Sadly, in the UFC, being the best doesn’t mean you’ll get what you deserve—and plenty of athletes have learned that the hard way. The No. 1-ranked featherweight, Movsar Evloev, is no exception to this. After Alexander Volkanovski reclaimed the featherweight title with a unanimous decision win over Diego Lopes at UFC 314, many expected the division’s top contender to be next in line for the title. 

Instead, Dana White announced a rematch between ‘Volk’ and Lopes that no one asked for. And as expected, the second bout mirrored the first. Alexander Volkanovski won by a unanimous decision at UFC 325 once again. Now, Movsar Evloev has revealed how and why he was sidelined despite being the obvious choice for the title shot.

“Yeah, I was kinda surprised when they didn’t let me in,” Evloev told reporters at the press conference for UFC London. “Before they told me like be ready [to face off]. Maybe they expected Lopes to win, and that’s why they tell me to be ready. And Volk wins, and they changed their mind.”

It appears Alexander Volkanovski’s win threw a wrench in Dana White’s plan, and as a result, after the second loss, Diego Lopes can’t challenge for the title anytime soon. For now, all eyes are on the Fight Night this Saturday.

Movsar Evloev faces No. 3-ranked Lerone Murphy in what is being viewed as a featherweight title eliminator headlining UFC London. So, whoever wins at UFC London between Evloev and Murphy could secure a title shot against Alexander Volkanovski. And if the winner of Saturday night’s fight could beat ‘Volk,’ it would allow the Brazilian to get back in the title picture. However, that’s a long shot.

Evloev is currently undefeated but hasn’t fought since defeating Aljamain Sterling in December 2024. Meanwhile, Murphy is also undefeated and is coming off a first-round knockout win over Aaron Pico in August last year. Both fighters are expected to put on an exciting night of action on Saturday, which will decide the division’s future.

But who is going to win? 

Yousuf Zalal predicts Movsar Evloev vs. Lerone Murphy 

There’s no doubt it’s a tough fight to predict accurately. But if anyone can do it, it’s Yousuf Zalal. Speaking ahead of their showdown at UFC Fight Night 270, Zalal highlighted Evloev’s elite grappling as the deciding factor.

“That’s a tough fight,” Zalal said. “Obviously, Movsar, the grappling is high, high, high level, so I’m interested to see how Lerone does with the high-level wrestling…If I had to pick, I think Movsar wins that fight,” he said.

Zalal himself is slated to face Aljamain Sterling at UFC Fight Night 274 on April 25. Moreover, while most people think the Evloev vs. Murphy fight is a title eliminator, he is not ready to count himself out. 

“Again, I said this in the Josh Emmett fight, and a lot of people thought I was crazy: I think it all depends on performance,” Zalal added. “Whoever goes out there and has a better performance is almost guaranteed a title shot.”

That being said, it appears Zalal expects the UFC to snub Movsar Evloev a second time. However, only time will tell who ends up getting a title shot. Who do you think it will be?