Alexander
Volkov
does not deviate from the original plan.
The former
Bellator
MMA and
M-1 Global
titleholder will look to improve his standing in the
Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division when he
faces
Tai Tuivasa
in the
UFC 293 co-headliner on Saturday at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
Still just 34 years old, Volkov owns a 10-4 record inside the
Octagon and remains a fixture in the Top 10.
“I will not back down from the desire to win the title,” he told
Sherdog.com. “I had to take a few steps back, but it made me
stronger. I understand my place in the rankings and I see a lot of
strong and talented guys on the UFC roster, but it’s too early to
write me off.”
In Tuivasa, Volkov encounters an opponent in desperate need of a
victory. The 30-year-old Australian enters the cage on the heels of
back-to-back defeats. Tuivasa last appeared at UFC on ESPN 42,
where he was victimized by
Sergei
Pavlovich in a 54-second knockout loss on Dec. 3. Volkov finds
the matchup favorable.
“Tuivasa is dangerous with his heavy punches,” he said. “He is also
strong mentally and has fun in his fights, but a good right hand is
all he has against me. I have a lot more techniques in my arsenal.
My physical condition is much better. The fighters I trained with
literally smushed him in the very first round, so I certainly feel
my advantage in this fight.”
Volkov has shifted his base of operations to Las Vegas, where he
now trains with
Marcelo
Nunes and
Ronny
Markes. Longtime coaches Taras Kiyashko and
Mikhail
Zayats have joined him there. Volkov also spent time at the UFC
Performance Institute.
“Before signing [for] this fight, I started training with a team
where there were enough sparring partners with exactly the same
style as Tuivasa,” he said. “I’m pretty well prepared for Tai’s
style in this fight. We were able to prepare a good strategy. In
all respects, the camp was just perfect.”
The 6-foot-7 Volkov has some momentum on his side, with wins in
five of his past seven bouts. He last competed on March 11, when he
put away
Alexander
Romanov with punches in the first round of their UFC Fight
Night 221 pairing. After 46 professional appearances, Volkov still
sees room for growth.
“I really love this sport, and I’m always looking for an
opportunity to become better,” he said. “Certainly, my path to the
title is not so easy, but every drop of sweat and blood spilled in
the Octagon is all the more valuable to me.”