Paddy Pimblett wasn’t impressed with Movsar Evloev’s performance at UFC 333, and he didn’t hold back when sharing his thoughts. The Liverpool fighter accused the Russian featherweight of quitting during his second-round knockout loss to Alexander Volkanovski, questioning why Evloev chose to cover up instead of continuing to fight with just seconds left. While Pimblett praised Volkanovski for another successful title defense, he had little sympathy for the beaten challenger.

‘The Baddy’ watched the action unfold and shared his reaction in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel.

“Some big shots there. Is it over? It’s over. Boom, Volk, man, gets the finish,” Pimblett said. “Evloev quit there, for me. Just rolled over. When there’s five seconds left, lad, you’ve just got to keep moving so the fight stays on. I mean, you can’t start just covering up.”

Movsar Evloev entered UFC 333 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena with an undefeated 20-0 professional record and a perfect 10-0 run inside the UFC. The 32-year-old was finally getting his first shot at the featherweight championship, but his dream of claiming gold quickly turned into a nightmare when Alexander Volkanovski stopped him late in the second round on October 24.

The Australian found his range as the fight progressed, landing a right hand in the second round that dropped Evloev and opened the door for the finish. Volkanovski followed up with a barrage of punches, a knee against the fence, a left hook, and more clean strikes before taking the fight to the ground.

With the challenger unable to defend himself effectively against the ensuing ground-and-pound, the referee stepped in to stop the contest. And to be fair, with just seconds remaining in the second round, the finish surely disappointed many fans of the Russian who saw him fight his way to the title picture through his first 10 UFC appearances.

Movsar Evloev had built a reputation as one of the featherweight division’s toughest contenders, entering the title fight with a perfect 20-0 record. But his long-awaited shot at the belt ended in the worst possible way, with the Russian suffering the first loss of his professional career.

Alexander Volkanovski, meanwhile, added another impressive chapter to his already stacked legacy at 145 pounds. The Australian proved he still belonged at the top of the division after regaining the featherweight throne in 2025.

With another title defense in the books, ‘The Great’ only strengthened his case in the never-ending debate of who is the greatest featherweight fighter of all time.

Paddy Pimblett was also celebrating after the co-main event went exactly as he predicted, with Petr Yan defeating Merab Dvalishvili to retain his bantamweight title. The Liverpool native had backed both reigning champions to get the job done at UFC 333, and with both picks coming through, he had every reason to be pleased with his predictions.

“Two ‘and stills’. I said Volk and (Petr) Yan to win, so I’m happy there,” he continued. “My predictions aren’t normally always right, but they were spot on tonight.”

Movsar Evloev, meanwhile, took the loss on the chin and showed respect to Alexander Volkanovski after the fight. The Russian turned to X to address his first professional defeat, accepting that the Australian had simply been the better man on the night.

“Alhamdulillah for everything. Today wasn’t my day,” he tweeted. “Everything is written by Allah, and I accept whatever He has planned for me. Congratulations to Volk. He was the better man today.

“Thank you to the UFC for giving me the opportunity to fight for the title, and to all my fans.”

While the loss was a massive setback for the previously unbeaten contender, it doesn’t mean his championship dreams are over. The 32-year-old has already proven he can compete with the best at featherweight, but he’ll now have to regroup and work his way back into title contention.

Dana White addresses Movsar Evloev’s UFC featherweight title future

Movsar Evloev walked into UFC 333 as the No. 1 contender in the featherweight division, but his first shot at the gold ended in a brutal second-round knockout. Now that his unbeaten run is over, the big question is how the Russian can work his way back into title contention.

UFC CEO Dana White was asked about the Russian’s championship future after the event, but he wasn’t ready to give a clear answer. Instead, he explained that much would depend on who the 32-year-old faces next and how he performs in that matchup.

“I don’t know. You’d have to see who he fights and how it goes. I have no idea (but) anything is possible,” White said.

Movsar Evloev could now have to put together a few impressive wins before getting another crack at the title. The featherweight division isn’t short on hungry contenders, with Jean Silva, Aljamain Sterling, and Kevin Vallejos also looking to get their shot at Alexander Volkanovski.

That could put the Russian at a disadvantage in the title race. Unlike Evloev, those contenders are still chasing their first opportunity to fight for UFC gold. Having already received his shot and come up short, the 32-year-old may have to wait while the UFC gives someone else a chance to challenge the champion.

His record also adds another layer to the situation. Before facing Alexander Volkanovski, Movsar Evloev had won all 10 of his UFC fights by decision, without securing a single finish. Racking up more wins could help him get back into the conversation, but scoring some decisive stoppages along the way would give him a stronger case for another title shot.

Paddy Pimblett’s comments could also end up being more than just a dig at Evloev’s performance at UFC 333. ‘The Baddy’ has built a name for himself in the UFC’s lightweight division and knows how to get people talking.

By calling out Movsar Evloev’s performance, Pimblett has added a potential matchup between the two to the conversation, especially if the Russian ever decides to make the move up to 155 pounds.

A move up to lightweight could eventually be an option for the Russian, especially after his first professional loss to Volkanovski. With other featherweight contenders still waiting for their own title opportunities, the 32-year-old may have to pick up several wins before getting another shot at the belt.

Evloev is also one of the bigger fighters at featherweight and reportedly has to cut a considerable amount of weight to make the 145-pound limit. A move up to lightweight could allow the Russian to compete at 155 pounds without having to go through the same demanding cut.

It would be a major change, but it could also open up a new chapter in his UFC career if he decides his future lies in a higher weight class.

However, there’s no indication that the UFC is planning to book the fight anytime soon. For now, it remains a hypothetical possibility rather than an actual matchup in the works.

Whether Movsar Evloev eventually makes the jump to lightweight remains to be seen. For now, the Russian has to regroup after suffering the first loss of his career and figure out his next move.