The second of two numbered events in October goes down Saturday with UFC 333 from Etihad Arena on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The entire card streams on Paramount+.
A pair of championship fights headline a loaded lineup. In the main event, Alexander Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) puts featherweight gold on the line against unbeaten contender Movsar Evloev (20-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC), while the co-main event sees bantamweight champion Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC) take on former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili (21-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) in an anticipated trilogy bout.
For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s UFC 333 pre-event facts.
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Movsar Evloev
Alexander Volkanovski
Volkanovski is the only Australia-born champion in UFC history.
Volkanovski became the first fighter in UFC history to win an undisputed championship after back-to-back losses with his UFC 314 win.
Volkanovski’s eight victories in UFC featherweight championship bouts are tied with Jose Aldo for most in divisional history. Aldo’s most recent featherweight title fight win came at UFC 200 in July 2016.
Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to make a title defense after losing a championship bout (the group is 4-0), along with Israel Adesanya, Max Holloway and B.J. Penn. He accomplished the feat at UFC 290.
Volkanovski is one of four fighters in UFC history to start 12-0 with the promotion. Anderson Silva, Kamaru Usman and Khabib Nurmagomedov also accomplished the feat.
Volkanovski’s average fight time of 18:03 in UFC featherweight competition is the longest in divisional history.
Movsar Evloev
Evloev can become the 18th fighter in UFC history to win a title with an undefeated record.
Evloev’s 20-fight MMA winning streak is the longest among active fighters in the company.
Evloev’s 10-fight UFC winning streak is second-longest among active UFC fighters behind Islam Makhachev (17).
Evloev’s nine-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Evloev has earned all 10 of his UFC victories by decision.
Evloev is the only fighter in UFC history to start 10-0 in the promotion with all decision wins.
Evloev has completed 52 takedowns in his 10 UFC appearances.
Evloev has landed two or more takedowns against nine of his 10 UFC opponents.
Evloev’s 49 takedowns landed in UFC featherweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Darren Elkins (65).
Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan
Yan is one of nine undisputed bantamweight champions in UFC history.
Yan is one of three two-time bantamweight champions in UFC history. Dominick Cruz and T.J. Dillashaw also accomplished the feat.
Yan became the first fighter in UFC history to lose a title by disqualification against Sterling at UFC 259.
Yan is one of two fighters in UFC history to hold the interim and undisputed bantamweight titles. Renan Barao also accomplished the feat.
Yan’s four-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight is tied for the third-longest active streak in the division behind Raul Rosas Jr. (six) and Farid Basharat (six).
Yan’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Montel Jackson (14) and Marlon Vera (14).
Yan has landed 1,456 significant strikes in UFC bantamweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Merab Dvalishvili
Dvalishvili is one of nine undisputed bantamweight champions in UFC history.
Dvalishvili is one of two Georgian champions in UFC history. Ilia Topuria also accomplished the feat.
Dvalishvili’s four victories in UFC bantamweight championship fights are tied for second-most in divisional history behind T.J. Dillashaw (five).
Dvalishvili’s three consecutive UFC bantamweight title defenses are tied with Aljamain Sterling for most in divisional history.
Dvalishvili is one of three fighters in UFC history to win an undisputed championship after starting 0-2 in the promotion. Rafael dos Anjos and Miesha Tate also accomplished the feat.
Dvalishvili is one of eight fighters in UFC history to register three title defenses in one calendar year. He’s the only bantamweight to accomplish the feat.
Dvalishvili’s 14-fight UFC winning streak, ended at UFC 323, is fourth-longest in company history behind Islam Makhachev (17), Anderson Silva (16) and Kamaru Usman (15).
Dvalishvili’s 13 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with Dillashaw for third-most in divisional history behind Sterling (14) and Marlon Vera (14).
Dvalishvili’s 13-fight UFC winning streak at bantamweight, ended at UFC 323, is the longest in divisional history.
Dvalishvili’s 12 unanimous decision victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Dvalishvili’s 11 decision victories in UFC bantamweight competition are most in divisional history.
Dvalishvili has landed 119 takedowns in UFC competition, the most in company history.
Dvalishvili’s 20 takedowns landed at UFC 320 are most in a UFC championship fight history.
Dvalishvili’s 20 takedowns landed are second-most in a single UFC fight behind Khabib Nurmagomedov’s record of 21.
Dvalishvili is the only fighter in history to land 10 or more takedowns in five separate UFC bouts.
Dvalishvili attempted 49 takedowns at UFC Fight Night 221, the single-fight record for a UFC bout.
Dvalishvili has landed 2,672 total strikes in UFC bantamweight competition, the most in divisional history.
Dvalishvili out-landed Marlon Moraes by 212 total strikes at UFC 266, the largest differential in a single UFC/WEC bantamweight bout.
Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Ramazan Temirov
Lone’er Kavanagh (10-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is 1-2 in his past three fights after starting his career 9-0.
Alexander Volkov vs. Rizvan Kuniev
Alexander Volkov (40-11 MMA, 14-5 UFC) becomes the 10th fighter in UFC history to make 20 or more UFC appearances.
Volkov has earned one of five Ezekiel choke submissions in UFC history. He accomplished the feat at UFC 293. Aleksei Oleinik (twice), Uran Satybaldiev and Remco Pardoel have also won with the technique.
Volkov has landed 1,250 significant strikes in UFC heavyweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Andrei Arlovski (1,585).
Azamat Murzakanov vs. Dominick Reyes
Azamat Murzakanov (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) lands 56.5 percent of his signifiant strike attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the best rate among active fighters in the weight class.
Dominick Reyes (15-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) is 4-4 in his past eight fights after starting his career 12-0.
Reyes’ 29-second knockout of Joachim Christensen at UFC Fight Night 112 marked the second fastest stoppage by any debuting light heavyweight in UFC history behind Ryan Jimmo’s seven-second win at UFC 149.
Abus Magomedov vs. Cam Rowston
Abus Magomedov (29-7-1 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has completed 59.1 percent of his takedown attempts in UFC middleweight competition, the third-highest accuracy rate in divisional history behind Makhmud Muradov (66.7 percent) and Khamzat Chimaev (60.4 percent).
Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev
Grant Dawson (24-3-1 MMA, 12-2-1 UFC) is 8-2-1 since he moved up to the UFC lightweight division in March 2020.
Nurullo Aliev (12-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has earned all four of his UFC victories by decision.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on X @MJCflipdascript.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 333 pre-event facts: Is Movsar Evloev the next undefeated champ?
Reporting by Mike Bohn, MMA Junkie / MMA Junkie
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
