Movsar Evloev’s undefeated run inside the Octagon continued in dominant fashion last weekend, but questions remain about whether it will be enough to secure a long-awaited featherweight title shot.
At UFC London on Saturday, Evloev (20-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) extended his winning streak with a majority decision victory over Lerone Murphy (17-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) in a bout widely viewed as a No. 1 contender matchup at 145 pounds. Despite the milestone win, Evloev’s lack of a stoppage victory across ten Octagon appearances continues to cast doubt on his standing with UFC brass.
With reigning champion Alexander Volkanovski awaiting his next challenger, the division’s title picture appears anything but settled.
Adding intrigue to the situation, rising contender Jean Silva (17-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) was in attendance cageside in London. Silva, a fan favorite with growing momentum, has been rumored as a potential challenger who could leapfrog Evloev in the title race.
Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo weighed in on the situation during this week’s episode of his Pound4Pound podcast alongside Kamaru Usman. Cejudo compared Evloev’s current predicament to that of Merab Dvalishvili, who secured his own title opportunity after defeating Cejudo at UFC 298 in 2024.
“I don't feel like Dana White is convinced that he's going to give this guy the title shot,” Cejudo said. “Because if not, he would have been like, ‘Evloev is next. He's got it.’ It was like this. You know how when Dana White didn't like Merab for a minute, and then Merab f**king put it on me? And what he said after the fight. He said, 'Merab's got the next title shot. I cannot deny this kid no more.’ Like, f**k. When you don't get that answer from Dana White, it makes it a lot more difficult.”
Cejudo also pointed to Silva’s presence in London as a possible sign of the UFC’s intentions.
“The only reason why I do say that, too, is because they flew out Jean Silva,” Cejudo added. “According to Jean Silva, according to him, that Hunter Campbell flew him out. When he brought the contract, gave it to Dana White, said, 'Hey, Dana White, sign this.'”
With no official announcement from UFC president Dana White, the featherweight title picture remains uncertain. While Evloev’s unbeaten streak is difficult to ignore, the promotion’s hesitation suggest the next title challenger is far from decided.
