Volkanovski Eyes Oliveira Bout Following Evloev Stoppage; Yan Targets O'Malley Rematch

Alexander Volkanovski defeated Movsar Evloev by stoppage in the second round on Saturday night at UFC 333. The victory secured the featherweight title for Volkanovski and positioned him to pursue a bout at 155 pounds. Charles Oliveira is the primary candidate for that fight. Oliveira is scheduled to defend the BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December. A win for Oliveira would set the stage for a matchup with Volkanovski in 2027.

Volkanovski has lost twice at lightweight, the weight class where he won two UFC titles. He told ESPN in September that he did not favor jumping the line to fight Justin Gaethje, particularly with Arman Tsarukyan holding a clear path to the belt. A victory over Oliveira would establish the winner as a legitimate contender for the lightweight championship.

Petr Yan closed out his trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili by winning on all three judges' scorecards. The decision ended a three-fight series between the men, with Yan now holding the bantamweight title. His next opponent is likely to be Sean O'Malley. O'Malley defeated Yan in 2022 in a controversial decision. Since losing to Dvalishvili in 2024 and again in 2025, O'Malley is 2-0, with victories over Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi.

Song Yadong presents another option for Yan. The Chinese fighter holds a knockout victory over Yan from 2022. Yan has stated he will likely face both O'Malley and Song in the future. O'Malley is considered the more logical next step, but Song offers a different style of pressure.

Dvalishvili, now coming off his second consecutive loss, is expected to seek a rematch with Umar Nurmagomedov. The two fighters met at UFC 311 in January 2025 in a bout designated fight of the night. Nurmagomedov suffered a broken hand early in that fight, while Dvalishvili revealed later that he fought through injuries during camp. Nurmagomedov is expected to return to the octagon by January, before the start of Ramadan in February.

Movsar Evloev, who suffered his first professional loss at the hands of Volkanovski, faces a difficult path back to the title picture. He is currently considered the gatekeeper for the featherweight division. Pat Sabatini, who holds a 9-2 record in the UFC, is the most logical next opponent for Evloev. Steve Garcia is another option, having lost to Diego Lopes at UFC Freedom 250 in June.

Aaron Pico defeated Patricio Pitbull in April and is now positioned for a matchup with Jean Silva. Silva is moving to lightweight to face Oliveira in December, making a fight against Pico a significant step up for the younger fighter. Youssef Zalal is a potential alternative opponent for Pico. Zalal, 30, lost to Aljamain Sterling in April after winning five consecutive fights following his return to the UFC.