UFC 333 weigh-ins: Volkanovski and Evloev on weight for Abu Dhabi title fight as Caliari misses by 4.5lb

Both title fights at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi are confirmed after Friday's official weigh-ins. Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and challenger Movsar Evloev both made the 145lb limit. Bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili weighed 135lb for their trilogy fight. The one problem on the scales came on the early prelims, where strawweight Nicolle Caliari came in 4.5lb heavy.

Main event: Volkanovski v Evloev

Volkanovski weighed 144.5lb and Evloev 145lb for Saturday's main event at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island. Volkanovski, the reigning two-time featherweight champion, puts his belt on the line against Evloev. Both men had a half-pound or less to spare, so there were no late worries in the main event.

Co-main: Yan and Dvalishvili meet for a third time

Yan and Dvalishvili both weighed 135lb, the bantamweight limit, for the co-main event. This is their third fight, and Yan goes in as the reigning two-time champion. A third meeting between two fighters who know each other well tends to be a tactical fight, and the result could shape the bantamweight division for the next year.

The rest of the main card is also set. Lone'er Kavanagh (125.5lb) meets Ramazan Temirov (126lb) at flyweight. Rizvan Kuniev (265lb) faces Alexander Volkov (256lb) at heavyweight. Aaron Pico (145.5lb) takes on Losene Keita (146lb) at featherweight; Keita came in as a replacement after Arnold Allen withdrew injured.

Caliari misses weight

Caliari weighed 120.5lb for her strawweight fight with Iasmin Lucindo, 4.5lb over the 116lb limit for a non-title fight. Lucindo weighed 115lb. Yahoo Sports reported that Caliari was fined 30 per cent of her purse. The UFC had not announced any change to the fight's status at the time of writing.

Everyone else made weight. On the prelims, Azamat Murzakanov (206lb) faces Dominick Reyes and Abdul Rakhman Yakhyaev (206lb) meets Nikita Krylov at light heavyweight. Abus Magomedov (185.5lb) fights Cam Rowston (185lb), and Grant Dawson (156lb) meets Nurullo Aliev (155lb). The early prelims also include Abubakar Vagaev v Jacob Malkoun, Bolaji Oki v Daniel Santos, Kody Steele v Noah Gugnon and Colby Thicknesse v Asaf Chopurov.

UFC 333 start times in Malaysia

The UFC lists its start times in US Eastern time, which is 12 hours behind Malaysia:

• Early prelims: 10am ET Saturday, which is 10pm Saturday 24 October in Malaysia
• Prelims: 12pm ET, which is midnight Saturday into Sunday
• Main card: 2pm ET, which is 2am Sunday 25 October in Malaysia

With five fights on the main card, Volkanovski and Evloev are likely to walk out a few hours after the main card begins. That means an early-morning finish for fans watching from Malaysia.

Key takeaways

• Volkanovski (144.5lb) and Evloev (145lb) both made weight for the featherweight title fight.
• Yan and Dvalishvili both weighed 135lb for their bantamweight title trilogy.
• Nicolle Caliari weighed 120.5lb, missing the strawweight limit by 4.5lb, and was reported to have been fined 30 per cent of her purse.
• Every other fighter on the card made weight.
• The main card starts at 2am on Sunday, Malaysia time.

FAQ

What time does UFC 333 start in Malaysia? The early prelims start at 10pm on Saturday 24 October, the prelims at midnight, and the main card at 2am on Sunday 25 October, Malaysia time.

Did anyone miss weight at UFC 333? Yes, one fighter. Nicolle Caliari weighed 120.5lb for her strawweight fight with Iasmin Lucindo, 4.5lb over the 116lb non-title limit. Yahoo Sports reported a 30 per cent purse fine.

What did Volkanovski and Evloev weigh? Volkanovski weighed 144.5lb and Evloev weighed 145lb, so both were within the featherweight limit.

Sources: UFC.com, Yahoo Sports, Wikipedia