'Chasing a New Record in Title Fight Victories' Volkanovski Faces Yevloev: "I Will Show My Best Form at Age 38"

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UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski (38, Australia) will challenge for a new record of the most title fight victories in featherweight history while defending his title for the second time against undefeated challenger Makhmud Muradov (32, Russia), who boasts a 20-0 record.

The UFC announced on the 22nd that it will host 'UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Yevloev' at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on the 25th (all times Korea Standard Time).

The biggest point of interest for this event is whether Volkanovski will surpass Jose Aldo to achieve the most title fight victories in featherweight history (9 wins). Volkanovski, who has a professional record of 28 wins and 4 losses, has accumulated 8 wins in UFC featherweight title fights. He successfully defended his title five times during his first reign and completed one defense during his second reign after reclaiming the throne. If he defends his title in this fight, he will firmly solidify his status as the undisputed greatest featherweight fighter of all time (GOAT).

The challenger standing in Volkanovski's way is Yevloev, who holds the No. 1 ranking and is on a 20-fight winning streak. An undefeated grappler, Yevloev, a former M-1 Bantamweight Champion from Russia, has been on a 10-fight winning streak in the Octagon since making his UFC debut against Choi Seung-woo in 2019. A cousin of Musae Yevloev, a Master of Sports in Greco-Roman wrestling and Tokyo Olympic gold medalist, Yevloev boasts formidable grappling pressure, averaging 4.8 successful takedowns per 15 minutes of UFC competition.

Despite being at the considerable age of 38, Volkanovski expressed confidence in his perfect form. Volkanovski stated through the UFC, "Many people doubt whether my skills are declining every time I step into the Octagon," adding, "I believe that after this fight, the media headlines will read, 'How can he show such form at age 38?'"

He continued, "There is a reason why people assess me as the favorite in terms of style, such as anti-wrestling," and stated, "Yevloev will come with a fierce challenge, but I am fully capable of handling it."

Challenger Yevloev also acknowledged Volkanovski's continued dominance while asserting his advantage in an endurance battle. While stating, "Volkanovski is right. He is still threatening and at an age that can be considered his prime," Yevloev countered by saying, "But what matters is who you are fighting. He has never fought an opponent who applies constant pressure like I do. It will be proven in the Octagon this weekend whose endurance is superior."

In the co-main event on this day, a title match will feature the third encounter between Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan (33, Russia) and former champion Meral Dvalishvili (35, Georgia), who have split their previous two meetings with one win each. This bout will put an end to the rivalry dynamic within the division. While Dvalishvili has vowed revenge after a sufficient 10-month break, Champion Yan, who dominated his opponent with striking and takedown defense in their second fight, is aiming for another flawless victory, as the two continue their tense verbal exchanges.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original