Ivan Bannikov, manager of Russian heavyweight UFC fighter Alexander Volkov, announced that the team plans to file a protest with the Nevada Athletic Commission regarding the judges' decision in Volkov's rematch against Ciryl Gane.
It was reported that on the morning of December 8, Gane won the match by split decision, a result Volkov disagrees with. UFC president Dana White also voiced support for Volkov, stating that judges Adelaide Byrd and Junichiro Kamijo "robbed" Alexander.
Ivan Bannikov for Match TV
We will file a protest with the athletic commission, even though the history of such appeals shows they are rejected 100% of the time. However, this does not stop us from attempting to pursue all legal ways to contest this decision and hopefully change that statistic for the first time. We are grateful to Dana White, Hunter Campbell, and the entire promotion team for their support of Alexander after the fight, and for Dana and Hunter taking the time to express their opinions about the match directly to Alexander.
The first bout between the two fighters occurred in June 2021 at UFC Fight Night 190, where Gane won by unanimous decision. Volkov has a record of 38 wins and 11 losses, while Gane boasts 13 wins and two losses.
