Stipe Miocic says Alexander Volkov would beat the rest of the heavyweight division if he ever got a title shot. The two-time former UFC heavyweight champion made the prediction as Ciryl Gane prepares the first defense of his undisputed belt against Josh Hokit.
Stipe Miocic’s verdict on Volkov
Speaking to Casino.org, Stipe Miocic explained why Alexander Volkov impresses him so much. The two-time former heavyweight champion said: “Volkov has fought everyone. He’s super tough.” He added that he is glad he never had to fight Volkov himself, before giving his prediction on a hypothetical title fight: “I think if he gets the opportunity to become champion, he’ll get it done.” Miocic also pointed to Volkov’s speed and the fact that he never gets smoked in his fights, even against the division’s best strikers.
Volkov’s case for a title shot
Alexander Volkov, 38, beat Rizvan Kuniev by decision on October 24, 2026, in Abu Dhabi at UFC 333. The win extended his current streak to three straight fights and his record to seven wins in his last eight outings. His only loss in that stretch was a disputed split decision to Ciryl Gane at UFC 310 in December 2024, a result that several observers, Dana White included, thought could have gone the other way. Volkov has never fought for the title in nearly a decade with the promotion, despite a steady spot near the top of our UFC rankings.
Ciryl Gane had held interim champion status since beating Alex Pereira in June. Tom Aspinall‘s hold on the undisputed title became complicated after an eye injury he suffered against Gane back in October 2025, which left him with no reliable timeline for a return. Aspinall eventually vacated the belt, which made Ciryl Gane the promotion’s undisputed heavyweight champion. The Frenchman had never actually defended the full title before being matched up with Josh Hokit.
Dana White gives no clear answer
At the UFC 333 press conference, Alexander Volkov directly asked Dana White what more he needs to do to earn a title shot. The UFC boss gave no clear answer to the question in front of reporters. After Volkov’s win over Kuniev, White offered only a cautious comment: “He had a good performance tonight, and we’ll see what happens next.” White also had to address a viral clip from that same press conference in which he appeared not to recognize Volkov. He insisted otherwise: “Yeah, of course I knew it was him.” The next heavyweight title opportunity ultimately went to Josh Hokit, who meets Ciryl Gane at UFC 334 on November 14.
Josh Hokit, a live underdog according to Chris Weidman
Giving the title shot to Josh Hokit over Alexander Volkov has not settled the debate over how the fight itself will go. Former middleweight champion Chris Weidman said he was surprised by how heavily Ciryl Gane is favored in the odds, which had Gane at -265 and Hokit at +215 on DraftKings at the time of his comments. He argued that Hokit’s pace, pressure and ability to push Gane against the cage looking for takedowns could cause real problems for the champion despite giving up size and reach. Weidman summed up his pick by noting that Hokit “has heavy hands too,” and he said he would personally take the underdog.
UFC 334 fight card
Ciryl Gane defends his undisputed heavyweight title for the first time on November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York, with the card set to stream on Paramount+ in the United States. In the co-main event, women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison puts her belt on the line against a returning Amanda Nunes. The full 2026 UFC schedule is on our UFC schedule page. For Alexander Volkov, the outcome of that fight settles nothing concrete about his own title chances, since Alex Pereira, whom Gane beat back in June, is also mentioned as a possible 2027 title challenger, along with Sergei Pavlovich. A win for Hokit would instantly reopen the question Volkov has been asking Dana White all along, and it would hand the heavyweight division a new, unbeaten face at the top.
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