Movsar Evloev nearing deal for high-stakes clash with former UFC champion in August 2024
Movsar Evloev claims he is on the verge of a big fight later in 2024. Still, in pursuit of his first UFC title fight, the undefeated featherweight is eyeing August as a return date and said he has already agreed to face another big-name opponent.
In a video released on May 6, Evloev joined former fighter Aslanbek Badaev on the Badaev Podcast. In the episode, the 18-0 contender claimed he asks the UFC for a fight daily and has already agreed to fight Aljamain Sterling in August.
Per Evloev, the UFC allegedly wants the fight to happen and the ball is now in Sterling's court.
Sterling had a nine-fight win streak snapped at UFC 288 but successfully made his featherweight debut on UFC 300, dominating Calvin Kattar in a three-round unanimous decision.
After beating Arnold Allen at UFC 297, Evloev initially campaigned to be Ilia Topuria's first title defense once 'El Matador' won the belt the following month. The two were once booked to fight each other in 2022 but Evloev was forced to withdraw with a positive COVID-19 test.
Topuria rejected the idea of fighting Evloev in his first title defense and Dana White publicly criticized the Russian's fight with Allen, causing the 30-year-old to turn his attention elsewhere.
Watch the full video from Aslanbek Badaev's YouTube channel below:
Who has Movsar Evloev beaten in the UFC?
Since his UFC debut in 2019, Movsar Evloev has been an unstoppable force, improving his undefeated record to 18-0. As the former M-1 Global featherweight champion, Evloev put himself on the verge of UFC gold with a convincing win over Arnold Allen at UFC 297.
Evloev debuted in the UFC as a 10-0 prospect in his home country, beating Seung Woo Choi by decision to enter the promotion. Within the next year, Evloev beat veterans Enrique Barzola, Mike Grundy, Nik Lentz, and Hakeem Dawodu to enter the 145-pound rankings.
Since becoming a ranked contender, Evloev has continued his undefeated streak, picking up wins over Dan Ige and Diego Lopes before facing Allen in January.
Now 8-0 in the UFC, Evloev has had compelling fights but has often been dominant for the duration of his career. However, fans often recall his fight with Lopes at UFC 288 as one of his most memorable performances.
Lopes briefly pushed for a rematch after knocking out Sodiq Yusuff at UFC 300 but Evloev only appears interested in getting closer to the title.