It’s been a long time coming. Featherweight Movsar Evloev finally fights for the UFC featherweight championship this Saturday, taking on Alexander Volkanovski after a full ten fights in the company.
Russia’s Evloev (20-0) took the long road to the title, almost certainly because of his lack of finishes. Every fight inside the octagon, all ten, saw him win via decision.
During Wednesday’s UFC 333 media day, Evloev called it “the moment I was waiting for for seven years, since I signed with UFC.”
“It’s now just three days until the historic moment for me, for my republic. I’m grateful for this moment, for this opportunity, and I can’t wait,” he added.
The talk ahead of the fight has been less about Evloev’s skills and journey, however, and more about whether 38-year old Volkanovski still has it in him to compete at the highest level. The champ, who is coming off back-to-back victories against Diego Lopes, insists he’s still got it.
“I believe all that he’s saying is the truth. He’s even dangerous now,” Evloev suggested. “I don’t think he’s too old. He’s old enough to be in his prime.”
The contrast in Movsar Evloev’s relationship with a pair of UFC champions could not be more pronounced. With Volkanovski, things have been friendly. Evloev almost comes off as a fan. “Yeah, why not?” he asked, when it was suggested to him. After all, there’s no ill intentions until the cage door closes.
Then there’s Jose Aldo, who is clearly not a fan of Evloev. “Maybe he didn’t like that I said for me, Alex is the best featherweight. Maybe that’s why,” opined Evloev. “Or he just don’t like my style, or me. I don’t know, but it can be many reasons. I don’t care.”
Aldo, a retired UFC featherweight champ and Hall of Fame member, doesn’t like Evloev’s style in fact. He suggested that Evloev doesn’t sell, and has boring fights, noting that the UFC is a business. If it was up to Aldo, Evloev would be cut. “He’s right, but I’m still here,” countered the Russian, going on to add that “and I’m fighting for the title, right? So if UFC don’t want me to fight for the title or be in the UFC, I won’t be here.”
He’s here, and fights for the title this Saturday in the main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. As for the promotion putting pressure on wrestlers to strike more and utilize a fan-friendly style, “I think UFC do their job well,” said Evloev. He cited the level the promotion has long operated on, and added that they’ve made people exciting for a long time. “After many years of doing fights, in the fight business, people always want something entertaining.”
Evloev used the old days of the UFC, where there was no time limit for fights, as an example, calling it “boring” and noting that the promotion worked to change things. “Now it’s five minutes, and now they try to do something else. This is their job, not mine. I’m just following.”
Watch the full UFC 333 media day appearance by Movsar Evloev above.