UFC 333 turned into another memorable night for Alexander Volkanovski. The 38-year-old overcame another challenge to defend his featherweight title at Etihad Arena, finishing Movsar Evloev in the second round and handing the Russian his first career loss after 20 straight wins.
As expected, Volkanovski’s sharp striking and excellent takedown defense made the difference. He looked quicker from the opening bell, targeting Evloev’s legs with inside low kicks before mixing in stiff jabs and powerful overhand rights.
Volkanovski eventually hurt Evloev with a big overhand right before following up with a flurry of punches that sent the Russian crashing to the canvas. He kept attacking until referee Marc Goddard stepped in with just seconds left in the second round.
But the win became even more impressive after it emerged that Volkanovski had been battling the flu during fight week. The champion reportedly refused to take any medication, believing it could give him an unfair advantage over his opponent.
Alexander Volkanovski Refused Medication at UFC 333 Because He Feared It Would Be Unfair to Movsar Evloev
The signs were there during Friday’s early-morning weigh-ins, when Volkanovski’s voice sounded noticeably different. Many initially put it down to the weight cut, but his training partner and BJJ legend Craig Jones later revealed on social media that the Aussie had been sick.
Jones shared a picture of Volkanovski with the featherweight title and captioned it, “flu game @alexandervolkanovski.”
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Volkanovski also confirmed at the UFC 333 post-fight press conference that he wasn’t feeling 100% going into the fight. However, the champion seemed to take the setback in stride, even joking that it would have been too easy if he hadn’t gotten sick.
He said with a smile, “Ah, good enough to get out there and get it done. I mean, yeah, it’s all good. It’s a part of the game. A part of the challenges that I like anyway. Like, it was funny I started getting sick; I was like, ‘It would’ve been too easy if I wasn’t sick.’”
The 145-pound kingpin added, “No matter what hurdles are in front of me, or what challenges come my way, I’m at a stage of my career that this s**t excites me. When I get injuries, and I’ve gotta fight through them, I don’t know why, but it makes the story better. I’ll save them for documentaries.”
🚨 Alexander Volkanovski reveals he was sick when he fought Movsar Evloev today 🤒
“It’s all good, it’s a part of the game. I started getting sick, I was like ‘it would’ve been too easy if I wasn’t sick.’
No matter what hurdles are in front of me, this sh*t excites me.” https://t.co/zUHBaAqSv2
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) October 24, 2026
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MMA reporter Oscar Willis, who asked Volkanovski about his condition at the press conference, also shared more details about the champion’s decision to avoid medication.
He wrote, “Alexander Volkanovski was very sick this morning, and refused to take medication (even ibuprofen) because he felt in some way it would be giving him a sporting advantage.”
Alexander Volkanovski was very sick this morning, and refused to take medication (even ibuprofen) because he felt in some way it would be giving him a sporting advantage.
— Oscar Willis (@oscarwillismma) October 24, 2026
With the win, Volkanovski recorded his ninth victory in a UFC featherweight title fight, surpassing Jose Aldo for the division record. Now, the champion can turn his attention to the next wave of contenders, with Kevin Vallejos and Jean Silva among the names in the mix. A potential superfight with Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title could also be an intriguing option down the line.