Las Vegas — Improving to 19-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310, Movsar Evloev is almost certainly on the short list of potential title challengers in the UFC’s featherweight division.
Russia’s Evloev, who had been circling a fight with Sterling for some time, believes he deserves a shot at gold now. Yet as he explained to media outlets including Cageside Press following Saturday’s win over ex-champ Aljo, he doesn’t plan to sit around and wait.
“Finally he’s [Sterling] on my list, so let’s step forward. I think I’m deserving for a title shot,” stated Evloev. “If not, just give me another fight. I’m not going to wait for another year to fight again. Just two months, maybe, I’m ready for a fight.”
Ilia Topuria, a man Evloev was once booked to fight (that was in 2022, Evloev was forced out of the bout), now holds gold at featherweight. Like Evloev, he remains undefeated.
“I think he’s a great fighter. I think everybody thinks like that,” Evloev said, asked about the champ, who is coming off wins over Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. “He just dropped a couple of legends. He’s strong, and his wrestling is good, striking is amazing. But like I said, I’m the only one right now in the featherweight division who can stop him. So I have enough power and will to stop this guy. And nothing except respect for this guy. All I need from him is his title.”
Topuria has hinted that he could move to lightweight at some point. “Before he leaves featherweight, let’s fight with me,” Evloev implored.
Ahead of Evloev, however, is likely Volkanovski, circling a rematch with Topuria. And perhaps even Diego Lopes. Evloev, though, questioned whether Lopes truly wants that fight.
“I don’t know about Volkanovski, because he’s a big legend, maybe he deserves to fight for the title again. To try to [reclaim] his title,” Evloev told Cageside Press on Saturday. “I’m not sure about Diego Lopes, this kid is good, he did a great job for the last couple fights, especially after losing to me. But I don’t think he’s looking for a fight against Ilia or me, or fighters like us. He needs something easier. That’s why he’s not rushing back.”
Evloev claims he offered to fight Lopes after defeating Sterling, but Diegos had declined.
Watch the full UFC 310 post-fight press conference with Movsar Evloev above.
