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Alexander Volkov spoke to the media on Saturday following his victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 328.
Volkov (40–11 MMA, 14–5 UFC) earned a unanimous decision over Cortes-Acosta (17–3 MMA, 10–3 UFC) in their featured heavyweight bout on the main card at the Prudential Center in Newark. The 37-year-old has now secured back-to-back wins and may have positioned himself as a potential title contender.
Volkov admitted he had to stay cautious throughout the fight, mindful of the dangers Cortes-Acosta posed. He hasn’t forgotten his 2018 loss to Derrick Lewis, when he was leading on the scorecards but got caught by a last-second knockout.
“Maybe it wasn’t my most impressive performance, but Waldo is incredibly tough,” Volkov said at the post-fight press conference. “No one can finish him. I knocked him down in the second round, but he stayed very precise with his strikes. I learned my lesson back in 2018 when Derrick Lewis caught me at the very end.
“People keep reminding me of that fight every time they see me. So I know that lesson very well. Against fighters like him, who can land power shots at any moment, it’s better to stay sharp, be precise, and accumulate damage.”
Lewis remains one of only two fighters to stop Volkov with strikes, and the Russian admitted those memories still surface during fights — including this one.
“I get flashbacks every time,” Volkov said. “I keep telling myself: stay focused, stay accurate until the very end — keep moving, don’t relax, and never assume you’ve already won.”
As for his position in the heavyweight title picture, Volkov isn’t entirely sure how to feel.
An interim title fight is scheduled for next month between Ciryl Gane and former champion Alex Pereira. If Pereira wins, he would become the first three-division champion in UFC history. Meanwhile, undisputed champion Tom Aspinall awaits the winner.
That situation could delay a title unification bout, and for Volkov — at this stage of his career — waiting too long might mean missing important opportunities.
Still, he surprisingly admitted that the idea of fighting for the title makes him nervous.
“To be honest, I’m actually scared to fight for the title,” Volkov said. “Cortes-Acosta is so big, so strong, so talented. I don’t even know what I’m doing here among the top contenders. It’s incredibly tough to be at this level.
“Earlier today, I was in my room and didn’t even want to go out. I was hiding in the closet — my coach couldn’t find me. I almost missed the bus to the arena.
“So I don’t know how I’ll feel when I fight for the title. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you this. I felt brave right after the win, but now that I’ve calmed down a bit… I don’t know.”
