A Familiar Ring for Alexander Volkov

A late-career surge has once again positioned Alexander Volkov to wreck shop within the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division.

The former Bellator MMA champion will put his four-fight winning streak on the line against Ciryl Gane when their rematch fills a supporting role on the UFC 310 main card this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. As he approaches his late 30s, Volkov understands the benefits associated with making a living in a weight class where Father Time often seems a little less harsh to aging fighters.

“I’m 36 years old now,” Volkov told Sherdog.com. “I’m not young, but maybe I’m still young for a heavyweight.”

Gane took a five-round unanimous decision from the 6-foot-7 Russian in their first encounter at UFC Fight Night 190 in June 2021. He has compiled a 3-2 record across his five outings since, victories over Derrick Lewis, Tai Tuivasa and Serghei Spivac offset by defeats to Francis Ngannou and Jon Jones.

“He has good movement, footwork and striking,” Volkov said. “He’s a technical fighter. The challenge of our sport is how we improve. I like this challenge. We already fought five rounds. This will be rounds six, seven and eight. We will continue our story.”

Volkov undertook his pre-fight work in Las Vegas, where he split time at the Porrada Training Center and the UFC Performance Institute. Trusted coaches Marcelo Nunes, Ronny Markes, Taras Kiyashko, Mikhail Zayats, Vladimir Turchenko, Ray Sefo and Gavin Pratt were charged with overseeing his camp.

“This is the same place and team as in my last few fights,” Volkov said. “It’s a pretty new team with a lot of heavyweights. A lot of other heavyweights joined us in Nevada for their own training camps. We tried to find some guys with a style like my opponent—kickboxers with good footwork who can fight as southpaws. I feel that my physical shape is much improved. It’s important to be very mindful of one’s physical condition after age 35.”

While Volkov always keeps an eye on the future and an elusive shot at the UFC heavyweight title, he prefers to focus on the obstacle in his immediate line of sight.

“It’s hard to say what’s next,” he said. “A lot of it depends on timing, on what the UFC can offer. I don’t wish to be without a fight. Time is limited in one’s career. I’d like to continue fighting two or three times a year. The smart thing is to concentrate on Gane, who’s in front of me right now.”