Alexander Volkov asks for title shot, Dana White draws blank
The top-five heavyweight asked what it takes to fight for the belt and heard the UFC CEO reply: “How can we help you?”
Alexander Volkov, a top-five UFC heavyweight, asked Dana White what it takes to get a title shot and created the most talked-about moment of the UFC 333 press conference on Thursday in Abu Dhabi. The UFC CEO appeared not to know who he was talking to. Volkov faces Rizvan Kuniev on Saturday at Etihad Arena.
Volkov’s question at the UFC 333 press conference
Volkov was not seated on the dais. He took the microphone during the Q&A, first addressed featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and then turned to White: “What should I do to become a UFC champion?”
According to MMA Junkie, White answered with a question of his own, asking how many fights Volkov had. Volkov said 51 in total. Volkanovski leaned over and whispered in his ear.
White followed up: “So what are you looking for? What do you need, sir? How can we help you?” When Volkov said he wanted a title shot, White told him to talk to Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard, the UFC’s matchmakers, before laughing the moment off.
The reaction to Dana White’s answer
It was unclear whether White truly failed to recognize a 10-year UFC veteran or was playing along. Many fans online did not give him the benefit of the doubt and said the exchange showed a disconnect between the UFC boss and his fighters.
It capped a busy week of headlines for White in Abu Dhabi. At the same press conference, he had to clarify his comments about unbeaten Farid Basharat’s exit, a story VF Comunica covered in Dana White hints at reason for Basharat’s release.
Volkov’s heavyweight resume
Volkov, 37, was born in Moscow and holds a 40-11 record with 24 knockouts, according to UFC.com. He is on a two-fight win streak: a split decision over Brazil’s Jailton Almeida at UFC 321 in October 2025 and a unanimous decision over Waldo Cortes Acosta at UFC 328 in May.
His last loss came by split decision to Ciryl Gane at UFC 310 in December 2024. Brazilian fans also remember him for a fourth-round knockout of former champion Fabricio Werdum in the UFC London main event in March 2018.
Kuniev, the other man who beat Jailton Almeida
Saturday’s fight has a Brazilian twist. Rizvan Kuniev, born in Dagestan, also beat Jailton Almeida, by unanimous decision in February 2026. In July, Kuniev knocked out Tyrell Fortune in the third round, also in Abu Dhabi.
Almeida, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and one of the most dangerous heavyweight grapplers in the UFC, has now lost to both men within the past 12 months. Their meeting puts one of them a step closer to the title picture.
UFC 333 is headlined by Volkanovski’s featherweight title defense against unbeaten Movsar Evloev, covered in Volkanovski vows to finish unbeaten Evloev. In the co-main event, Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan meet for the third time with the bantamweight title on the line. The event streams on Paramount+.
Do you think Dana White really didn’t recognize Volkov, or was he joking? Does Volkov deserve the next title shot if he beats Kuniev? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Volkanovski vows to finish unbeaten Evloev at UFC 333
- Merab Dvalishvili jokes he’s a decision machine before Yan 3
- Farid Basharat: Dana White hints at reason for UFC release
