Alexander Volkov turns 38 on fight night against Kuniev at UFC 333
The Russian heavyweight is unbeaten since the disputed Gane decision, and a win in Abu Dhabi could put him next in line for the title.
Alexander Volkov celebrates his 38th birthday on the night he fights Rizvan Kuniev at UFC 333, CBS Sports noted in its storylines piece on 20 October. The bout is part of the main card at Etihad Arena on Saturday 24 October, and Volkov goes in as a slight betting favourite over his countryman.
Volkov has not lost since a disputed split decision against Ciryl Gane in December 2024. He has since won decisions over Jailton Almeida and Waldo Cortes-Acosta, and CBS Sports reports that Dana White promised to make up for the Gane result. Gane is now set to defend the heavyweight title against Franciscus Hokit, and CBS Sports says a win over Kuniev could make Volkov a strong contender for the winner.
His numbers back up that case. According to MMA Junkie, Volkov is the 10th fighter in UFC history to reach 20 or more appearances, and his 1,250 significant strikes at heavyweight are second in division history behind Andrei Arlovski. He is also one of only five fighters to win by Ezekiel choke in the UFC, which he did at UFC 293.
Kuniev, 34, is 2-1 in the UFC. UFC.com notes that he lost a split decision to Curtis Blaydes, then beat Jailton Almeida and Tyrell Fortune, with the Fortune fight earning Fight of the Night. Volkov, by the same count, has won six of his last seven.
The heavyweight bout sits on a main card led by Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev and Petr Yan against Merab Dvalishvili. The main card is due to start around 10pm UAE time.
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs EvloevSat 24 Oct · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: CBS Sports, MMA Junkie via Yahoo Sports, UFC.com
