ABU DHABI: UFC CEO Dana White joined four of the sport’s biggest stars at Etihad Arena on Thursday for the official UFC 333: Volkanovski vs. Evloev press conference, as the final countdown began to Saturday’s sold-out event on Yas Island’s Etihad Arena.
Opening the press conference, White welcomed UFC’s return to the UAE capital, telling the crowd: “It’s good to be back here in Abu Dhabi.”
He was joined on stage by featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, undefeated No.1-ranked contender Movsar Evloev, bantamweight champion Petr Yan and No.1-ranked contender Merab Dvalishvili, with the four fighters sharing their final thoughts before coming face-to-face in front of local and international media and fans.
In Saturday’s main event, Volkanovski (28-4-0) defends his featherweight title against Evloev (20-0-0), who enters his first UFC title fight with a perfect professional record.
Volkanovski acknowledged the threat posed by the undefeated challenger but made clear where he believes the advantage lies.
“I think he’s the toughest fight for everybody in the division, just not me,” Volkanovski said. “He’s got a lot of skill, but a lot of those skills won’t work on me. That’s what I truly do believe.”
Evloev responded with confidence of his own, saying: “With all respect to the champ, I can do anything I want and I’ll prove it.”
In the co-main event, Yan (20-5-0) meets Dvalishvili (21-5-0) for the third time, with their rivalry tied at one victory apiece.
Dvalishvili won their first meeting by unanimous decision in 2023 before Yan avenged that defeat in December 2025, also by unanimous decision, to reclaim the title.
For Yan, Saturday represents another significant moment in a city closely connected with his UFC career. The Russian won his first UFC title in Abu Dhabi in 2020, defeating Jose Aldo during UFC Fight Island.
“Abu Dhabi for me is the best place,” Yan said. “I remember 2020 when I took my belt here against Jose Aldo, and I already defended my title here.”
Dvalishvili also embraced the Abu Dhabi crowd ahead of his bid to regain the title.
“I love Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi loves me,” he said. “I’m grateful for all the fans. I’m just going to fight hard, so don’t blink on Saturday. Make sure you watch our fight — it’s going to be good.”
The press conference also delivered several light-hearted moments, including an unexpected interaction with heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov, who is also in action on Saturday’s main card against compatriot Rizvan Kuniev. Stepping up from the audience, Volkov playfully asked Volkanovski for advice on becoming a world champion before turning to White to ask what he needed to do to earn a UFC title shot.
The event ended on another memorable note when a fan asked White if he would shave his head in exchange for tickets to Saturday’s event. White had another idea: “How about I just give you tickets and not shave your head?” The fan quickly accepted before the four title fighters came together for their final face-offs.