Alexander Volkov earned a unanimous decision victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta with scorecards of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28 at UFC 328. The New Jersey crowd booed the decision, apparently favoring Acosta's aggressive callouts to fight in the center. One observer scored the first two rounds for Volkov but noted the victory was less dominant than Volkov's win over Sergey Pavlovich two years earlier. During his octagon interview, Volkov carried the Russian flag and stated it was an honor to fight on May 9th. He called for a title shot against Tom Aspinall, Ciryl Gane, or Alex Pereira.
Alexander Volkov extended his case for a heavyweight title shot on May 9th at UFC 328, defeating Waldo Cortes-Acosta by unanimous decision with scorecards of 30-27, 29-28, and 29-28.
Volkov, nicknamed "Drago," enters the win at 40-11-0, cementing his status as the number-one ranked heavyweight contender. The 37-year-old Russian, who stands six-foot-seven with an 80-inch reach, is a technically precise striker who lands 4.78 significant strikes per minute at a 57 percent accuracy rate. The victory was workmanlike rather than spectacular — one observer scored the first two rounds for Volkov but acknowledged the performance fell short of the dominance he showed against Sergey Pavlovich two years earlier. The New Jersey crowd made their displeasure clear with loud booing, apparently won over by Cortes-Acosta's pressure and willingness to force action in the center of the octagon. Following the decision, Volkov carried the Russian flag into his octagon interview, noting it was an honor to compete on May 9th, and called out three men: heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, second-ranked Ciryl Gane, and Alex Pereira.
Aspinall, the reigning heavyweight champion from England, carries a 15-3-0 record and ranks sixth pound-for-pound. The 33-year-old is one of the most complete heavyweights in UFC history, landing 7.63 significant strikes per minute at 67 percent accuracy while averaging 2.62 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Gane, ranked second at heavyweight, comes in at 14-2-0. The 36-year-old Frenchman is a fluid, high-volume striker, landing 5.29 significant strikes per minute at 61 percent accuracy and boasting the longest reach in the division at 81 inches.
Why it matters
- Volkov's number-one ranking makes his title shot argument difficult to ignore after a third consecutive win
- A potential Volkov versus Aspinall matchup would pit the division's two biggest strikers against each other, with Aspinall holding a significant edge in output and accuracy
- Gane, ranked directly below Volkov, could also emerge as the next challenger, setting up a potential collision course between all three men
Saturday, May 9, 2026
