Who is Asaf Chopurov? Unbeaten UAE Warriors champion makes UFC debut at UFC 333

Asaf Chopurov makes his UFC debut at UFC 333 at Etihad Arena on Saturday 24 October, facing Australia's Colby Thicknesse at bantamweight. The 24-year-old arrives unbeaten at 11-0, with 10 of those wins by finish, MMA Sucka reported when the UFC signed him in September.

Chopurov was born and raised in Volgograd and is ethnically Azerbaijani. AgentMMA reported on 9 September that he will compete under the Russian flag in the UFC, while hoping to carry the Azerbaijani flag alongside it where possible. He fights as "Honey Badger" and trains with Petr Yan, who defends the bantamweight title in the co-main event of the same card.

Fans in the UAE have already seen him rise. Chopurov built his name at UAE Warriors, winning the vacant bantamweight title in October 2025 when Demarte Pena could not continue after the third round. He has since defended it twice with first-round finishes, against Adriano Ramos and then Reece McLaren at UAE Warriors 72 in July, and before turning professional he went 34-1 as an amateur.

Thicknesse is a serious first test. He is 9-1 overall and 2-1 in the UFC, a former HEX Fight Series champion and a training partner of featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski. His only loss came on his UFC debut against Aleksandre Topuria, and he has since beaten Josias Musasa and Vince Morales by unanimous decision.

This is Thicknesse's first UFC fight outside Australia, and FightMag lists the bout on the early prelims. With Yan and Volkanovski both fighting later in the night, each of their camps has a man on the undercard too.

UFC 333: Volkanovski vs EvloevSat 24 Oct · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi See tickets

Source: MMA Sucka, AgentMMA, Heavy, FightMag: UFC 333 schedule