UFC 333 brings one of the year's deepest fight cards to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, with competitive matchmaking beyond the championship fights. From established contenders to emerging prospects, very little separates fighters looking to make their marks.

The UFC has assembled arguably its most competitive card this year. Two main card fights are betting pick'ems, with two others carrying similarly narrow odds. The widest betting margin belongs to the co-main event, where bantamweight champion Petr Yan is a modest favorite against Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy fight. It's a rare case where even the biggest main card favorite isn't a sure thing.

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC 333 for no additional fee -- every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

Ahead of Saturday's deep, competitive card, take a look at three non-title fights you can't miss.

UFC 333: Movsar Evloev ready to fulfill destiny as champion after years of waiting for his chance

Shakiel Mahjouri

Aaron Pico vs. Losene Keita

The Aaron Pico project has been underway for nearly a decade. After years of spectacular knockouts and painful setbacks, the former wrestling prodigy approaches his once seemingly inevitable destination. Pico's victory over Patricio Pitbull was a long time coming. The two were linked to a fight for years under the Bellator and PFL banners, but their paths didn't cross until they reached the UFC. Pico finally closed that chapter with a statement victory. Now he must establish himself among the UFC's best. 

Pico was originally scheduled to face Arnold Allen with a direct route into the featherweight Top 10. Instead, he welcomes Keita, a former two-division OKATAGON MMA champion. Pico and Keita have 20 combined KO victories, and neither plays it safe. Keita doesn't have Allen's UFC ranking, but he's no consolation prize. Pico has spent most of his career trying to reconcile his enormous talent with occasional, catastrophic lapses. A win over another dangerous finisher implies that those growing pains are behind him. Whoever emerges victorious deserves an opportunity against a Top 10 featherweight.

Lone'er Kavanagh vs. Ramazan Temirov

The UFC's flyweight division is undergoing a changing of the guard. Kavanagh and Temirov are two of its most exciting new faces. Kavanagh stamped his arrival with a short-notice upset of former two-time champion Brandon Moreno. The victory announced him as a legitimate contender in a division increasingly populated by young, explosive fighters. But his subsequent submission loss to Brandon Royval reminded everyone the process can't be rushed. Kavanagh has time to improve, but the UFC isn't giving him much breathing room.

Temirov, 29, is a ferocious KO artist from Uzbekistan who already made an impression against established flyweights. He stopped former title challenger Steve Erceg in the first round and beat Charles Johnson, the same man who knocked out Kavanagh. There's no aging veteran for Kavanagh to make a name off this time. Temriov appears to have the sturdier chin and the more punishing power, but Kavanagh has a more varied offensive arsenal. This could end violently early or produce a terrific three-round fight. For years, flyweight struggled to receive the appreciation it deserves. Now champion Joshua Van, top contender Manel Kape and a crop of emerging talents give the division a new identity. 

Alexander Volkov vs. Rizvan Kuniev

Volkov has been a top UFC heavyweight for years. His length, precision and composure have kept him near the top of the division, but it hasn't earned him a championship opportunity. The towering Russian has a strong argument that he deserved a title shot ahead of both reigning champion Ciryl Gane and challenger Josh Hokit, who headline UFC 334 on Nov. 14. Unforunately for Volkov, being a consistently excellent heavyweight hasn't been enough. He hasn't finished an opponent in three years, and his personality hasn't won fans over. Volkov, who stopped three opponents between 2022 and 2023, needs to remind people how dangerous he can be.

Kuniev is hardly a pushover. The Russian heavyweight has broken into the UFC rankings in short order and has the opportunity to leapfrog an established contender. A convincing win over Volkov immediately makes him relevant to the championship conversation. The heavyweight division is entering an important stretch. Gane and Hokit meet at UFC 334, with Alex Pereira and Sergei Pavlovich colliding at UFC 335. Volkov and Kuniev get the first chance to make their case at UFC 333. With so many contenders competing in consecutive numbered events, a statement win matters more than ever.