Alexander Volkov has been on the cusp of ascending to the elite of heavyweights for several years. Only that great signature finish is missing.
He got it on Saturday night.
Volkov removed legend Alistair Overeem via TKO 2 minutes, 6 seconds from the second round at the main UFC Fight Night event in Las Vegas. After bleeding Overeem with harsh combinations, Volkov landed a left hook that left the ground for good to Overeem. The referee Jason Herzog jumped and canceled the battle.
The win was one-sided and perhaps Volkov’s best performance in the UFC and should elevate him to the top level of the heavyweight division. ESPN had Overeem ranked No. 6 in the world in heavyweight and Volkov just below him at No. 7.
“It’s my moment,” Volkov, a 6-foot-7 Russian nicknamed “Drago,” said in his post-fight interview.
Overeem was successful in the first with several strong leftists. But waiting to counter Volkov was a mistake. Volkov stepped forward landing combinations of strong, straight shots with Overeem open along the cage. Although Overeem was blocking, Volkov’s shots were hard and difficult. Overeem was cut at the end of the first round.
In the second round, Volkov again pressed Overeem against the cage and got strong jab-cross combinations. The technique was simple but very effective. Volkov’s heavy hands bled even more on Overeem.
When the two separated, Overeem’s face was almost completely red. Volkov landed a perfectly placed left hook to send Overeem to the canvas.
“I felt I could finish him in the second or third round,” Volkov said. “I saw his face. He had a lot of cuts and blood on his face. He was expecting a good punch. I did.”
The fight was held in front of no COVID-19 protocol fans at the UFC Apex site, a venue next to the UFC corporate campus. It was the first UFC event of the year in the United States after the first three took place in Abu Dhabi.
Volkov (33-8) has won nine of his last 11 fights. He came out of a second-round TKO over Walt Harris in October and has a two-fight winning streak.
Volkov, 32, is the former M-1 world heavyweight champion and has been a perennial contender in the UFC. By Saturday, he had failed in previous attempts to beat aspiring Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis.
Overeem (47-19, 1 NC) had won two in a row and four of his last five starters, hoping for a final run in the UFC heavyweight title. The Dutch striker is one of the most accomplished fighters in the history of MMA heavyweights. He is a former Strikeforce and Dream heavyweight champion and one of only two wrestlers to win MMA and K-1 kickboxing titles.
Overeem, 40, has wins over former UFC champions Brock Lesnar, Vitor Belfort (twice), Fabricio Werdum (twice), Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski and Frank Mir.