UFC heavyweight No. 2 contender Alexander Volkov sarcastically claimed that he was terrified to step into the cage against Dominican Republic’s Waldo Cortes-Acosta. Their bout, which served as the third most significant fight on the card, ended with Volkov winning by unanimous decision after three rounds at UFC 328 in Newark, USA, on May 10, 2026.
Volkov, known as “Drago,” quipped, “To be honest, I’m so afraid to fight for the title. Cortes-Acosta is so big, huge, and talented. I don’t know what I’m doing in the top two, honestly. It’s such a tough place to be… Yesterday I sat in my room. I didn’t want to go to the fight. I hid in the closet and my coach couldn’t find me. I almost missed the bus to the arena. So I don’t know what I’ll do when I actually fight for the belt. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. After the win I was so bold, but now I’ve deflated a little,” as quoted by MMAJunkie.
The victory extended Volkov’s winning streak and rekindled talks of a potential title shot, though he downplayed the pressure with his characteristic humor. Meanwhile, fans and analysts debate whether this performance was enough to earn him a long-awaited championship opportunity.