Friends turned enemies – a tale old as time.
Alexander Volkov scored an upset yesterday (Sat., June 22, 2024) when he battered fellow Russian Heavyweight Sergei Palovich for three rounds to score a unanimous decision inside Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Volkov has the longest winning streak in the Heavyweight division with four wins.
After the fight concluded when the scorecards were being tallied, Volkov went to console his former training partner and friend but was shoved.
Check it out below:
The two Russians are actually good friends and have trained each other for Derrick Lewis. They did not want to fight each other and actually found out about the matchup when UFC CEO Dana White announced the fight, meaning one of them signed the contract without the other knowing. This led to friction prior to the fight, and the two got heated during the ceremonial weigh-ins.
Alexander Volkov confronted Sergei Pavlovich at the weigh ins:
“Why did you tell everyone that I was the first one to agree to this fight?” pic.twitter.com/PAI8MZnN8o
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) June 21, 2024
After his big win during the UFC Saudi Arabia post-fight press conference, Volkov was asked about the shove and if there would be a “peace treaty” between the two, to which Volkov said, “What do you think?”
Another reporter wondered what would happen if they ran into each other in the fighter hotel (like this).
“If he tries to attack me, I’ll call the cops,” Volkov said.
For complete UFC Saudi Arabia results, coverage and highlights, click HERE.
