Anik warns undefeated Evloev that UFC 333 title shot may be his only chance

UFC commentator Jon Anik has warned that Movsar Evloev’s featherweight title shot against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi this Saturday could be a one-time opportunity — win or likely wait indefinitely.

Evloev arrives at the main event on the back of a perfect 20-0 professional record, including ten consecutive UFC victories. His most recent win came against Lerone Murphy in the main event of UFC London in March, a performance that finally secured him the title shot many felt he had long deserved.

Despite that unblemished record, Anik believes the featherweight division’s depth means a loss would make a second title opportunity far from guaranteed. “I think when you look at bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight, they are so loaded that it really is hard to get multiple championship opportunities,” Anik told MMA Fighting. “But if he were to lose at UFC 333, it would be his first loss, and I think he would be favored perhaps prohibitively against almost anybody else in the division.”

Anik pointed to rising contender Jean Silva as evidence of the queue forming behind Evloev, noting that Silva has done enough to warrant a title shot of his own. He also suggested Aljamain Sterling is hovering on the fringes of contention ahead of his own upcoming fight. “I just feel like depth-wise, there are worthy contenders right now,” Anik said. “So yeah, I think it’s gonna be tough for Movsar — forced to answer yes or no, I think it all comes down to Oct. 24.”

For Anik, Evloev’s story is the defining narrative of the entire card, even with the co-main event featuring a bantamweight title trilogy between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. “It’s hard for me to get past Movsar,” Anik said. “Undeniability in mixed martial arts — Belal Muhammad, Merab Dvalishvili — this guy, I think trumps all cases.”

Anik acknowledged that Evloev’s path to the top has lacked the highlight-reel finishes that typically accelerate a fighter’s rise, but argued that his consistency makes him one of the sport’s most compelling undeniable cases. “This is going to be really exciting to see what he can do with this showcase,” he said, framing the bout as a defining moment not just for Evloev’s career, but for how the sport rewards sustained excellence over spectacle.