Abu Dhabi UFC 333: Championship fights, tickets & more

Dubai: The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Abu Dhabi for UFC 333, with two championship bouts headlining a stacked card set to deliver a thrilling night of elite MMA action.

UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski will headline the event against undefeated No. 1 contender Movsar Evloev at Etihad Arena on Yas Island on Saturday, October 24.

In the co-main event, UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan will put his title on the line against No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili.

Tickets will be available from 1:00 p.m. GST on Monday, August 17, via Etihad Arena and Ticketmaster.ae.

VIP Ticket Packages for UFC 333 are available now via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider. Fans can enjoy exclusive access with premium seating, all-inclusive private VIP lounge access, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. For full package details, visit UFCVIP.com.

In the headline fight Volkanovski will face the undefeated Evloev, in a highly anticipated clash between one of the division’s most decorated champions and its leading unbeaten challenger.

Volkanovski heads into UFC 333 having won his last two fights against Diego Lopes, reclaiming the featherweight title at UFC 314 before successfully defending it in their rematch at UFC 325. The former long-reigning champion has five successful title defences from his first reign.

Evloev, meanwhile, boasts a perfect 20-0 record and heads to Abu Dhabi off a majority-decision win over Lerone Murphy in London. The Russian has also recorded notable victories over Aljamain Sterling, Arnold Allen and Diego Lopes as he continues his pursuit of UFC gold.

The co-main event will see UFC bantamweight champion Yan face former champion Dvalishvili in a blockbuster trilogy fight with the bantamweight title on the line.

Yan reclaimed the championship by defeating Dvalishvili via unanimous decision at UFC 323 in December 2025, avenging his earlier loss to “The Machine” two years before. With the rivalry now level at one win apiece, their third meeting promises to settle the score between two of the division’s elite.

Both fighters have already shared two fiercely contested battles, making this latest chapter one of the most anticipated fights on the card.

England’s No. 6-ranked flyweight contender Lone’er Kavanagh will face No. 7-ranked Ramazan Temirov in a highly anticipated flyweight clash.

The heavyweight division will also take centre stage as No. 2-ranked Alexander Volkov goes up against No. 5-ranked Rizvan Kuniev.

At featherweight, No. 5-ranked contender Arnold Allen takes on No. 13-ranked Aaron Pico in another intriguing matchup between ranked fighters.

No. 8-ranked light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes will battle No. 9-ranked Azamat Murzakanov, with both looking to strengthen their position in the division.

In the middleweight division, No. 14-ranked Abus Magomedov faces Australia’s Cam Rowston, while veteran No. 15-ranked light heavyweight Nikita Krylov takes on undefeated fighter Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev.

The lightweight division will see No. 15-ranked Grant Dawson face unbeaten Nurullo Aliev, with both fighters looking to make a statement and climb the rankings.