Walker Rules Out Volkov Fight Despite Training Ties
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UFC heavyweight Johnny Walker has closed the door on fighting Alexander Volkov, citing their training partnership as the reason he will avoid the matchup regardless of rankings implications.
Following his victory over Waldo Cortes Acosta, Walker told Home of Fight that facing Volkov remains out of bounds. "I have no interest in fighting him," Walker said, per Bloody Elbow. The Brazilian explained that Volkov is among two fighters in the division he considers off-limits, with the other being his brother Valter.
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Volkov's Title Case Builds After Kuniev Win
Volkov stopped Rizvan Kuniev at UFC 333 and now appears positioned for a championship opportunity, as BJPenn.com reported. The Russian has compiled several impressive wins and many observers believe he already defeated current titleholder Ciryl Gane when the two met recently. Gane defends against Josh Hokit on Saturday at UFC 334.
The training history between Walker and Volkov creates loyalty that drives the Brazilian's stance. Whether that position holds if Volkov captures gold and Walker keeps rising remains unclear.
🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 334 on Ticketmaster →
Gane faces Hokit this Saturday at Madison Square Garden in the UFC 334 main event.
Reported via:
- BJPenn — UFC heavyweight rules out fighting training partner Alexander Volkov
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