Alexander Volkov had loads to speak about after UFC Saudi Arabia, and it wasn’t all about his profitable streak.
Throughout his co-main occasion bout towards Sergei Pavlovich in Riyadh on Saturday, Volkov was caught on digicam receiving some hair therapy between rounds. Volkov seemed like the higher fighter for almost all of the competition even with out the comb help, and finally went on to seize a convincing unanimous resolution win.
There was additionally some post-fight drama with Pavlovich angrily refusing to shake Volkov’s hand afterwards, and Pavlovich addressed the entire points of his eventful night when chatting with the media.
“I grew my hair out a little bit longer than I normally go into the battle, normally it’s a lot shorter,” Volkov stated through a Russian translator on the night’s post-fight press convention. “So due to this lengthy hair I used to be pressured to convey with me on the workforce a particular stylist, let’s say a styling coach. He made certain to work onerous for his cash and I feel he actually did an important job as a result of nothing was protecting my eyes and I used to be in a position to work with none bother.”
Onto extra severe issues, Volkov was initially reluctant to speak concerning the supposed beef with Pavlovich, however advised that if there’s any misunderstanding between the 2 of them, it’s totally on Pavlovich’s facet.
“I didn’t assume it was a pleasant factor to do from him,” Volkov stated. “I assume he’s mad at me, I’m probably not certain why. I’d love to determine why he’s mad at me, however I’m pondering possibly he simply misunderstood one thing and if he didn’t, then I’d like to resolve it. It’s his fault, not mine, I assume.”
“To be sincere, that is the primary time actually that I’ve ever heard Sergei curse as a result of he type of instructed me to—nicely, I’m not going to repeat what he stated, however mainly, I every so often permit myself to curse, however that is the primary time I truly heard him maliciously use curse phrases in my path,” Volkov added. “So if he’s bought an issue, then I feel it’s in all probability on his facet as a result of I let the state of affairs go and if he’s bought an issue, then he must be the one initiating the answer.”
Volkov’s Saudi Arabia win now places him on a four-fight win streak, the primary time he’s received that many consecutive UFC fights since he began with the promotion in 2016. Throughout that point, he has skilled with Pavlovich on a number of events, so it was considerably stunning that the Russian fighters have been matched up towards one another.
Now that there appears to be unhealthy blood, is Volkov apprehensive about additional acts of aggression from Pavlovich?
“If he tries to assault me, I’ll name the cops,” Volkov stated when requested how he’ll react if he runs into Pavlovich on the fighter lodge elevator.
Volkov finally did his greatest to clear up the state of affairs, explaining that so far as he is aware of, there was confusion about how the matchup was organized. He recalled seeing the UFC announce the battle earlier than contracts have been formally signed, and claims that it was Pavlovich who knew concerning the battle first and that Volkov’s facet later agreed to it. He speculated that Pavlovich might have been below the belief that it was Volkov who advised the matchup, which could possibly be perceived as a slight.
Although Volkov didn’t wish to fire up anymore drama, he does assume Pavlovich may stand to be extra grateful for the work they did collectively. Previous to his previous two losses, Pavlovich went on a hellacious run via the heavyweight division, profitable six straight fights within the first spherical and knocking out the likes of Curtis Blaydes, Tai Tuivasa, and Derrick Lewis to earn an interim title shot at UFC 295 that he subsequently misplaced to Tom Aspinall.
It’s the Lewis battle that stands proud essentially the most to Volkov as he claims that his workforce supplied invaluable info to Pavlovich forward of that matchup.
“It was him that was to return to our workforce and we have been those that have been teaching him, we have been those that have been serving to him out, we’re those sharing all the talents with him, and up till the Lewis battle, we have been nonetheless coaching with him and serving to him out,” Volkov stated. “I flew there after my Lewis battle and was copying Lewis as a lot as I may, imitating him, for Sergei to be higher, to get all the talents, give him all the key weapons.
“So I feel he, technically, must be a little bit extra respectful and a little bit extra grateful to our workforce for all the assistance that we supplied.”
