Alexander Volkov Outpoints Rizvan Kuniev by Unanimous Decision at UFC 333
Alexander Volkov defeated Rizvan Kuniev by unanimous decision in a heavyweight main-card bout at UFC 333 on Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The official scorecards read 29-28, 30-27, and 30-27.
Volkov improved to 41-11 overall and 15-5 in the UFC. Kuniev fell to 15-4-1 with a 2-2 mark inside the Octagon. The Russian veteran controlled the distance for most of the 15 minutes and closed with a late grappling exchange that reinforced the judges’ view of the fight.
Volkov landed 74 significant strikes to Kuniev’s 51, with a clear edge in body and leg attacks. He stuffed all four of Kuniev’s takedown attempts and finished with just over two minutes of control time after securing the back late in the third round.
Neither man scored a knockdown, and the fight stayed primarily on the feet until the final minute.
The early rounds followed a familiar pattern for Volkov. He used his length to keep Kuniev at range, mixing jabs, low kicks, and body kicks while Kuniev tried to close the gap with combinations and the occasional push kick.
Kuniev found moments with uppercuts and straight punches, but Volkov answered quickly and continued to dictate the pace from the outside.
In the third round Volkov continued to attack the lead leg and force Kuniev to reset. A kick took Kuniev off balance near the end of the frame, allowing Volkov to get behind him and lock up a body lock. He worked for a rear-naked choke in the final minute, but Kuniev defended until the horn. The sequence gave Volkov the cleanest round of the fight and left little doubt on two of the three cards.
Volkov, 38, fought on his birthday and extended a three-fight winning streak. The run includes decisions over Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Jailton Almeida.
His only recent loss came against Ciryl Gane by split decision in December 2024. After the win he used the post-fight interview to ask Dana White what else is required for a heavyweight title shot.
Kuniev, 34, entered on a two-fight streak of his own after a TKO of Tyrell Fortune in July and a decision over Almeida earlier in the year.
The step up in competition exposed the difficulty of closing distance against a longer, more experienced striker. He remains active in the division but loses ground in the rankings after the clear decision.
The heavyweight title picture now centers on the winner of Ciryl Gane versus Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on November 14.
Volkov leaves Abu Dhabi with another decision victory and a public request for the next available championship opportunity. Kuniev will look to rebound after the loss while the division sorts the order behind the current belt.
