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The opponent for his next fight is not as important as the location for surging UFC heavyweight Alexander Volkov, who picked up his third straight octagon win at UFC Fight Night 115.

Volkov (29-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who stopped veteran Stefan Struve (28-9 MMA, 12-7 UFC) via third-round TKO in the UFC Fight Pass-streamed headliner, demurred on future opponents and said he’s more concerned with bringing the UFC to his home country of Russia.

“I’m not thinking about who to fight, but where to fight,” Volkov told reporters backstage at Ahoy Rotterdam in the Netherlands. “Today, five Russian fighters won, and I headlined the (event). It would be great if the UFC could bring UFC to Russia, and I’ll be happy and honored to headline.”

If the UFC needs proof that such an event will be successful, Volkov said, executives should simply listen to the crowd on Saturday.

“If you saw today, there were a lot of Russian fans in the crowd,” he said. “Sometimes they were chanting louder than other people. I think it would be a great step if the UFC seizes the opportunity. An event would be profitable for them. Our fans are smart, they’re crazy, and they’ll show the world they love MMA.”

Volkov, a former Bellator champ, is fast on his way to becoming Russia’s next biggest MMA export after legendary Fedor Emelianenko. Struve was overwhelmed by counter-striking and couldn’t slow down his slightly shorter opponent, despite several eye pokes Volkov said weren’t so accidental.

“He worked not very cleanly, let’s say,” Volkov said. “He always pushed his left arm forward with the open palm. It’s sad, but I have five stitches, and like my trainers always told me when I was little, pain will go away, and the victory will remain.

“Frankly, I was more afraid of the doctor stopping the fight.”

Volkov said he predicted a third-round stoppage of Struve at the event’s weigh-ins and noted sparring partner Semmy Schilt – a former K-1 champion – was a more difficult challenge in preparation.

Whatever his next booking, Volkov feels confident he’ll only be fighting marquee opponents from here. Now, if he can just move that marquee to Russia, he’ll be a happy man.

The UFC already has market research that Russia is one of the promotion’s biggest potential audiences despite being the least monetized. If they can clear that hurdle, Volkov can expect to work at home sooner than later.

“In Russia, a UFC event could fill a big stadium, like Wembley (Stadium in London) – 40,000-plus,” Volkov said. “For me personally, it’s better for me to fight in Russia and show the UFC how many fans from Russia love the UFC and are always watching it.”

For complete coverage of UFC Fight Night 115, check out the UFC Events section of the site.

Filed under: Featured, News, UFC