Movsar Evloev: “A win at UFC 297 could lead to a shot at the featherweight title”

Movsar Evloev believes that securing a finish at his upcoming fight could put him in a strong position to compete for the UFC featherweight title.

With current top contender Max Holloway moving up to the lightweight division for a UFC 300 bout against Justin Gaethje, Evloev sees his fight against Arnold Allen at UFC 297 as a possible stepping stone to a title fight against the winner of Alexander Volkanovski vs. Ilya Topuria.

Expressing his excitement during a pre-fight press conference, Evloev stated, “I’m very excited because this fight gives me a big chance to be the next title contender. …It depends on how I finish him off, but yeah, I think I’m next.”

While acknowledging Holloway’s stature in the division, Evloev also shared his desire to potentially face him in the future, expressing, “Of course, my big dream is to fight him. I hope he comes back from lightweight to featherweight. He’s not that big and the cut isn’t that difficult, so we’ll see.”

Looking ahead to the championship match, Evloev expressed his anticipation for Volkanovski to retain the title at UFC 298 but also acknowledged Topuria as a formidable opponent, saying, “Maybe it would be better for me if (Ilya) won. We have history. This fight has meaning. … Both are tough, but my favorite is still the champion.”

For further details on the event, visit MMA Junkie’s UFC 297 event hub.