The final administrative hurdle is complete for one of the most anticipated fight cards of the year as the official UFC 333 weigh-ins took place this morning from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Fighters hit the scales ahead of Saturday’s high-stakes event, which promises to deliver high-level mixed martial arts action across three distinct segments of the fight card, broadcasting live on Paramount+.
In Saturday’s marquee main event, the division’s legendary standard-bearer Alexander Volkanovski steps back into the Octagon to defend his coveted featherweight championship. Standing across from him will be the surging and undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev, who aims to disrupt the status quo and claim the divisional crown. Both championship contenders successfully made weight this morning, clearing the path for what analysts and fans expect to be a tactical, high-paced battle of attrition and technical mastery at 145 pounds. Volkanovski weighed in at 144.5 pounds, while Evloev stepped onto the scale right at the championship limit of 145 pounds.
The co-main event features a high-stakes trilogy bout that has been brewing within the elite ranks of the bantamweight division. Bantamweight champion Petr Yan and perennial top contender Merab Dvalishvili will lock horns for a third time inside the Octagon. The history between the two rivals adds an intense layer of intrigue to the matchup, as both competitors currently hold a victory over one another, making Saturday night’s encounter the definitive rubber match to settle the score once and for all. Both Yan and Dvalishvili smoothly made weight, registering matching figures of 135 pounds to officially lock in their championship-caliber co-main attraction.
The rest of the main card is stacked with explosive matchups designed to captivate combat sports enthusiasts worldwide. In the flyweight division, Lone’er Kavanagh meets Ramazan Temirov, with Kavanagh weighing in at 125.5 pounds and Temirov registering 126 pounds. Heavyweight power takes center stage shortly after as Alexander Volkov squares off against Rizvan Kuniev. Volkov stepped onto the scale at 256 pounds, while Kuniev weighed in at 265 pounds, bringing maximum size and finishing power to the heavyweight clash. Rounding out the main card, Aaron Pico enters the featherweight fray at 145.5 pounds to face Losene Keita, who weighed in at 146 pounds.
Weigh-in results:
Main Card (Paramount+ 2 p.m. ET)
Alexander Volkanovski (144.5) vs. Movsar Evloev (145)
Petr Yan (135) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (135)
Lone’er Kavanagh (125.5) vs. Ramazan Temirov (126)
Alexander Volkov (256) vs. Rizvan Kuniev (265)
Aaron Pico (145.5) vs. Losene Keita (146)
The preliminary card features an array of established veterans and rising prospects eager to steal the show and make a statement before the main broadcast window opens. In the light heavyweight division, Azamat Murzakanov weighed in at 206 pounds, preparing to face former title challenger Dominick Reyes, who weighed in at 205 pounds. Another compelling light heavyweight encounter features Nikita Krylov stepping on the scale at 206 pounds to face Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, who also registered 206 pounds.
Middleweight action features Abus Magomedov checking in at 185.5 pounds ahead of his bout against Cam Rowston, who weighed 185 pounds. Closing out the preliminary card, lightweight contenders Grant Dawson and Nurullo Aliev successfully made weight, with Dawson hitting 156 pounds and Aliev weighing in at 155 pounds, ensuring a fast-paced, high-stakes battle in the deeply talented 155-pound weight class.
Preliminary Card (Paramount+ at 12 p.m. ET)
Azamat Murzakanov (206) vs. Dominick Reyes (205)
Nikita Krylov (206) vs. Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206)
Abus Magomedov (185.5) vs. Cam Rowston (185)
Grant Dawson (156) vs. Nurullo Aliev (155)
The morning’s proceedings began with the early preliminary card, showcasing developmental talent and international athletes looking to establish a foothold on the global stage. In the bantamweight division, Colby Thicknesse weighed in at 135.5 pounds, while his opponent Asaf Chopurov registered 136 pounds. Middleweight action saw Abubakar Vagaev hit 185.5 pounds, matching up against Jacob Malkoun, who weighed in at the divisional limit of 186 pounds.
In the featherweight division, Bolaji Oki and Daniel Santos both successfully made the weight limit, each registering 146 pounds on the scale. Lightweight competitors Kody Steele and Noah Gugnon also had no trouble making weight, with both men hitting the mark at 156 pounds.
The only blemish on an otherwise smooth morning of weigh-ins occurred during the women’s strawweight division proceedings. Iasmin Lucindo successfully made weight at 115 pounds, but her opponent, Nicolle Caliari, struggled with the cut and missed the limit, weighing in at 120.5 pounds. Consequently, Caliari’s bout with Lucindo will proceed at a catchweight. As a penalty for missing the required limit, Caliari will forfeit 30 percent of her fight purse to her opponent as the two prepare to move forward with the altered matchup.
Early Prelims (Paramount+ at 10 a.m. ET)
Colby Thicknesse (135.5) vs. Asaf Chopurov (136)
Abubakar Vagaev (185.5) vs. Jacob Malkoun (186)
Bolaji Oki (146) vs. Daniel Santos (146)
Kody Steele (156) vs. Noah Gugnon (156)
Iasmin Lucindo (115) vs. Nicolle Caliari (120.5)*
*Caliari missed weight. Her bout with Iasmin Lucindo proceeds at a catchweight, with Caliari forfeiting 30 percent of her purse as penalty.
With all athletes now accounted for, medical checks finalized, and the scale drama largely behind them, the fighters turn their attention toward recovery and final preparations. The Etihad Arena is primed to host a monumental evening of mixed martial arts, culminating in championship stakes that will shape the landscape of both the featherweight and bantamweight divisions for the foreseeable future. Action gets underway on Saturday across the early prelims, prelims, and main card broadcasts exclusively on Paramount+.
