Who is Alexander Volkov? Meet the UFC heavyweight contender known as Drago who is set to fight at UFC 333

Alexander Volkov is a Russian mixed martial artist who competes in the UFC heavyweight division. Known by his nickname “Drago,” he has established himself as one of the division’s most experienced fighters. He is a former heavyweight champion in both Bellator MMA and M-1 Global.Standing 6 feet 7 inches tall, Volkov is known for his powerful striking, technical boxing and impressive reach. He has earned major victories over former champions and top contenders, including Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem and Sergei Pavlovich. As of now, he is ranked No. 4 in the Meta UFC heavyweight rankings.Who is Alexander Volkov?Alexander Yevgenyevich Volkov was born on October 24, 1988, in Moscow, Russia. He began his professional MMA career in April 2009. He soon developed a reputation as a dangerous heavyweight. He won his first two fights by technical knockout before suffering his first professional defeat by submission.Volkov continued improving and competed in several promotions before reaching international prominence. In 2012, he joined Bellator MMA and entered its heavyweight tournament. He defeated Brett Rogers and Vinicius Queiroz before beating Richard Hale by unanimous decision to win the Bellator Heavyweight Championship in December 2012.His first title reign ended in November 2013 when Vitaly Minakov stopped him in the first round. Volkov bounced back by winning the Bellator Season 10 heavyweight tournament in 2014. However, consecutive losses to Tony Johnson and Cheick Kongo in 2015 led to his departure from the promotion.Volkov later returned to M-1 Global and captured its heavyweight championship in February 2016. He defended the title successfully against former Bellator light heavyweight champion Attila Vegh later that year.The Russian fighter signed with the UFC in September 2016. He made his promotional debut against Timothy Johnson in November, winning by split decision. He then defeated Roy Nelson and Stefan Struve before producing one of the biggest victories of his career.In March 2018, Volkov knocked out former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum in the fourth round. The performance earned him a Performance of the Night bonus and strengthened his position among the division’s leading contenders.In 2023, Volkov submitted Tai Tuivasa with an Ezekiel choke, becoming only the second fighter in UFC history to finish a fight using that technique. He also defeated Sergei Pavlovich by unanimous decision in June 2024.Volkov narrowly lost a controversial split decision to Ciryl Gane in December 2024. He returned to winning ways against Jailton Almeida in October 2025 and Waldo Cortes-Acosta in May 2026.With 40 wins and 11 losses in 51 professional fights, Volkov has recorded 24 knockout victories, four submission wins and 12 decision victories. His upcoming fight against Rizvan Kuniev is scheduled for October 24, 2026, at UFC 333.Volkov trains with Strela Team and holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, along with a third-dan black belt in Tsu Shin Gen.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.