Volkanovski underscores UFC greatness with record ninth title win

Australian Alexander Volkanovski has underlined his greatness with a stunning second-round TKO of previously unbeaten Russian Movsar Evloev in a record-extending ninth UFC featherweight title fight win.

Headlining the UFC 333 card in Abu Dhabi, Volkanovski was considered the underdog in some quarters, but the 38-year-old proved too good for his younger opponent, the number one contender.

He got Evloev down to the ground with some precise, hurtful punching and landed some brutal ground and pound to force referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight with six seconds of the second round remaining.

Volkanovski, from Windang on the NSW South Coast, landed with some good kicks and punches in the first couple of minutes.

Elite wrestler Evloev (20-1) took Volkanovski down three times in the last couple of minutes of the first round, but the Australian quickly bounced back to his feet each time.

The champion had a cut on his face in the second round, but in the last few seconds he bloodied Evloev's face, as his crisp, accurate punches found their mark.

It was his first stoppage win in six fights stretching back to 2023.

"It feels good to get a finish," said Volkanovski, who improved his MMA record to 29-4.

"I actually promised the missus, it was our wedding anniversary on Wednesday, I promised her a quick one (win) so she wasn't stressing on the sidelines."

It was a second successful defence of his second reign and Volkanovski indicated he wasn't ready to retire yet.

"I said if I didn't take too much damage, we'll probably keep going, so maybe we keep going," Volkanovski said.

Evloev landed some good strikes but couldn't maintain the pressure on the wily champion.

"He's like good wine; older, stronger, better, he's truly a legend," Evloev said.

In a thrilling co-main event, Russia's Petr Yan retained the bantamweight world title with a unanimous points decision over Georgia's Merab Dvalishvili, beating him for the second time in three fights.

In the prelims, Australians recorded a win and two losses against Russian opponents.

Volkanovski's stablemate, bantamweight Colby Thicknesse, scored a third straight win and a big upset with a split-decision victory over previously unbeaten Asaf Chopurov.

Middleweight Cam Rowston's run of seven straight wins ended with a first-round guillotine-choke-submission loss to 12th-ranked Abus Magomedov of Russia, and middleweight Jacob Malkoun's three-fight win streak was snapped by a unanimous-points loss to Abubakar Vagaev.