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It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
During Wednesday\u2019s UFC 333 media day, Evloev called it \u201cthe moment I was waiting for for seven years, since I signed with UFC.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s now just three days until the historic moment for me, for my republic. I\u2019m grateful for this moment, for this opportunity, and I can\u2019t wait,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The talk ahead of the fight has been less about Evloev\u2019s 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\u2019s still got it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe all that he\u2019s saying is the truth. He\u2019s even dangerous now,\u201d Evloev suggested. \u201cI don\u2019t think he\u2019s too old. He\u2019s old enough to be in his prime.\u201d<\/p>\n
The contrast in Movsar Evloev\u2019s 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. \u201cYeah, why not?\u201d he asked, when it was suggested to him. After all, there\u2019s no ill intentions until the cage door closes.<\/p>\n
Then there\u2019s Jose Aldo, who is clearly not a fan of Evloev. \u201cMaybe he didn\u2019t like that I said for me, Alex is the best featherweight. Maybe that\u2019s why,\u201d opined Evloev. \u201cOr he just don\u2019t like my style, or me. I don\u2019t know, but it can be many reasons. I don\u2019t care.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aldo, a retired UFC featherweight champ and Hall of Fame member, doesn\u2019t like Evloev\u2019s style in fact. He suggested that Evloev doesn\u2019t sell, and has boring fights, noting that the UFC is a business. If it was up to Aldo, Evloev would be cut. \u201cHe\u2019s right, but I\u2019m still here,\u201d countered the Russian, going on to add that \u201cand I\u2019m fighting for the title, right? So if UFC don\u2019t want me to fight for the title or be in the UFC, I won\u2019t be here.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s 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, \u201cI think UFC do their job well,\u201d said Evloev. He cited the level the promotion has long operated on, and added that they\u2019ve made people exciting for a long time. \u201cAfter many years of doing fights, in the fight business, people always want something entertaining.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evloev used the old days of the UFC, where there was no time limit for fights, as an example, calling it \u201cboring\u201d and noting that the promotion worked to change things. \u201cNow it\u2019s five minutes, and now they try to do something else. This is their job, not mine. I\u2019m just following.\u201d<\/p>\n