Movsar Evloev strengthened his case for a UFC featherweight title shot on Saturday night, earning a hard-fought majority decision over Lerone Murphy in the main event at UFC London inside the O2 Arena.
The unbeaten Russian (20-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) extended his unbeaten Octagon record in a closely contested five-round battle that many observers viewed as a de facto No. 1 contender matchup. Despite the victory, questions remain about Evloev’s finishing ability, as he has yet to secure a stoppage win in his UFC career, a historically unusual milestone for a fighter with such a lengthy undefeated run inside the promotion.
Known for his elite wrestling, Evloev took an unexpected approach early in the fight. He opted to stand and trade with Murphy across the opening three rounds before leaning more heavily on his grappling in the championship rounds, where he completed nine of ten takedown attempts to seal the decision.
The strategic shift drew attention from fans and analysts alike, with some suggesting Evloev may have been attempting to address criticism of his fighting style or demonstrate a more well-rounded skill set to UFC matchmakers.
Featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski (28-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) weighed in on Evloev’s performance during the UFC London post-show, questioning the challenger’s reluctance to immediately utilize his wrestling advantage.
“One thing I will touch on as well is…I don't know…I felt like he didn't want to push the wrestling,” Volkanovski said. “He wanted to stand up and maybe prove himself on the feet. I don't know if that was to prove it to himself and to everyone that he can stand, or whether he maybe felt forced.”
While Volkanovski acknowledged Evloev’s skill set, he made it clear that he expects a complete effort if the two meet for the title.
“I don't want any excuses when we fight,” Volkanovski added. “I want him to try everything he can. I want him to try and take me down because I won't let it happen and he'll be forced to fight on the feet because of my takedown defense.”
The reigning champion also dismissed any notion that Evloev might hold back in a potential title bout.
“I don't want him, when I do get my hand raised, to be like, ‘oh, you know, I was trying to impress the fans,’” Volkanovski said. “I don't want none of that. Don't worry, they will be impressed because no one's holding me down and we'll be standing on the feet.”
