Alexander Volkov’s striking from distance was a puzzle Waldo Cortes-Acosta couldn’t quite solve.
On the main card of UFC 328 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Volkov (40-11 MMA, 14-5 UFC) picked off Cortes-Acosta (17-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) from range over the course of 15 minutes, earning a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28, 29-28).
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Volkov went to work early with kicks to the legs and body, while keeping Cortes-Acosta at range. Midway through the round, Cortes-Acosta showed a little frustration with Volkov’s approach and decided to charge forward with punches. Volkov kept his defense tight and circled off the fence without much issue. Cortes-Acosta kept working to figure out the range and was able to get a few clean strikes home.
Cortes-Acosta turned up the pressure early in Round 2 and was able to land a few big punches. Volkov continued to work his array of kicks from the outside. As the round wore on, Cortes-Acosta tried to get Volkov to stand and bang with him, and ended up getting the worst of a hard exchange as Volkov rocked him with a stiff left hand.
With five minutes left, Cortes-Acosta kept the pressure high. An eye poke paused the fight briefly, but on the restart, Cortes-Acosta turned up the volume again as blood flowed from Volkov’s nose. Cortes-Acosta seemed more comfortable in closer range as Volkov’s offense slowed, but he was still met with kicks. Cortes-Acosta continued to hunt for a finish in the closing moments, but Volkov weathered the storm.
During his post-fight interview, Volkov called for a shot at the heavyweight title. He’s now gone the distance in four consecutive fights, winning three. Cortes-Acosta’s momentum is halted, as he sees a three-fight winning streak come to an end.
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Up-to-the-minute UFC 328 results:
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Alexander Volkov def. Waldo Cortes-Acosta via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 328 results: Volkov’s striking from distance too much for Cortes-Acosta
