Movsar Evloev is expressing strong confidence that his next bout will be for the UFC Featherweight Championship against current titleholder Alexander Volkanovski, and he has already commenced preparations for the highly anticipated contest.
Evloev recently made a triumphant return to the octagon after a prolonged injury layoff, securing a victory over Lerone Murphy at UFC London. In that fight, the Russian contender notably departed from his customary wrestling-heavy strategy, engaging in a more striking-focused slugfest to impress matchmakers.
However, immediately following UFC London, UFC President Dana White did not confirm that Evloev, considered a top contender in the featherweight division, would automatically receive the next title opportunity.
Adding to the conversation, Jean Silva, ranked sixth in the 145-pound division, publicly criticized Evloev’s performance as lacking excitement and subsequently claimed that he, not Evloev, would be facing Volkanovski next.
Nonetheless, “The Great” Volkanovski has clearly stated his preference for fighting only deserving, top-tier contenders. He has also indicated his willingness to face Evloev, seeing it as an opportunity to prove his capability of neutralizing the renowned Russian wrestling prowess.
Movsar Evloev Initiates Title Fight Preparation
In a recent interview, Movsar Evloev revealed that after his fight with Lerone Murphy, he spent some time at home and is now heading back to American Top Team (ATT) to intensify his training for what he believes will be his title challenge. The 32-year-old fighter stated:
“We will prepare, Inshallah (God willing), for the title fight. It seems everything suggests that I will finally fight for the title next. Inshallah. This is a very important stage in my career, and I want to make sure I have no regrets.”
After reclaiming the featherweight title at UFC 314 last year, Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his championship for the first time in his second reign earlier this year at UFC 325, where he convincingly defeated Diego Lopes via unanimous decision.
The Australian champion has since signed a new contract with the UFC. Should negotiations and scheduling proceed favorably, fans could anticipate a showdown between Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev in the third or fourth quarter of 2026.