“The Undisputed Featherweight GOAT” Volkanovski Achieves Unprecedented “Ninth Title Defense”… Completely Dominates Yevloev

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UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski (38, Australia) completely subdued undefeated challenger Mofassar Yevloev (32, Russia) in just two rounds, setting a historic record by becoming the first fighter to win nine title bouts at the featherweight division. By surpassing legend Jose Aldo and standing alone atop the all-time victory list, Volkanovski once again impressed the world with why he is considered the greatest featherweight fighter of all time (GOAT).

Volkanovski defeated Yevloev by TKO just before the end of the second round in the main event of UFC 333, held at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 25th (Korean time), setting a new record with his ninth career title fight victory at the featherweight division. With this win, Volkanovski successfully defended his title for the second time after reclaiming the vacant belt in April, having lost it to Ilia Topuria in February 2024.

With this victory, Volkanovski became the first fighter in featherweight history to achieve nine title fight wins, breaking the previous record of eight held by Aldo. Additionally, he extended his winning streak to 20 consecutive victories and handed mixed martial arts (MMA) career first defeat to Yevloev, who had entered his first title bout as the No. 1 ranked fighter with an undefeated record.

The early stages of the fight were tense. In the first round, Yevloev countered Volkanovski’s intense pressure by landing effective strikes and securing takedowns.

However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second round. As the second round began, Volkanovski wobbled his opponent with strikes, briefly knocking him to the ground. With one minute remaining in the round, he felled Yevloev with a sharp right hand. Immediately seizing top position, Volkanovski unleashed a barrage of merciless ground-and-pound strikes until the referee stopped the fight.

In a post-fight interview, Volkanovski, who set the historic record, said, “Yevloev is a great fighter. There was a reason he was undefeated. But I told him that I am the one who can stop him.” He added, “I feel good about finishing the fight with a finisher. I said if I didn’t take major damage in this fight, I would continue my career, and it seems like I will keep going,” hinting at his intention to remain active.

Yevloev, who suffered his first defeat, acknowledged the loss by stating, “Volkanovski is like a fine aged wine; he gets stronger and more perfect as he ages. He is a true legend and provided me with a great lesson.” He continued, “It has been proven that I am not yet the best. After treating my injuries and resting, I will challenge again.”

Meanwhile, in the co-main event bantamweight title fight, champion Petr Yan (33, Russia) secured his first successful defense with a unanimous decision victory over challenger Meral Dvalishvili (35, Georgia) in their third encounter.

Yan, who was pushed back by Dvalishvili’s fierce pressure early on, reversed the momentum with a precise liver kick late in the third round and dominated the championship rounds. With this win, Yan became the first fighter to hand Dvalishvili a two-fight losing streak. Yan now has 13 career wins at the bantamweight division, closely trailing Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Vera (both with 14 wins). Yan roared, “It doesn’t matter who the next challenger is. Bring me Song Yadong or King Kong, anyone. If they can make weight, I will knock them out.”

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original