After breaking havoc in the UFC’s rival promotion, Bellator, and becoming their heavyweight champion, Alexander Volkov made the jump to the biggest MMA platform in 2016, almost eight years ago. And the anticipation is high for the UFC’s first-ever stint in Saudi Arabia, as heavyweight star Alexander Volkov will make his return in that event, UFC on ABC 6, in the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. The 35-year-old will battle a younger Sergei Pavlovich in a high-stakes heavyweight clash to co-maintain the card.

However, fight fans are aware of his MMA exploits since he’s one of the best fighters in the world. But what do we know about his background? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out.

Is Alexander Volkov Russian or Ukrainian?

Not Ukrainian, but Alexander Volkov is Russian by nationality. He was welcomed into this world by his parents on October 24, 1988, in Moscow. At that time, the country was still under the rule of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the USSR. Volkov takes pride in being a Russian and has used the songs of artists from his motherland as walkout music for all of his fights.

Alexander Volkov’s nickname is ‘Drago’, which he took up after witnessing the fourth installment of the famous ‘Rocky’ movie franchise that had a Russian villain with the same name, portrayed by Dolph Lundgren. Hence, there is no doubt as to how Russian Volkov is. Meanwhile, when it comes to his ethnicity, things can be a little confusing.

The Russian capital of Moscow has people from all around Eastern Europe. These include Ukrainians, Belarusians, Azerbaijanis, Tatars, and Armenians. But which group do you think Alexander Volkov belongs to? Well, the popular belief is that the heavyweight star is Russian through and through. Now that we have established the background of Volkov, let’s rewind and take a plunge, especially into the details of his journey into the crazy sport of MMA.

How did ‘Drago’ start fighting?

MMA fighters come from various walks of life. For most, fighting is therapy for the hassles of their personal lives, be it a troubled childhood, adulthood, or financial troubles. Meanwhile, others just love combat sports and have certain backgrounds to help them break through in MMA, and Alexander Volkov took this exact route to become a pro fighter. ‘Drago’ was already a martial artist, a karate fighter, and when he received his first belt, that was the time when he knew that all he wanted was to become an MMA fighter.

“I have been doing sports since childhood. I earned my first karate belt when I was nine years old. And it was obvious to me that I needed to continue,” Alexander Volkov told the UFC. The decision he took to become a fighter was surely a wise one, to say the least. Why? Well, because the Russian star, since turning pro in 2009, has registered 37 victories with 10 losses, which can only be termed an elite statistic.

Every new fight is the biggest fight for all UFC fighters. The fight against fellow Russian fighter Sergei Pavlovich is no small task for Alexander Volkov. Will he be able to beat the knockout artist in Saudi Arabia? That remains to be seen.