UFC 333 Weigh-Ins: Title Fights Set, Prelim Fighter Misses by Five Pounds

The UFC 333 championship bouts are officially locked in for Abu Dhabi, but we need to talk about the prelim fighter who just stepped on the scale nearly five pounds overweight.

Missing by half a pound is a bad morning in the sauna. Missing by five pounds means you were actively eating a meatball sub in the elevator on the way to the weigh-in. That is not a rounding error. That is a completely different weight class, and it is objectively hilarious that the promotion just takes a slice of your purse and tells you to fight anyway.

"Petr Yan promised to break Merab Dvalishvili's nose again."

Fortunately, the guys at the top of the marquee actually did their jobs. Alexander Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev both hit their marks, making their featherweight championship main event official.

This is a fascinating stylistic nightmare for the champion. Volkanovski is 38 years old now, defending his belt against an undefeated 20-0 challenger. Evloev has a six-year youth advantage, a noticeable size edge, and a smothering wrestling style that plays perfectly in front of the Abu Dhabi crowd.

The oddsmakers have this as a dead heat with both guys sitting at -108. Evloev has won all 10 of his UFC fights by decision, meaning bettors are essentially wagering on whether Volkanovski can stay off his back or if we are getting 25 uninterrupted minutes of aggressive hugging.

The rest of the card brings its own brand of chaos. Petr Yan is out here promising to break Merab Dvalishvili's nose in their trilogy fight, while Grant Dawson and Nurullo Aliev are gearing up for a lightweight bout that will strictly appeal to grappling sickos.

The main card kicks off early Saturday morning. Volkanovski has to prove he can still fend off Father Time, while our five-pound overweight prelim fighter gets to step into the octagon knowing he already funded his opponent's post-fight vacation.