Alexander Volkov saw the need to change course.
The former Bellator MMA champion will attempt to rebound from a humbling submission defeat to Tom Aspinall when he locks horns with Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the UFC Fight Night 207 headliner on June 4 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Volkov surrendered to a straight armbar from the surging Aspinall two months ago and chose not to stand pat in terms of preparation.
“I have thoughts and ideas about my professional growth, and indeed, my last fight has pushed me to make changes,” he told Sherdog.com. “This time, I did not prepare in Moscow. I went to the Olympic sports base at an altitude of about [4,600 feet] above sea level, where I trained with new sparring partners and coaches.
“I think this change had a positive effect on me,” Volkov added. “I went to the mountains to have my camp there. The special air and climate allow you to develop great stamina and physical performance. I worked to prepare for five rounds of intensive work in the Octagon.”
Rozenstruik, who carries a 6-3 record inside the Octagon, has alternated wins and losses in each of his past five outings but brings frightening physical tools to the cage. He has three sub-minute finishes on his resume, so Volkov chose his stablemates with the heavy-handed “Bigi Boy” in mind.
“My sparring partners were big guys with strong punching power,” he said. “They copied my next opponent’s style perfectly. Although it was on short notice, I managed to get a lot of work done. I aim to remain in the same shape for the fight.”
Volkov admits the loss to Aspinall still stings but put plans in motion to account for the flaws that led to his first submission defeat in more than a decade.
“All I can say about this fight is that the opponent was stronger than me on that night,” he said. “I had certain issues with workouts and morale. However, that’s part of the game. I showed a lack of determination and bowed to external pressure. Perhaps, I needed certain changes of lifestyle and should have abstained more from the informational flow to be fully focused on my training.”
Rozenstruik presents unique challenges of his own. The 34-year-old Surinamese striker owns victories over Alistair Overeem, Andrei Arlovski and Junior dos Santos but finds himself on the rebound following a unanimous decision loss to Curtis Blaydes at UFC 266 in September. Volkov likes the matchup.
“It’s good for me that my next opponent is a puncher and probably will prefer standup fighting,” he said. “I think my technical skills are better, and I have more physical strength. My job will be to put up a good fight and, from start to finish, stay focused and be ready for any of his attacks. I can say that I also have something to surprise him with. I’m focused on my development. I like to train, and as long as there’s an opportunity, I’m ready to perform.
“I accepted this bout with about a month’s notice,” Volkov added, “and I’m glad to use this chance to prove myself and have a good fight.”
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