Alexander Volkov’s Kuniev Win Extends a Decision-Heavy Shift at Heavyweight

Alexander Volkov did not need a finish to strengthen his position near the top of the heavyweight division. He beat Rizvan Kuniev by unanimous decision at UFC 333, giving the 38-year-old his third consecutive win and fourth victory in five fights.

Cageside Press reported scorecards of 29-28, 30-27 and 30-27, with Volkov controlling range through long strikes and kicks before adding a late takedown and rear-naked-choke attempts. The result leaves the UFC’s No. 2-ranked heavyweight with a 40-11 record and another credible argument for a title opportunity.

For bettors, the more actionable development is not the callout. It is the increasingly stable way Volkov wins. His victory over Kuniev continued a five-fight run in which every bout reached the judges, and each of his last three wins has come by decision.

Volkov keeps reducing heavyweight volatility

Volkov’s career numbers still describe a productive striker: 4.84 significant strikes landed per minute at 57% accuracy, against 2.90 absorbed per minute. His round-level archive is even more substantial. Across 53 tracked rounds from 19 bouts, he has landed 1,250 significant strikes at 58% accuracy.

That production is spread beyond headhunting. Volkov has landed 734 tracked significant strikes to the head, 269 to the body and 247 to the legs. The target distribution matters because it gives him several ways to score without committing to the kind of pocket exchanges that amplify knockout variance at heavyweight. Body kicks, low kicks and straight shots can preserve distance while forcing the opponent to cross more space.