Volkov taps Tuivasa with rare Ezekiel choke in heavyweight bout

Alexander Volkov spoiled the party Down Under.

Volkov submitted Australian heavyweight Tai Tuivasa with an Ezekiel choke at the 4:37 mark of the second round in the UFC 293 co-main event Saturday in Sydney.

“Drago” is just the third fighter to win a UFC fight with an Ezekiel choke after Remco Pardoel and Aleksei Oleinik (twice).

Volkov got on top of Tuivasa midway through the round, advanced to full mount, and fired off several ground-and-pound shots. He attempted an arm-triangle submission that Tuivasa defended but eventually locked him in the Ezekiel choke and forced the tap.

Volkov controlled Tuivasa for most of the fight, battering him on the feet in Round 1 and dropping him with a right hand. Tuivasa landed heavy leg kicks throughout the second that appeared to do some damage, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Volkov from finding a finish.

With the victory, Volkov who was ranked No. 7 in the heavyweight division heading into the fight, has now won three in a row. Meanwhile, No. 6 Tuivasa is riding a three-fight skid after winning five straight between 2020 and 2022.