"I Promised Her A Quick One": Alexander Volkanovski Delivers Finish On Anniversary Weekend

Alexander Volkanovski Delivers Quick Finish On Anniversary Weekend© Instagram

Alexander Volkanovski retained the UFC featherweight title Saturday night at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, stopping Movsar Evloev by TKO with six seconds remaining in the second round. Referee Marc Goddard called it off after a thunderous combination sent Evloev into the cage and a series of unanswered ground strikes left him no path back. The 38-year-old champion grinned through the post-fight interview and explained the urgency simply: their wedding anniversary was Wednesday, and he had made a promise. “It feels good to get a finish,” Volkanovski said. “I actually promised the missus, it was our wedding anniversary on Wednesday, I promised her a quick one so she wasn't stressing on the sideline, so there you go.”

Evloev entered the night undefeated in 20 professional fights and came with a legitimate game plan built around his grappling. He spent most of the first round trying to drag Volkanovski down and found no success, while the champion moved through the round without taking significant damage. The second round changed everything. A right hand to Evloev's temple put him down briefly, and though he recovered, a following uppercut and left hand sent him to the canvas again. Volkanovski poured on the strikes, Goddard stepped in, and the streak was over.

A Record That Needed Rewriting

The win gave Volkanovski sole possession of the record for the most UFC featherweight title victories, breaking a tie he held with Jose Aldo at eight. Nine title wins at 145 pounds, all in the UFC, across a reign that began in 2019. He also became the oldest fighter to successfully defend the featherweight title at 38.

Evloev's Side

Movsar Evloev, 32, did everything the blueprint called for. His grappling is legitimate and his unbeaten record was not built on soft opposition. Volkanovski simply had no answer for his striking and his championship experience overwhelmed whatever Evloev brought to the cage. The loss ends the streak, but at his age and ranking, Evloev remains a serious problem for anyone outside the very top of the division.