Volkanovski admits crowd booing Evloev at UFC 333 press conference got in his own head

Alexander Volkanovski has revealed that the crowd’s hostile reception toward Movsar Evloev at their UFC 333 press conference in Los Angeles affected him more than it appeared to affect his challenger. The two men met during UFC 331 fight week to promote their featherweight title clash, scheduled for 24 October at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

While fans cheered Volkanovski throughout the event, Evloev was met with sustained booing — a reaction the Australian champion says he found difficult to watch. Speaking on the Precision podcast, Volkanovski admitted the atmosphere stirred an unexpected emotion.

“I almost feel bad for the guy,” Volkanovski said. “Like, I’m weird. Even when we were doing the press conference, everyone was booing him; I’m feeling bad. The boos are meant to get in his head, and it’s getting more into my head than his, I reckon.”

Volkanovski acknowledged that Evloev’s grinding, decision-heavy style has drawn criticism from sections of the fanbase, but argued the 20-0 contender has more than earned his opportunity. Evloev has gone 10 fights in the UFC without recording a finish, a run that has drawn scrutiny despite an unblemished record.

“He took the long road to the title,” Volkanovski said. “He probably deserved it before now. A lot of people don’t like his style, which I guess I can understand in this sport. But again, he’s taken the long road. I’m a pretty easy champion to understand — if you deserve it, let’s do it, and he does deserve it, so I’m glad it’s happening.”

Volkanovski has been vocal in pushing for the Evloev fight, repeatedly calling out the former M-1 Global champion as a legitimate contender. The bout at UFC 333 will give Evloev the chance to silence his critics on the biggest stage, while Volkanovski looks to make another successful featherweight title defence.