Movsar Evloev: Only one guy can dethrone UFC champ Alexander Volkanovski, and it's me

MORRISTOWN, N.J. – Movsar Evloev thinks he’s the one to dethrone UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

Nobody’s had an answer for Volkanovski (25-2 MMA, 12-1 UFC) at 145 pounds, but undefeated Evloev (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) is confident that he does. Evloev picked Volkanovski to beat interim champ Yair Rodriguez on July 8 at UFC 290 and hopes he can get his shot at the belt in 2024.

“Only one guy can beat Alex: (He’s) in front of you,” Evloev said Wednesday during UFC 288 media day. “Please let me go to this fight maybe next year, and I will show you. I will be better in everything, it doesn’t matter. Wrestling, striking, conditioning.”

Evloev’s path to the title continues when he faces newcomer Diego Lopes (21-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) on Saturday’s main card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN/ESPN+.

Evloev was originally scheduled to face Bryce Mitchell before he withdrew due to injury earlier this week. Despite seeing multiple fights with Mitchell fall through, Evloev is still open to fighting him in the future.

“I think a fight with Bryce is a better opportunity, but I don’t care,” Evloev said. “A fight is a fight and after this fight, I have somebody who I will call. Even if they organize once again a fight with Bryce, it can be good because many people from top 15 are recovering and many people already have fights, and not too many options.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.