Eduard Vartanyan assesses Alexander Volkov’s championship potential after UFC Fight Night win
In a recent comment, Russian mixed style fighter Eduard Vartanyan shared his view on the trajectory of heavyweight contender Alexander Volkov following Volkov’s first round technical knockout victory over Moldova’s Alexander Romanov. Vartanyan, who notes Volkov is approaching his mid-thirties, argues that Volkov remains at or near his peak and should still be considered a legitimate title challenger within the UFC heavyweight division.
Vartanyan praised Volkov for the performance, saying Volkov and fellow competitor Nikita Krylov delivered strong showings in the opening round. He emphasized that age is not a limiting factor for heavyweights at the elite level, pointing out that Volkov is younger than several top rivals, including John Jones in terms of career timeline. He also highlighted that Romanov, while talented, is younger than Volkov by about two years. In Vartanyan’s view, Volkov currently sits as the youngest member of the UFC heavyweight top ten, a testament to his sustained form at a high level over years of competition. The exchange occurred as Volkov moved higher in the heavyweight rankings, with the fight card taking place in Las Vegas as part of UFC Fight Night 221. Volkov secured the win by first-round technical knockout, reinforcing his standing in the division.
The event featured a marquee bantamweight duel between Russian Petr Yan and Georgian Merab Dvalishvili. Yan suffered a unanimous decision defeat, marking his third consecutive loss after earlier decisions to top contenders in the division. The results from the night have fueled ongoing discussions about the current championship picture in the UFC heavyweight class and whether Volkov might be positioned for another title shot in the near future. Vartanyan’s assessment suggests that Petr Yan’s motivation remains intact and that the former title challenger could still be a factor in future title eliminators or championship rounds, depending on performance and matchmaking decisions made by UFC leadership.