Report | UFC looking at Curtis Blaydes vs Alexander Volkov for UFC Moscow

Continuing to shine but going unnoticed has been the young dominant heavyweight wrestler, Curtis Blaydes.

Blaydes just recently picked up the biggest win of his young career this past Saturday at UFC 225 when he finished perennial top contender, Alistair Overeem in devastating fashion.

Blaydes has now emerged as a clear future title challenger but when exactly he will be getting his first crack at gold remains to be determined. Ranked in front of him and already a likely next candidate is the Russian, Alexander Volkov who in his last outing finished former UFC champion, Fabricio Werdum.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto now reports that a fight between the two to decide the clear cut next title challenger could take place at UFC’s first trip to Russia.

One of the potentially overshadowed results of UFC 225 was heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (@RazorBlaydes265) knocking out Alistair Overeem. Per Dana White, UFC is interested in doing Blades vs. Alexander Volkov on 9/15 in Moscow. Both are very highly ranked in division.

— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) June 12, 2018

One of the potentially overshadowed results of UFC 225 was heavyweight Curtis Blaydes (@RazorBlaydes265) knocking out Alistair Overeem. Per Dana White, UFC is interested in doing Blades vs. Alexander Volkov on 9/15 in Moscow. Both are very highly ranked in division.

One would assume that this high caliber of a fight would have to be the main event. That of which is already being rumored to be Mark Hunt vs Alexey Oleynik.

UFC Moscow’s original main event was announced as Oleynik vs Werdum but that didn’t last long as Werdum was notified of a failed USADA test just days after the fight was made official.

Upon the event’s speculation and inevitable coming together, Volkov was always assumed to be the likely headliner. Which could end up being the case. However, according to MMA Team Dagestan, Volkov is the backup plan in the case that either Daniel Cormier or Stipe Miocic has to pull out of their UFC 226 super fight next month. Volkov also is only wanting to fight for the title.

https://twitter.com/MMATeamDagestan/status/1006672221635522560

Most recently Volkov said (in an interview @wonders4341) that he is going to fight only for the title!

Regardless of what happens with all parties involved, much needed new blood has circulated to the top of MMA’s largest division and it is exciting to see.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 6/12/2018.