then dropped the bomb on why Evloev would be a nightmare for most of the other contenders at 145 pounds. “I thought Movsar did a much better; like I thought he still looked great as well. Again, I’m just the wrong guy. This is going to be hard for people to understand or believe, if that Movsar fought anyone else in the division, he walks through them.” The Australian doubled down, insisting he had faced the *best version* of Evloev and was simply a “terrible stylistic matchup” for the Russian.
The Champ’s Prophecy: ‘Watch His Next Fight’
Volkanovski didn’t just stop at defending Evloev, he issued a full-on warning to his next opponent. Get ready for an *even better performance* from the former undefeated contender. The champion said, “It’s just, I’m a different guy. I believe that was the best Movsar that there was; people probably won’t get that, but I believe that it’s just I’m a nightmare matchup for him. Watch his next fight, and watch, it will be his best performance to date; remember I said that.” He even threw some love on Instagram after the fight, calling Evloev a “top contender,” praising his performance, and labeling him “undefeated for a reason and one hell of a competitor.” Evloev entered UFC 333 with a perfect 20-0 record, and while he hadn’t scored a finish in the UFC before facing Volkanovski, he had notched some serious wins over names like Aljamain Sterling, Diego Lopes, Arnold Allen, and Lerone Murphy. So, what’s next for Movsar Evloev? If the champion’s word means anything, every other contender at 145 pounds better be taking notes. That next fight is going to be appointment viewing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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