Volkanovski Targets Oliveira After Stopping Evloev; Yan Sets O'Malley Rematch

Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski stopped Movsar Evloev in two rounds at UFC 333, ending the challenger's unbeaten streak. The victory secures the belt for Volkanovski, but his next move appears directed toward the lightweight division, a weight class that has claimed two of his three career losses in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Charles Oliveira represents the most logical next opponent for the champion. If Oliveira retains his BMF title against Diego Lopes at UFC 335 in December, a bout between the two MMA legends would likely take place in 2027. Volkanovski has previously expressed hesitation about jumping the lightweight queue to fight Justin Gaethje, particularly with Arman Tsarukyan positioned as the clear title challenger. A victory over Oliveira would legitimize the winner as a serious contender for the 155-pound championship.

Should Gaethje retire after his June victory at the White House, Tsarukyan would hold the top spot in the lightweight rankings. In that scenario, Volkanovski would likely receive a direct path to a title shot against the Armenian contender.

Petr Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision at UFC 333, concluding their three-fight series. With the trilogy complete, Yan is positioned to face Sean O'Malley for the bantamweight title. O'Malley holds a controversial victory over Yan from 2022 and has compiled two wins since his defeats to Dvalishvili in 2024 and 2025. The matchup would serve as the first test for Yan against a fighter with a recent win over him, while also addressing the division's most high-profile rivalry.

Song Yadong presents an alternative option for Yan, having defeated O'Malley in January. However, O'Malley remains the stronger claimant for the immediate title shot due to his prior win over the champion. Yan will likely face both fighters in the coming year, with the O'Malley bout offering a tactical chess match and the Song bout promising explosive firepower.

Dvalishvili, coming off his second consecutive loss, is expected to seek a rematch with Umar Nurmagomedov. The two fighters share genuine heat from their first encounter at UFC 311 in January 2025, where Nurmagomedov fought through a broken hand. Nurmagomedov is expected to return to the cage by January, before the start of Ramadan in February. Both men entering the bout with recent losses creates a high-stakes dynamic that the UFC typically favors in matchmaking.

In the featherweight division, Aaron Pico is positioned to face Jean Silva. Pico has shown consistent potential but has suffered several devastating finishes throughout his career. Silva would represent a major step up in competition for Pico, especially as Diego Lopes moves to lightweight. The matchup would test Pico's durability against a top-10 opponent who offers significant offensive pressure.