Unbeaten Evloev declares himself in prime ahead of Volkanovski featherweight title shot at UFC 333

Movsar Evloev has declared himself at the peak of his powers ahead of his UFC featherweight title challenge against Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 on October 24 at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. The unbeaten Russian contender, 20-0, described his current training block as the best camp of his career.

“This is my best camp,” Evloev told Mike Bohn. “I feel I’m in the best shape of my life. The title fight has come at the best time. Because now is my prime. I’m 32 and don’t feel like I’m tired. This year especially, I feel I got more power than before. I always had good strength and conditioning, but now I feel even better.”

Evloev has been a persistent presence in the featherweight division, and notably Volkanovski himself has been among those to publicly support his case for a title shot. The 32-year-old has now earned that opportunity, though the path to the belt will be steep — all ten of his UFC victories have come by decision, raising questions about whether he can impose his will on a former champion of Volkanovski’s calibre.

For his part, Evloev showed no shortage of confidence when addressing the matchup directly. “We’re confident to fight with a guy like Alex. We respect him. We’ll respect him even after we beat him. Nothing but respect, but this is my time.”

The fight represents Evloev’s first shot at UFC gold after building a flawless record across both his pre-UFC career and his decade inside the promotion’s octagon. Volkanovski, a former long-reigning featherweight champion, enters as the more decorated fighter, but Evloev’s unblemished record and his self-assurance heading into camp suggest he will not be overawed by the occasion.