Undefeated featherweight contender Movsar Evloev is dismissing criticism of his wrestling-heavy style as he prepares to face Lerone Murphy in the UFC London main event this Saturday.
Evloev (19-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) has built a perfect record inside the Octagon, but his lack of finishes has drawn scrutiny from fans who question whether his approach could slow his rise in the title picture.
Speaking to Full Send MMA on Wednesday, Evloev addressed those concerns head-on, expressing frustration with what he sees as a misunderstanding of mixed martial arts.
“To be honest, I don't like big attention. And the fighting is always big attention,” Evloev said. “And you have haters for no reason. Even if you win all your fights, some people are crazy (some fans of MMA are crazy) and most of them don’t even know what actually MMA means.”
Evloev defended wrestling as a core pillar of the sport, pushing back on the idea that fighters should prioritize striking to entertain audiences.
“When MMA was becoming popular, boxing was the only thing people watched,” he said. “Then jiu-jitsu and everything came along. But now they’re trying to do MMA without wrestling. They’re trying to push fighters with a wrestling base not to use it, something they’ve been preparing for their whole life, and say, ‘Okay, just get up and fight.’”
The Russian standout made it clear he has no intention of changing his approach to satisfy critics.
“I’m a wrestler,” Evloev said. “Tell your guy to get up if he can.”
While his grinding, control-based style hasn’t produced many highlight-reel moments, it has consistently delivered results. Against Murphy, Evloev will look to extend his unbeaten streak and strengthen his case as a legitimate featherweight title contender.
