Fear is a real thing for 37-year-old Russian heavyweight Alexander Volkov—and he's not afraid to admit it.

After earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC 328 in Newark, New Jersey, Volkov (40-11 MMA, 14-5 UFC) sat down with the media and opened up about the mental battle that comes with fighting at the highest level. The win marked his second straight in the Octagon, potentially putting him right in the thick of the heavyweight title conversation.

But for Volkov, the path to glory is paved with caution. He still carries the scars—both physical and mental—from one of the most devastating losses of his career: the 2018 knockout at the hands of Derrick Lewis. Leading on the scorecards, Volkov was caught with a late "Hail Mary" that turned his victory into a highlight-reel defeat. And the MMA world hasn't let him forget it.

"Maybe it wasn't so impressive, but Waldo is a f*cking tough motherf*cker," Volkov said at his post-fight press conference. "Nobody can finish him. I knocked him down in the second round, but he was so accurate with his strikes. I learned the lesson in 2018 when Derrick Lewis did the same and caught me at the very end of the fight."

The memory lingers every time he steps into the cage. "It's flashbacks every time," Volkov admitted. "I just keep telling myself, 'Be focused, be accurate until the end—move, don't relax, don't feel like you can beat him.'"

Lewis remains one of only two fighters to stop Volkov with punches, and that lesson has become a permanent part of his fight IQ. Against Cortes-Acosta, Volkov stayed disciplined, landing heavy shots while avoiding the kind of late-round disaster that haunted him years ago.

Now, with back-to-back wins and the heavyweight division buzzing, Volkov finds himself on the cusp of title contention. The next month will bring clarity: an interim heavyweight title bout between Ciryl Gane and former two-division champion Alex Pereira. If Pereira wins, he'll make history as the UFC's first three-division champion. But regardless of who comes out on top, Volkov knows one thing for sure—he'll be watching, and he'll be ready.