Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev are set to fight for the featherweight title at UFC 333, but it won’t be the first time they’ve tested each other.
The Aussie champ and his unbeaten challenger have revealed they shared a few rounds in the gym many years ago, when Volk was closing in on his first UFC title shot and Evloev had yet to make his UFC debut.
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Evloev remembers the timing clearly. Volk had just beaten Chad Mendes and was preparing to face Jose Aldo. Evloev was still fighting at bantamweight.
“I used to be a bantamweight at that time, it was before UFC,” Evloev told MMA Fighting.
“We just had a couple of rounds and yeah, we trained at the same gym before.”
So who got the better of it? Neither man is saying.
And Volk, for one, reckons anyone trying to pick a winner on the strength of a few old gym rounds is wasting their time.
“I do remember us training, it was a long time ago,” Volkanovski said.
“You can’t go off training sessions then. As he said, he would have been young. All I worry about is how he’s been looking in his last few performances.”
A lot has changed for both men since then. Volk went on to beat Aldo and become arguably the greatest UFC featherweight of all time.
He is now in his second reign as champ, having reclaimed the belt against Diego Lopes before beating him again in their rematch.
Evloev, meanwhile, comes into his first UFC title fight with a perfect 20-0 record.
His latest win, a decision over Lerone Murphy in March, kept him unbeaten and set up the biggest opportunity of his career.
There’s no bad blood between the pair, despite what’s at stake in just under a month.
Volk likes Evloev. He just plans to beat him up.
“There’s no ill feeling toward each other, he’s a good dude, I’ve got a lot of respect for him,” Volkanovski said.
“But come Oct. 24, we’re going to go handle business and I plan on showing him that I’m the man.”
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Evloev wants the best version of Volk on the night – even though he will be 38.
“I want him to be in his prime, in the best condition, so I can show my skills,” Evloev said.
Volk reckons Evloev may get exactly what he’s asking for. The champion believes this match-up could produce one of the best performances of his career.
“I truly do believe after this fight, people will be saying, ‘That’s one of Alex’s best performances we’ve seen,’” he said.
“Does that mean I’m in my prime? Does that mean this is the best Volk that there ever was? No, I’m not saying that, but I’m saying stylistically in the fight I’m going to bring, I truly believe people will be saying that this is the best version of Alex they’ve ever seen.”
Volk has promised to keep the fight on the feet. Evloev reckons he’ll decide where it goes.
“I will do anything I want,” Evloev told MMA journalist Mike Bohn.
“Whenever I decide to take him down, I will take him down.”
Meanwhile, Aussie fight fans have another date for the diary. The UFC has announced it will return to Sydney for a Fight Night at Afterpay Arena, on Sunday, February 7, 2027.
It will be Sydney’s first UFC Fight Night since 2017. The venue hosted Volk’s win over Diego Lopes at UFC 325 earlier this year, but the UFC has yet to announce any bouts for its return. Ticket details will also come later.
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And once Volk and Evloev have settled their own argument in Abu Dhabi, the Russian already has an idea for what the pair could do together.
He wants to visit the Aussie for an episode of Cooking with Volk — although he sounds keener on the meal than helping prepare it.
“My dream is that after we fight, I go visit him and we cook something together,” Evloev told Adam Zubayraev.
“Honestly, I’d rather just eat than cook with him.”