Alexander Volkov dominated the main event against Alistair Overeem on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The mammoth Russian has impressed in the UFC, so what is next for Alexander “Drago” Volkov?

Walkout to Walkoff

From the moment Drago starts his walkout, there is a chilly feeling in the air. My keyboard doesn’t have the keys to spell the title, but I LOVE the song. The group is called 25/17, and despite not understanding a single word, it makes me want to fight-unless Volkov is on the other side. He is a problem for anyone in the division. Saturday night was the best version of Volkov we have seen, outclassing one of the most polished strikers in the history of heavyweight MMA. There was a moment the fight result felt inevitable, when Overeem landed a clean left and Volkov kept walking forward. Ultimately, Volkov‘s hands just proved too powerful and precise, and he left the octagon a gracious winner. Most impressive of all may have been his post-fight interview, conducted entirely in English. This guy is a stud.

What Does He Do Well?

Drago is a precision striker, plain and simple. He lacks the single punch knockout power of other heavyweights, but he packs plenty enough to close the show. Volkov is a towering 6’7, and possesses the reach advantage over almost everyone in the UFC. He possesses good kicks, but his hands are his primary weapon. Volkov used those hands Saturday to his advantage, and they proved the most impactful weapon. It is also worth noting, Volkov showed off some stellar takedown defense. Overeem isn’t Curtis Blaydes, but he does train at the same gym, so the defense is a clear progression in Volkov’s game. The style that Volkov prefers leads to very fan-friendly striking fights, so with his success will come more notoriety among average viewers. Volkov has the style and talent to become a household name.

He Must Break You

Drago is now 7-2 in the octagon, and both his losses deserve some closer inspection. The first was to Derrick Lewis, a fight Volkov absolutely dominated for 14 minutes and 30 seconds. With about 20 seconds left, Lewis landed the weapon that makes him so fun to watch, and put Volkov down. Derrick Lewis probably has the single most dangerous hand in the sport. This is a fight, and you will get hit, but when Lewis lands clean it is devastating. Worth noting, Derrick Lewis also has a win over Francis Ngannou. In Volkov’s other loss to Curtis Blaydes, Drago actually impressed with his ground work against the best wrestler in the division. Blaydes did enough to get the unanimous win, but even Dana White acknowledged in his post fight interview it was a disappointing showing, saying: 

“He talked a lot of shit coming into this week. I don’t think you talk the shit that he talked this week and come in and perform like that, talking about rag dolling people and hes not getting paid, yada yada….”-Dana White post fight interview, Blaydes vs Volkov

What that interview told me is that Dana didn’t hold that fight against Volkov too much, or give Blaydes too much credit. Blaydes is still not fighting for the title, so it’s fair to say he was punished for his lackluster performance. I remember in his post-fight interview, Blaydes could barely breath. While Volkov wasn’t prepared for Blaydes’ wrestling at the time, he looks stronger and more dangerous now.

Until the End

Alexander Volkov can expect another fight night main event, or a co-main on a PPV. Volkov may get the loser of the upcoming heavyweight title, or even wait on his turn to challenge in late 2021/early 2022. He won’t leapfrog the GOAT Jon Jones, so another fight is probably in his best interest. An alternate option is the winner of the upcoming Gane vs Rozenstruik fight. With another win, Volkov would absolutely be next in line for the title. I expect Drago to continue to demonstrate his growth and progression, and ultimately become ready to challenge for the title of “Baddest Man Alive”.

What did you think of Alexander Volkov’s performance last Saturday? Let me know on twitter @phicks7, and follow Belly Up Fantasy for more MMA analysis.