UFC 333 is set to bring a pair of championship bouts to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday, October 24. The headline attraction is a five-round featherweight title fight between champion Alexander Volkanovski and undefeated challenger Movsar Evloev, while bantamweight champion Petr Yan is scheduled to meet Merab Dvalishvili in the co-main event.
For viewers in the United States, the event’s unusually early timetable is the first detail to circle. Early prelims are scheduled for 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT, prelims for 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT, and the five-fight main card for 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT. Abu Dhabi’s location changes the rhythm of the usual fight-night routine: this is an afternoon main card on the East Coast rather than a late-night event.
The card is listed as streaming live on Paramount+ without an added pay-per-view charge. That distinction matters. A pay-per-view, often abbreviated PPV, normally requires a separate purchase on top of any existing subscription. Here, the stated arrangement is that access to the streaming service is the requirement for the event, not an additional UFC 333 checkout.
For a compact listing of the start times, streaming arrangement and matchups, see this UFC 333 event guide.
For more context, explore Dionne Warwick’s Hip-Hop Sample Map Runs From Slick Rick to Doja Cat.
Volkanovski vs. Evloev: a champion’s striking against an unbeaten challenger
Volkanovski enters the planned main event with a 28-4-0 record and the featherweight championship. Evloev arrives at 20-0-0, placing an unbeaten record opposite the champion’s title experience. The available matchup outlook has Volkanovski as a narrow favorite, crediting his striking and power, with Evloev cast as the underdog whose wrestling background and grappling could make the contest difficult.
Those descriptions point to a familiar but meaningful tactical tension. Striking refers to offense delivered while standing, including punches and other permitted blows. A fighter who can land cleanly, maintain range and dictate the pace in open space can shape where much of a round unfolds. Grappling covers the physical battle for control: clinches, takedowns, positional exchanges and attempts to hold a rival in a disadvantaged position. Wrestling is especially relevant when a challenger wants to turn a striking contest into a fight against the fence or on the mat.
That does not mean a stylistic label settles a championship fight before it starts. “Slight favorite” signals a close expectation rather than certainty, and an undefeated record is not itself a forecast of how every exchange will play out. The useful viewing question is simpler: can Volkanovski keep the action in the kind of standing exchanges that favor his listed strengths, or can Evloev regularly create the grappling sequences described as his path to an upset?
The title format raises the stakes of that question. A five-round fight gives both men more time to make adjustments than the usual three-round contest. It also makes round-to-round momentum more important. If one fighter establishes control early, the other has multiple rounds in which to change the terms of engagement; equally, a close fight can remain unsettled deep into the evening.
The co-main event has another belt on the line
Yan is listed as bantamweight champion for his meeting with Dvalishvili. As the second title fight on the main card, it gives UFC 333 a championship doubleheader rather than a card built around a single belt defense.
For casual viewers, the placement is worth noting. “Co-main event” means the bout directly before the headliner. It is still one of the event’s featured contests, but the featherweight championship match between Volkanovski and Evloev is scheduled to close the show.
The remaining main-card bouts span flyweight, heavyweight and featherweight. Lone’er Kavanagh faces Ramazan Temirov at flyweight; Alexander Volkov meets Rizvan Kuniev at heavyweight; and Aaron Pico is scheduled to fight Losene Keita at featherweight. Those contests give the main card a broad range of divisions, from the lighter flyweight category through heavyweight.
How the card is scheduled to unfold
The event is divided into three portions: early prelims, prelims and the main card. The labels identify their place on the broadcast schedule, not a difference in official importance to the fighters. Practically, they give viewers a clear choice: tune in at the first bell for the complete slate, arrive at noon ET for the prelim block, or join at 2 p.m. ET when the two title fights and the rest of the main card begin.
Early prelims — 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
- Bantamweight: Colby Thicknesse vs. Asaf Chopurov
- Middleweight: Abubakar Vagaev vs. Jacob Malkoun
- Featherweight: Bolaji Oki vs. Daniel Santos
- Lightweight: Kody Steele vs. Noah Gugnon
- Women’s strawweight: Iasmin Lucindo vs. Nicole Caliari
Prelims — 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT
- Light heavyweight: Azamat Murzakanov vs. Dominick Reyes
- Light heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev
- Middleweight: Abusupiyan Magomedov vs. Cameron Rowston
- Lightweight: Grant Dawson vs. Nurullo Aliev
Main card — 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT
- Featherweight title fight: Alexander Volkanovski (champion) vs. Movsar Evloev
- Bantamweight title fight: Petr Yan (champion) vs. Merab Dvalishvili
- Flyweight: Lone’er Kavanagh vs. Ramazan Temirov
- Heavyweight: Alexander Volkov vs. Rizvan Kuniev
- Featherweight: Aaron Pico vs. Losene Keita
Streaming details and what “included” means
UFC 333 is listed as available through Paramount+, with plans starting at $8.99 per month for the Essential tier. The supplied details say the numbered event and UFC fight nights are accessible through the service, and that UFC 333 does not carry a separate PPV fee.
A second route mentioned for eligible new users is a Walmart+ promotional trial priced at $1 for 30 days, with Paramount+ described as a membership perk. Terms, eligibility, trial status and renewal arrangements can change, so anyone considering that option should read the current checkout details before enrolling rather than assuming every account qualifies.
DirecTV’s Premier package is also described as including Paramount+ access. Its listed pricing is $139.99 for the first month, rising to $169.99 per month afterward, with a five-day trial noted. That is a much broader—and much more expensive—television package than subscribing solely for the fight card. For someone who only wants UFC 333, the central practical point remains that the event is stated to be included with Paramount+ rather than sold as an extra PPV.
What to keep in mind before the opening bout
The schedule makes this a day-long card for viewers following from the early prelims through the headliner. With five early-prelim fights, four prelim contests and five main-card bouts listed, the full lineup contains 14 fights. As always in combat sports, bout order and participation can change, but this is the announced structure supplied for the event.
The top of the bill provides the clearest narrative: Volkanovski’s title defense and striking reputation against Evloev’s unbeaten record and wrestling-based threat. The Yan-Dvalishvili bantamweight title fight ensures the card has another championship consequence immediately before it. Between them sits a full schedule of contests across six weight classes, giving the Abu Dhabi show more to offer than a single main-event matchup.
