Alexander Volkov expressed frustration and disbelief over the judges’ decision to award Ciryl Gane a split decision victory in their UFC 310 rematch, questioning the judges’ qualifications and indicating plans to appeal despite skepticism about changing the result.
Alexander Volkov thought he did enough to beat Ciryl Gane this time. Three years after their first meeting, which ended in a unanimous decision win for Gane, they faced off again at UFC 310. This time, the rematch concluded with Gane winning by a split decision.
At the post-fight press conference, Volkov didn’t hold back his feelings about the scoring. “It was a bullshit decision, for sure,” he declared. He insisted he outperformed Gane throughout the fight and questioned the judges’ decision-making.
The bout wasn’t just about striking; it featured significant grappling exchanges too. Gane focused on ground battles and submissions, while Volkov aimed to maintain top position. Yet, somehow, Gane’s efforts convinced two judges, Adalaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamiko, to score the first two rounds in his favor.
Volkov found this outcome shocking and believed Gane’s team felt the same surprise. “I saw the eyes of his team, and they didn’t expect this,” he remarked. Despite respecting Gane as an opponent, Volkov couldn’t agree with the commission’s decision.
When informed about Byrd’s controversial past decisions, including the Canelo vs. Golovkin fight in 2017, Volkov was even more baffled. “The same judge who judged boxing and MMA and absolutely doesn’t understand—I don’t know how it’s possible,” he said.
Volkov criticized the idea of having someone not professionally trained in MMA judging such high-stakes fights. “I don’t understand how a person that is not professionally learned in this sport can either not be re-qualified or just not f*cking fired,” he added with help from a translator.
Asked if he’d appeal, Volkov mentioned his team would file paperwork but doubted any change would occur. Appeals rarely succeed unless there’s clear evidence of wrongdoing.
Despite the setback, Volkov found some solace knowing UFC CEO Dana White supported him. After the scores were read, White expressed his agreement with Volkov’s frustration using his trademark colorful language.
“It’s kind of the weak point in all of MMA sport,” Volkov lamented. He expressed concerns over inconsistent judging affecting both MMA and boxing outcomes. Reflecting on the situation, he humorously speculated whether personal biases played a role: “Maybe she more like the body of Ciryl Gane.”