Latest news with #Evloev
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Manager: Like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Movsar Evloev willing to take long road to UFC title
Manager: Like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Movsar Evloev willing to take long road to UFC title MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Ali Abdelaziz says Movsar Evloev is happy to prove he's the rightful No. 1 contender – no matter how long it takes. Despite being undefeated and 9-0 in the octagon, Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) is not next in line for a title shot, which even surprised UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. Evloev is rumored to welcome Bellator standout Aaron Pico to the UFC, but nothing has been confirmed. Evloev's past three wins have come over former title challenger Diego Lopes, top contender Arnold Allen, and most recently former champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310. Abdelaziz has had numerous clients who have had to go on almost double-digit win streaks before getting their title shot, and says Evloev embodies the same mentality. "The UFC, half of them want him to get a title shot. The other half ... Anyway, if Movsar needs to get one more, he said Khabib (Nurmagomedov) did it, Islam (Makhachev) did it, Kamaru (Usman) did it, Belal (Muhammad) did it," Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. "If he has to get one more and be on a 10-fight win streak, he will do it. "If he goes out there next fight and he wins – he doesn't have a fight officially yet – but he deserves to be fighting for the title. But at the end of the day, we'll follow the system. He said this: 'If I'm the best in the world, and if I lose before I get to the title, I'm not the best in the world.' This is the same thing Khabib told me, Islam told me, Kamaru told me. These guys (that) have the same mentality, they go a long way." Nurmagomedov, Makhachev, Usman and Muhammad, all managed by Abdelaziz, became UFC champions. Makhachev currently is the UFC's lightweight titleholder.
The Independent
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Alexander Volkanovski's UFC title reign up in the air as champion is denied preferred fight
Alexander Volkanovski 's next fight is up in the air, after the UFC champion's preferred challenger declared he is fighting a fellow contender this summer. Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight throne in April, outpointing Diego Lopes to win the belt that Ilia Topuria vacated in February. Twelve months earlier, Topuria knocked out Volkanovski to become champion, ending the Australian's four-year reign. And Volkanovski, looking to build a strong second stint with the belt, had made clear his desire to defend the gold against Movsar Evloev first. The Russian is unbeaten at 19-0 and last fought in December, outpointing ex-bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. Evloev was the most obvious next challenger for Volkanovski, 36, but the 31-year-old tweeted on Thursday (22 May): 'If you are a UFC fighter and believe you are the best in the world then you have fight every fight they throw at you. 'No risk no reward. See you guys in July, it's ON #AbuDhabi. '@alexvolkanovski thank you Champ for trying to fight me, I will fight in July and you fight in September, hopefully we both win and we can meet in December.' It is suspected that Evloev could face new signing Aaron Pico, 28, who has joined the UFC from Bellator, while Volkanovski's next challenger may be Yair Rodriguez through a process of elimination. While Volkanovski beat the Mexican handily in 2023, stopping him in round three, Rodriguez recorded a significant win against former Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull last time out. Admittedly, that decision victory only snapped a two-fight losing streak for Rodriguez, who was submitted by Brian Ortega after his defeat by Volk. However, the only fighters above the 32-year-old in the rankings are: Topuria, who has moved up to challenge for the lightweight strap; Lopes, who just lost to Volkanovski; and Max Holloway, who is booked to fight at lightweight in July (and who Volkanovski has beaten three times). Furthermore, with the UFC having booked its pay-per-view main events for June, July and August, the next free headline slot is September's UFC 320 in Mexico – Rodriguez's home country. But there are ongoing issues with the new Arena Guadalajara, meaning the event could yet be moved. UFC 320 has already suffered a setback, with a boxing super-fight between Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Terence Crawford being moved from 12 September to 13 September, the same night as the UFC show. That is despite a plan for UFC president Dana White to co-promote the boxing event with Saudi adviser Turki Alalshikh. With both fight cards playing out on the same night, it seems unlikely that White will be involved in Canelo vs Crawford. It is unclear what that means for his new working relationship with Alalshikh under TKO Boxing.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev Want Title Fight—UFC Not on Board Yet
Fresh off his return at UFC 314, Alexander Volkanovski, 36, reclaimed the featherweight title with a composed performance against Diego Lopes, earning a unanimous decision after five rounds. While the win solidified his place at the top once again, it also set the stage for a potential legacy fight—one that Volkanovski made clear he wants next. However, recent developments suggest that the matchup may not happen anytime soon. Now, as speculation swirls about what's next for the reigning champion, one thing is clear—Volkanovski has his sights set on a legacy-defining showdown. Post-fight, he expressed interest in facing undefeated featherweight contender Movsar Evloev, 31, stating: 'He's undefeated, and I'd love to be the one to take that 0. That'd be a great challenge.' Movsar EvloevGetty Images But despite both fighters being on board, UFC President Dana White and the promotion appear to have other plans. In a recent sit-down with ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto, Evloev's manager Ali Abdelaziz shared frustration over the UFC's stance. 'It's illegal for him not to be fighting next for the title because who's above him, right?' Abdelaziz said. 'It's crazy this guy is not even in the conversation… They say he need one more.' Alexander Volkanovski (red gloves) reacts after defeating Diego Lopes (not pictured) during UFC 314 at Kaseya Navarro-Imagn Images Volkanovski, for his part, has been vocal in praising Evloev's resume and welcomes the matchup. Meanwhile, Evloev has long called for a title opportunity, telling MMA Fighting in 2024 he was ready and willing for the division's top names. Dana WhiteGetty Both athletes are aligned. But unless Dana White and the UFC change course, the most logical—and potentially legacy-sealing—fight at featherweight may have to wait. Related: 'I'm Not Welcomed Back' – Ronda Rousey Sends Blunt Message to UFC World Related: UFC Rising Star Sends Sparring Offer to Charles Oliveira 'I Can Imitate Topuria Perfectly'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Alexander Volkanovski Eyes Movsar Evloev After UFC 314 Win
There's no coasting in the featherweight division—not even for legends. Fresh off a gritty battle at UFC 314 against rising contender Diego Lopes, Alexander Volkanovski isn't thinking about rest. He's focused on legacy. After dominating at the top for years, the former champion has made it clear that he's not ready to fade quietly into the background. In fact, there's one undefeated name that has his full attention. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Volkanovski revealed that he's eyeing a showdown with unbeaten Russian standout Movsar Evloev, who currently boasts a 9-fight UFC win streak. Volkanovski shared his mindset heading into the next chapter, saying, 'Before the fight I'm talking about Movsar, and obviously he's in a position where—if you look at who deserves the most—being undefeated and who he's fought and ranking... I do like that undefeated record. I'd love to take that zero.' He added, 'Especially for legacy and where I'm at—taking out an undefeated guy, younger than me anyway... I think Movsar is still going to be up there. I go take him out and he keeps building his resume... to have that name on my resume would be good.' Alex VolkanovskiGetty Images A few weeks ago, Evloev voiced his own frustrations during an interview with KolosMMA, claiming that the promotion has been avoiding pairing him with top-tier opponents. 'As I understand it, the UFC is trying to keep me as far away from anything title-related as possible. I was at UFC 314. After the fight, I had the opportunity to talk to the UFC. They did not want this.' His comments reflect growing tension as Evloev continues to rise through the ranks without a clear path to a title shot. Now that Volkanovski has expressed interest, things could get interesting. Advertisement Whether it's defending territory at 145 or chasing vengeance at 155 in a potential rematch with Ilia Topuria, Volkanovski's fire hasn't dimmed. He's chasing greatness—and Movsar Evloev might be next in his path. Related: Alexander Volkanovski Hints at Lightweight Return – Talks Possible Super Rematch Related: Belal Muhammad Delivers Discouraging Update to Islam Makhachev Ahead of UFC 315
USA Today
08-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Diego Lopes targets Yair Rodriguez or Movsar Evloev for Noche UFC in Guadalajara
Diego Lopes targets Yair Rodriguez or Movsar Evloev for Noche UFC in Guadalajara Diego Lopes is eager to get to another title fight following his first UFC championship defeat last month in Miami. He knows that to do so, he'll need to fight a top contender in the division, and that's why he's got two names in mind. Lopes wants his octagon return to be on Sept. 13 at this year's Noche UFC – the UFC's annual event celebrating Mexican Independence. The pay-per-view card is set to go down in Guadalajara, Mexico – home of Lobo Gym, where Lopes does a bulk of his training. His ideal opponents would be Yair Rodriguez or Movsar Evloev. "My focus is to fight at Noche UFC in September," Lopes told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "Two names I can mention that I'd like would be the rematch against Movsar (Evloev) or a fight against Yair (Rodriguez). Either of those guys gets me close to the title." Lopes fought Alexander Volkanovski for the vacant UFC featherweight title in the main event of UFC 314 on April 12. Unfortunately for Lopes, he came up short, losing a unanimous decision. Given the state of the weight class, the way he fought against Volkanovski, and that he was on an impressive five-fight winning streak prior to the title loss, Lopes doesn't see himself too far from a title shot. He thinks one good performance can get him there, or at worst, two. As far as the ideal rival, Lopes has no preference between Rodriguez and Evloev, as he has built-in history with both. With Evloev, it would be a rematch, since the two fought back in 2023. It was Lopes' first fight in the UFC, one he took on short notice the week of the fight. Despite the circumstances, it was a competitive bout that left both guys with a $50,000 bonus for Fight of the Night. Since, the two have gone back-and-forth on social media over a potential rematch. With Rodriguez, just last month prior to UFC 314, the two got into a fiery exchange and had to be separated by security at the UFC 314 pre-fight press conference. The dispute was over past beef that dates back to the regional scene in Mexico. Either fight is fine with him. "The fights that I have to take are the ones that guarantee me to fight for the belt next," Lopes said. "I have yet to really think about it too much on what we want to do, but obviously we have Noche UFC in Guadalajara, that's my objective, to fight there. The fight that I want is the one that gets me closest to the title. Regardless of who it is, I want the fight the UFC goes, 'Ok, win this one, and you're fighting for the title.' That's the one I'm taking, no problem." Rodriguez and Evloev are two of the top contenders in the division, which is why Lopes wants to fight them. They are also in the running to see who will be the next challenger for Volkanovski. Lopes thinks Evloev is the most deserving of the opportunity, but can see it going to either guy. "Look, it's definitely Movsar," Lopes said when asked who deserves to get the next title shot at 145 pounds. "The UFC has been cooking him for many years now. Even though people don't like his style, he's won key fights to have an opportunity to fight for the title. "'El Pantera' also had a good showing in his last fight. I think the UFC had to offer him something. I don't think it was like, 'Hey, fight this guy because that's the only one available.' I don't think he'd fight a newcomer outside the rankings without getting some promise or some offer. So I think any of those guys can fight for the title, but whoever doesn't get the title shot, have them fight me."
