Alexander Volkov spoke about Victory Day (May 9), expressing that while he celebrates the victory and is grateful to veterans, he views the day more with sorrow than joy due to the tragic circumstances that necessitated the war. He told his children that such situations should never be allowed in the world, emphasizing a peaceful mindset of "if only there were no war," values he inherited from the Soviet Union era. When asked to describe Moscow in three words five years after calling it "dirt, traffic, construction," Volkov changed his assessment dramatically. After visiting last summer, he praised the city's cleanliness and told his New Jersey teammates that Moscow is the best city in the world for living, beauty, and overall quality. He acknowledged that while weather-related slush remains, the city has improved significantly.
Alexander Volkov, the number-one ranked heavyweight contender in the UFC, sat down for a wide-ranging interview published on Victory Day, May 9, 2026, reflecting on the significance of the holiday and offering a dramatically revised take on life in Moscow.
Volkov, known as "Drago," spoke candidly about how he approaches May 9 with his family. While he holds deep gratitude toward veterans and acknowledges the importance of commemorating their sacrifice, he said he feels more sorrow than celebration when thinking about the conditions that made the war necessary in the first place. He told his children that such circumstances should never be permitted to exist in the world, passing along a value system rooted in the Soviet-era philosophy he grew up with — one defined simply by the hope that war never comes.
The 37-year-old Russian, who stands six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, also revisited a five-year-old comment in which he had described Moscow in three blunt words: dirt, traffic, construction. After returning to the city last summer, his view has shifted entirely. He told his teammates at his New Jersey training base that Moscow is now the best city in the world when it comes to cleanliness, beauty, and overall quality of life. He conceded that wet, slushy weather remains a constant, but said the city's improvement has been significant.
Why it matters
- Volkov sits at number one in the UFC heavyweight division, making any public window into his life and mindset of interest to fans tracking the title picture
- His New Jersey-based training environment with Strela Team places him firmly in the international fighter community
- At 37, with a 40-11-0 record and a striking accuracy of 57 percent and 4.78 significant strikes landed per minute, he remains one of the most accomplished heavyweights in the sport
