Movsar Evloev: record, style and what is next
Movsar Evloev: who he is and where he stands
Movsar Evloev is the UFC's number one ranked featherweight and an unbeaten fighter on the brink of a title shot. His record is 20-0 as of 20 October 2026, made up of 3 wins by KO or TKO, 4 by submission and 13 by decision. He is 32, born on 11 February 1994 in what was then Ordzhonikidzevskaya and is now Sunzha, in Ingushetia, Russia.
He is listed at 5 ft 7 in with a 72.5 inch reach and has trained at American Top Team since 2020, alongside his roots at Nart Fight Club. On Saturday 24 October he challenges champion Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Our UFC 333 preview covers the full card, and the champion has his own page: Alexander Volkanovski: record, style and what is next.
How Evloev fights
Evloev is a wrestler first. He holds the rank of Master of Sports in Greco-Roman wrestling, and that base shows in how he builds a fight: close the distance, take the legs, then decide whether to hold top position or take the back. Thirteen of his 20 wins are decisions, and each of his last eight fights went to the scorecards.
His entries are varied. One analysis of his game lists a single leg that finishes as an inside trip, bodylock trips that lead to back takes, a blast double leg, and an ankle pick he used after an overhand right against Diego Lopes at UFC 288. He rolls with an opponent's momentum to counter sweeps and reach top position, and his strength earned wins over Arnold Allen and Aljamain Sterling. The same breakdown calls his striking serviceable but unpolished, with a decent jab and one-two and an occasional habit of rushing in.
The UFC's career figures back that picture. He has landed 625 of 1,312 significant strikes, 48 per cent accuracy, with 61 per cent significant strike defence, and an average fight time of 16 minutes. His ground-and-pound is limited, which is why his control wins rarely end in stoppages.
The road to here
Evloev turned professional in 2014 and spent his early career at bantamweight. He won the interim M-1 Global bantamweight title by knocking out Alexey Nevzorov in 2017, unified it by beating Pavel Vitruk on points later that year, and defended it twice: against Sergey Morozov by rear-naked choke and Rafael Dias by knockout.
He vacated the M-1 belt to sign with the UFC and made his debut in 2019 against Seung Woo Choi. Several of his scheduled UFC bouts fell through because of opponent changes, injuries and a positive COVID-19 test, but he kept winning when they did happen, and that run now has him at the top of the featherweight rankings. Away from the cage, he holds a degree in computer programming and law, and his cousin Musa Evloev is an Olympic gold medallist in wrestling.
The recent run
Evloev's last four wins are all over fighters who sit in the UFC's current rankings, as of 20 October 2026:
- 21 March 2026, London: majority decision win over Lerone Murphy (48-46, 48-46, 47-47) in a five-round title eliminator. Evloev had a point deducted in round four for an illegal groin strike. Murphy is now ranked third.
- 7 December 2024, UFC 310: unanimous decision win over Aljamain Sterling, now ranked fourth.
- 20 January 2024, UFC 297: unanimous decision win over Arnold Allen, now ranked seventh.
- 6 May 2023, UFC 288: unanimous decision win over Diego Lopes, now ranked second. It was a Fight of the Night.
That is four of the current top seven beaten, each by decision. The Murphy fight was a title eliminator, which is how the number one ranking turned into a championship opportunity.
What happens next: UFC 333
Evloev's next fight is the one he has waited for: a five-round featherweight title bout with Volkanovski at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 24 October 2026. The champion is 28-4, ranked second pound for pound by the UFC, and has twice beaten Lopes by decision. The co-main event is Petr Yan against Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title.
The question is simple: can Evloev take the fight to the mat and hold it there? If he can, he becomes champion with his 21st win. If Volkanovski keeps it standing, where his footwork and volume are at their best, it would be Evloev's first professional defeat.
FAQs
What is Movsar Evloev's record?
Movsar Evloev is 20-0 as of 20 October 2026. Three of his wins came by KO or TKO, four by submission and 13 by decision. His most recent win was a majority decision over Lerone Murphy in London on 21 March 2026. He is ranked number one at featherweight.
Who is Movsar Evloev fighting next?
Evloev challenges UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 333 at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Saturday 24 October 2026. It is a five-round title fight and the main event of the card. It will be his first fight for a UFC championship.
Where is Movsar Evloev from and who does he train with?
Evloev was born in Sunzha, Ingushetia, Russia, on 11 February 1994. He has trained at American Top Team since 2020 and came up through Nart Fight Club. He turned professional in 2014 and signed with the UFC in 2019 after holding the M-1 Global bantamweight title.
What is Evloev's fighting style?
Evloev is a wrestling-led fighter. He holds the rank of Master of Sports in Greco-Roman wrestling and uses single legs, bodylock trips and blast doubles to take opponents down and control them. His striking is serviceable rather than dangerous, and 13 of his 20 wins have come by decision.
How old is Movsar Evloev and how big is he?
Evloev is 32 years old. He is 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) tall with a 72.5 inch (184 cm) reach and fights at featherweight, 145 pounds. His reach is slightly longer than champion Alexander Volkanovski, who is 5 ft 6 in with a 71.5 inch reach.