UFC 333 Bonus Winners: Volkanovski and Yan Earn Top Payouts in Abu Dhabi

Key points

• Alexander Volkanovski won Performance of the Night after knocking out Movsar Evloev in the second round to defend the featherweight title at age 38.
• Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili shared the Fight of the Night bonus following their bantamweight trilogy, which ended in a unanimous decision for Yan.
• Lone’er Kavanagh earned a Performance of the Night award for a first-round knockout victory over Ramazan Temirov at flyweight.
• Aaron Pico, Dominick Reyes, Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev, Abus Magomedov, and Kody Steele each received a $25,000 finish bonus for their respective wins.
• The event took place at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with all main card fighters making weight.

Background

UFC 333 featured two championship bouts at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 24, 2026. The event streamed exclusively on Paramount+, with preliminary rounds starting at 10 a.m. ET and the main card at 2 p.m. ET. Prior to the event, preliminary fighter Nicolle Caliari missed the strawweight limit by 4.5 pounds, resulting in a catchweight bout and a purse penalty, but both title fights proceeded as scheduled after weigh-ins.

Why it matters

The bonus distribution highlights the competitive depth of the UFC roster, with Volkanovski proving his status as a top fighter at 38 and Kavanagh establishing himself as a flyweight title contender. The trilogy between Yan and Dvalishvili concluded with a hard-fought decision, underscoring the high level of competition in the bantamweight division. The finish bonuses for fighters like Pico and Reyes indicate their potential to challenge for titles in the near future.

What to watch

The UFC will likely schedule follow-up bouts for the bonus winners, particularly for Kavanagh and Pico, who have positioned themselves as title contenders. Volkanovski may face a new challenger in the featherweight division, while Yan will look to defend his bantamweight title against another top contender. The organization will also monitor the progress of fighters who earned finish bonuses to determine their next matchups.