The global mixed martial arts landscape continues to shift following a momentous night of fights in Abu Dhabi, and the ripples are already being felt far beyond the confines of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Undefeated featherweight standout Rajabali Shaidullaev has made it clear that he wants to test himself against Alexander Volkanovski, setting his sights squarely on the division’s elite after the Australian champion delivered a historic performance at UFC 333.
The blockbuster pay-per-view event, hosted in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, saw Volkanovski author a tactical masterclass in the evening’s marquee matchup. The UFC featherweight titleholder put on a striking and grappling clinic against Movsar Evloev, ultimately stopping the previously unbeaten Russian contender in definitive fashion. With the victory, Volkanovski not only successfully defended his standing at the pinnacle of the 145-pound weight class but also handed Evloev the first professional defeat of his MMA career, shattering the Russian’s long-standing aura of invulnerability inside the Octagon.
While the MMA world was still processing the magnitude of Volkanovski’s victory and the fall of one of the division’s most consistent contenders, elite athletes from across the globe took to social media to share their thoughts. Among them was Shaidullaev, an imposing undefeated force who has long been regarded as one of the most formidable featherweights competing outside of the UFC banner.
Carrying an immaculate professional record of 20 wins and zero losses, Shaidullaev watched the Abu Dhabi main event closely. Rather than expressing shock at the dismantling of Evloev, the Kyrgyz standout chose to praise Volkanovski’s champion-level execution while simultaneously offering a sportsmanlike message of encouragement to the fallen contender. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Shaidullaev laid out his perspective on the championship bout and made his competitive ambitions known to the wider fighting world.
"Congrats, Volk. That was a champion’s performance," Shaidullaev wrote on social media shortly after the conclusion of UFC 333. "An inspiration to the next generation. One fight doesn’t define a fighter. Movsar, I hope you come back even stronger. Volk looked sharp tonight. I’d love to test myself against him."
The callout, though respectful, immediately drew the attention of hardcore MMA enthusiasts and industry pundits who have tracked Shaidullaev’s meteoric rise through the sport. For months, debates have raged regarding how the top-tier talent competing in organizations like Rizin and the Professional Fighters League would fare against the elite gatekeepers and champions of the UFC. Shaidullaev’s public declaration of interest in a showdown with "The Great" serves as a compelling reminder of the cross-promotional intrigue that perpetually captivates the sport, even if the logistics of such a matchup remain complex given contractual boundaries.
Shaidullaev has spent the last several years systematically establishing himself as one of the most prominent, dangerous, and complete featherweights competing outside the American mixed martial arts juggernaut. His reputation as a global threat has been forged through a series of high-profile victories against elite-level opposition. Most recently, Shaidullaev added another career-defining accolade to his resume when he stepped into the ring and secured a statement victory against former Bellator MMA champion A.J. McKee. That high-stakes encounter, which took place at Super Rizin 5 in September, further solidified Shaidullaev’s status as a world-class competitor capable of neutralizing veterans and former champions with high-level skill.
As a reigning champion under both the Rizin Fighting Federation and Professional Fighters League banners, Shaidullaev’s schedule remains fiercely demanding and strictly focused on his immediate promotional obligations. While the prospect of fighting Alexander Volkanovski serves as an intriguing hypothetical for the future, the Kyrgyz standout has no time to rest on his laurels or wait for major promotional shifts.
Shaidullaev is already deep into his training camp and is scheduled to make his next high-profile appearance before the calendar year closes. The elite featherweight champion is set to step back into competitive action against Kyoma Akimoto at Rizin’s annual New Year’s Eve extravaganza on December 31 in Japan. The traditional year-end card is historically one of the biggest combat sports events in Asia, and Shaidullaev’s presence in a premier matchup underscores his status as a marquee attraction on the international stage.
Even as he prepares for his upcoming challenge in Japan against Akimoto, Shaidullaev’s praise for Volkanovski and his explicit desire to test his skills against the UFC titleholder have introduced a fascinating new storyline to the featherweight division. Whether paths will ever cross between the dominant UFC kingpin and the undefeated global champion remains to be seen, but Shaidullaev has firmly positioned himself as a name that cannot be ignored by anyone sitting at the very top of 145-pound mixed martial arts.
