Vallejos Roots for Volkanovski at UFC 333 to Chase the Title

Kevin Vallejos is cheering for Alexander Volkanovski on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. The featherweight contender told MMA Fighting he wants "The Great" to keep the title against unbeaten Movsar Evloev, because he plans to be the one who takes it in 2027.

Vallejos has won four in a row in the UFC. That run earned him a co-main event spot at UFC Qatar on Nov. 21 against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.

"I would like Volkanovski to win," Vallejos said. "I would like that because if I knock Sterling out, I would like to fight Volkanovski. I would like to take the title away from Volkanovski."

Who he picks

Volkanovski arrives at UFC 333 after back-to-back wins over Diego Lopes. Evloev beat Lopes in 2023 and has 10 UFC victories, the latest being decisions over Arnold Allen, Aljamain Sterling and Lerone Murphy. His record is 20-0.

Vallejos gives Evloev credit. "He has everything he needs to win," he said, and expects the challenger to make things "very difficult" for Volkanovski. Still, he sees the champion winning, since a man who dominated the division for a long time has more weight behind him. Vallejos pointed to Volkanovski's fights against bigger opponents such as Islam Makhachev: if Evloev tries to take him down, he said, Volkanovski will know how to defend or get back to his feet.

The line for a title shot

Vallejos has lost once in 19 professional MMA fights, a three-round war with Jean Silva on Dana White's Contender Series in 2023. Silva, now on a 7-1 run in the UFC, is also chasing a title shot. His latest result was a third-round submission of Jose Miguel Delgado, who replaced Yair Rodriguez on short notice.

"It is a very difficult division," Vallejos said. He believes a strong win over a former champion like Sterling would earn him a title opportunity, or at least place him in the conversation as the next contender. Even a decision would do, he said, if it showed his takedown defense and his ability to go three rounds with a man used to five-round fights.

Source: MMA Fighting