UFC returns to Abu Dhabi with blockbuster title bouts

UFC returns to Abu Dhabi this October with a blockbuster night of mixed martial arts at Etihad Arena on Yas Island.

UFC 333 will take place on Saturday, October 24, with featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski facing undefeated No. 1-ranked contender Movsar Evloev in the main event.

The co-main event will see bantamweight champion Petr Yan defend his title against top contender Merab Dvalishvili.

Volkanovski enters the fight with a 28-and-4 record, while Evloev remains unbeaten at 20-and-zero.

The matchup pits one of the division’s most accomplished champions against its top undefeated challenger.

Yan and Dvalishvili will meet for the third time, with Yan looking to defend the title he reclaimed from Dvalishvili in their most recent fight in December.

The event is being held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.

Tickets for #UFC333 are available! Get them while you can!@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi

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— UFC (@ufc) August 17, 2026

Additional bouts on the card include:

• England’s No. 6 ranked flyweight contender Lone’er Kavanagh (10-2; fighting out of London, England) takes on No. 7 Ramazan Temirov (20-3; fighting out of Karshi, Uzbekistan) in flyweight bout.
• Heavyweight hitters collide as No. 2 ranked Alexander Volkov (40-11; fighting out of Moscow, Russia) faces No. 5 Rizvan Kuniev (14-3-1; fighting out of Makhachkala, Dagestan, Russia).
• No. 5 ranked UFC featherweight contender Arnold Allen (21-4; fighting out of Ipswich, England) meets No. 13 Aaron Pico (14-5; fighting out of Whittier, USA) in featherweight bout.
• No. 8 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Dominick Reyes (16-5; fighting out of Apple Valley, USA) faces No. 9 Azamat Murzakanov (16-1; fighting out of Nalchik, Russia) in light heavyweight bout.
• No. 14 ranked UFC middleweight contender Abus Magomedov (29-7-1; fighting out of Argun, Russia) takes on Cam Rowston (15-3; fighting out of Sydney, Australia) in middleweight bout.
• Veteran No. 15 ranked UFC light heavyweight contender Nikita Krylov (31-12; fighting out of Donetsk, Russia) meets undefeated Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (10-0; fighting out of Russia) in light heavyweight bout.
• No. 15 ranked UFC lightweight contender Grant Dawson (24-3-1; fighting out of Cambria, USA) and Nurullo Aliev (12-0; fighting out of Dushanbe, Tajikistan) meet in a lightweight bout.