RESULTS Volkov beats Kuniev at UFC 333, again asks Dana White for a heavyweight title shot

Alexander Volkov beat fellow Russian heavyweight Rizvan Kuniev by unanimous decision at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, celebrating his birthday with the win. Both men threw heavy shots early, but Volkov used his reach and distance management to take control, and he was hunting a rear-naked choke in the closing seconds. The judges' scores included 30-27 and 29-28.

Volkov wasted no time returning to his campaign for a title shot. Earlier in fight week he sat in the media section at the pre-fight press conference and put the question to Dana White directly, and after the win he again asked the UFC what it takes to get a shot at the belt.

Going into the fight, Volkov had questioned the meaning of the heavyweight title held by Ciryl Gane, who defends against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on Nov. 14. Volkov signed a new multi-fight UFC deal before the bout and, according to Bloody Elbow, has won seven fights since Tom Aspinall submitted him in March 2022, with the only loss in that run his rematch defeat to Gane.