Alexander Volkov is about to climb into the heavy elite for several years. It only needed one large, signed finish.
He took it on Saturday night.
Volkov knocked out Alistair Overeem via TKO 2 minutes, 6 seconds from the second round at the UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas. After bleeding Overeem with hard combinations, Volkov landed a left hook that permanently covered Overeem. Referee Jason Herzog jumped in and gave up the fight.
The victory was one-sided and perhaps Volkov’s best performance in the UFC and should elevate him to the top of the heavyweight division. ESPN ranked Overeem 6th in the world in the heavyweight category, and Volkov just below him in 7th place.
“It’s my time,” Volkov, a 6-meter-tall Russian named “Drago,” said in his post-fight interview.
Overeem was successful in the first, with some hard left. But waiting to counter Volkov was a mistake. Volkov came forward landing hard and straight hit combinations, with Overeem coming out along the cage. Although Overeem blocked, Volkov’s blows were heavy and passed. Overeem was cut late in the first round.
In the second round, Volkov pressed Overeem again against the cage and got tough jab-cross combinations. The technique was simple but very effective. Volkov’s heavy hands made Overeem bleed even more.
When the two separated, Overeem’s face was almost entirely red. Volkov then landed a perfectly placed left hook to send Overeem on the canvas.
“I felt I could finish it in the second or third round,” Volkov said. “I saw his face. He had a lot of cuts and blood on his face. I was expecting a good punch. I did it.”
The fight took place in front of no fan, with COVID-19 protocols, at UFC Apex, a place opposite 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 TKO in the second round on Walt Harris in October and has a series of victories in two fights.
Volkov, 32, is a former M-1 heavyweight world champion and a permanent competitor in the UFC. Prior to Saturday, he had failed in previous attempts to beat competitors Curtis Blaydes and Derrick Lewis.
Overeem (47-19, 1 NC) won two rounds and four of the last five, hoping for a final UFC heavyweight title race. The Dutch striker is one of the best fighters in the history of MMA weights. He is a former weightlifting champion at Strikeforce and Dream and one of two wrestlers to win MMA and K-1 kickboxing titles.
Overeem, 40, holds victories over former UFC champions Brock Lesnar, Vitor Belfort (twice), Fabricio Werdum (twice), Junior dos Santos, Andrei Arlovski and Frank Mir.