Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane branded a fake title fight by UFC 328 star Alexander Volkov

Alexander Volkov doesn’t see the UFC White House co-main event as a legitimate championship matchup.

All eyes will probably be on the heavyweight division just over a month after Volkov makes his return to motion this Saturday at UFC 328.

After the Russian looks to make it back-to-back wins, the division will crown an interim titleholder when Alex Pereira battles Ciryl Gane on the White House on June 14.

The pair will probably be vying for the temporary belt in Tom Aspinall’s injury absence, but ‘Drago’ is not going to be recognizing the winner as a legitimate champion.

Alex Pereira is the GOAT if he beats Ciryl Gane. 🐐

‘Poatan’ bids to develop into the primary three-weight UFC champion on the White House on June 14. 🏆🏆🏆

Alexander Volkov says Alex Pereira vs Ciryl Gane is ‘just marketing’

Many imagine Volkov was robbed by the judges against Gane after they fought at UFC 310 in December 2024. Even Dana White acknowledged the scoring error, but that has not prevented the Frenchman from being given one other title opportunity.

While the Russian needed to fight Jailton Almeida last 12 months, Gane challenged Aspinall. Despite his pokes leading to a no contest and sending the champ to double eye surgery, ‘Bon Gamin’ stays in the image.

And he shouldn’t be the just one whose place within the upcoming title fight Volkov thinks needs questioning. He also recently criticized the choice to grant Pereira an instantaneous heavyweight shot.

“It doesn’t matter who wins… UFC won with this fight,” Volkov told MMA Fighting. “And it is going to be obviously not like a boring fight, nevertheless it’s not true title fight. It’s more like a promotional or media fight.

“Alex Pereira…he just lost to the guy (Magomed Ankalaev), then he beats him with just broken rib, and now he need to go one category up, where he never fought, and so they give him title shot? Like, in logic, it doesn’t have any sense.

“It’s just marketing,” he continued. “It’s nothing more about what number of followers and what number of fans he have. Perhaps it’s good for UFC, possibly more people will watching this fight, possibly this they are going to do that White House card more loud, nevertheless it’s nothing about like an actual champ.”

As for his own situation, ‘Drago’ is confused.

“Truthfully, I don’t understand in any respect policy within the UFC about me because sometimes I hear various things about my future in UFC,” Volkov said.

After beating Almeida, Volkov will fight Waldo Cortes-Acosta on Saturday’s UFC 328 foremost card.

It stays to be seen what’s going to lie ahead for the winner, with either Pereira or Gane expected to welcome Aspinall back to the cage later this 12 months.