UFC Fight Night 190: Gane vs. Volkov | Event Profile, Full Results & Legacy
- Roe Jogan
- May 21
- 6 min read
Introduction
UFC Fight Night 190: Gane vs. Volkov took place on June 26, 2021 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas — UFC Vegas 30. It was Ciryl Gane’s second consecutive UFC main event and his most significant test to date: former Bellator Heavyweight Champion Alexander Volkov, a dangerous and experienced striker with the tools to expose technical weaknesses. Gane was 8-0 entering the fight.
Gane delivered another comprehensive five-round performance, winning all three scorecards and going 9-0 to secure an interim UFC Heavyweight Championship shot. The card also featured a third eye poke No Contest in 2021 (tying the annual record), an eye-catching debut submission win for Shavkat Rakhmonov, and Performance of the Night finishes for Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcin Prachnio.
Contents
Quick Stats
📅 Date: Saturday, June 26, 2021
📍 Venue: UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, USA (UFC Vegas 30)
👥 Attendance: 0 (behind closed doors — COVID-19 pandemic)
📺 Broadcast: ESPN+ (UFC on ESPN+ 48)
🏆 Main Event: Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov — Heavyweight (5 rounds)
✅ Result: Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov via Decision (Unanimous) (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
🥇 Champion: Title not on the line | Gane earned interim HW title shot (went 9-0)
The Build-Up
Ciryl Gane came into FN 190 with eight consecutive UFC wins, each more impressive than the last. He had just delivered his second consecutive five-round main event shutout (Rozenstruik at FN 186) and was widely regarded as the most dangerous heavyweight not yet competing for a title. Alexander Volkov provided genuine credibility as an opponent: the former Bellator champion had wins over multiple top-10 heavyweights and was considered a serious technical striker who could match Gane’s game.
Notably, both Francis Ngannou (undisputed champion) and Stipe Miocic (former champion) were preparing for their UFC 265 title fight in August. A comprehensive Gane win here would position the Frenchman directly for that interim title opportunity. The undercard featured Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated Kazakh welterweight rising rapidly through the division.
Main Event: Gane vs. Volkov
Ciryl Gane controlled all five rounds with the kind of technical variety that had become his signature. He mixed leg kicks, body work, jabs, and combinations while maintaining his footwork and movement to deny Volkov clean entries. Volkov, no easy out for any heavyweight, had moments in all five rounds but could not find a sustained answer for Gane’s range management and accuracy.
The scorecards — 50-45, 50-45, 49-46 — reflected an almost complete dominance. Gane moved to 9-0 with the most significant win of his career and immediately entered the conversation for the interim heavyweight title. He had now won two consecutive five-round main events via shutout or near-shutout — a remarkable level of consistency for a fighter who had only turned professional in 2018.
Co-Main Event: Boser vs. St. Preux
Tanner Boser knocked out Ovince St. Preux by KO (Punches) at 2:31 of round two, providing the event’s first main card finish. The win was a statement performance for the Canadian heavyweight, who had been building momentum through the lower end of the top 15. St. Preux, the veteran light heavyweight competing at heavyweight, was unable to cope with Boser’s power.
Full Results
Main Card
Ciryl Gane def. Alexander Volkov — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 5, 5:00) | 50-45, 50-45, 49-46
Tanner Boser def. Ovince St. Preux — KO (Punches) (Round 2, 2:31)
Timur Valiev def. Raoni Barcelos — Decision (Majority) (Round 3, 5:00) — Fight of the Night
Andre Fili vs. Daniel Pineda — No Contest (Accidental Eye Poke) (Round 2, 0:46) | 3rd eye poke NC in 2021, tying the annual record
Tim Means def. Nicolas Dalby — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3, 5:00)
Renato Carneiro def. Jai Herbert — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 2, 4:34)
Preliminary Card
Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Danilo Marques — TKO (Punches) (Round 3, 0:20) — Performance of the Night | Comeback win
Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Michel Prazeres — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 2, 2:10)
Jeremiah Wells def. Warlley Alves — KO (Punches) (Round 2, 0:30)
Marcin Prachnio def. Isaac Villanueva — KO (Body Kick) (Round 3, 0:56) — Performance of the Night
Julia Avila def. Julija Stoliarenko — Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) (Round 3, 4:19)
Charles Rosa def. Justin Jaynes — Decision (Split) (Round 3)
Damir Hadzovic def. Yancy Medeiros — Decision (Unanimous) (Round 3)
Bonuses & Awards
🥊 Fight of the Night: Timur Valiev vs. Raoni Barcelos ($50,000 each)
🏆 Performance of the Night: Kennedy Nzechukwu ($50,000) — TKO comeback of Danilo Marques, Round 3, 0:20
🏆 Performance of the Night: Marcin Prachnio ($50,000) — Body kick KO of Isaac Villanueva, Round 3, 0:56
Records & Milestones
🥊 Ciryl Gane went 9-0 with his win over Volkov — and he had done it with one-third of his victories by KO, one-third by submission, and one-third by decision, making him one of the most well-rounded finishers in heavyweight history.
🥊 The Fili-Pineda NC was the third eye poke stoppage in the UFC in 2021, tying the promotion’s annual record for such stoppages. The three RNC finishes on the card also tied the record for most rear-naked choke finishes at a single UFC event.
🥊 Shavkat Rakhmonov extended his perfect professional record with a rear-naked choke of Michel Prazeres. This early UFC performance marked him as one of the most exciting young welterweights in the division, continuing a rise that would eventually see him reach the top-5 rankings.
Legacy & Impact
UFC Fight Night 190 stands as the final proof required before Gane’s interim title shot. He had now dominated three consecutive UFC opponents over 5-round, 3-round, and 5-round distances without once appearing vulnerable. Against Volkov — an opponent with the size, reach, and technical ability to genuinely threaten him — Gane was still better. The win sent him directly to UFC 265 for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.
The card also spotlit Rakhmonov as one to watch. His finishing efficiency, technical grappling, and undefeated record made him a polarising figure — too good to ignore, not high-profile enough for a promo package. He would go on to become one of the most dominant welterweights in the division.
FAQ
What did Gane’s FN 190 win earn him?
Gane’s win over Volkov put him at 9-0 and placed him directly in line for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship. He fought Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 in August 2021 for the interim title, winning by third-round TKO to become the interim champion. He then unified against Francis Ngannou at UFC 270 in January 2022.
Who is Shavkat Rakhmonov and why was his FN 190 win significant?
Shavkat Rakhmonov is a Kazakh welterweight nicknamed ‘Nomad’ who came into the UFC undefeated with a finishing rate approaching 100 percent. His FN 190 submission of Michel Prazeres — a seasoned Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist — demonstrated that Rakhmonov’s submission skills were not only elite but also usable against specialists. He went on to become one of the most talked-about prospects and contenders in the welterweight division.
Why was the eye poke NC at FN 190 notable?
The Andre Fili vs. Daniel Pineda eye poke stoppage was the third accidental eye poke NC in the UFC in 2021, tying the promotion’s annual record for such stoppages. Combined with the Edwards-Muhammad and Alan Patrick-Mason Jones NCs earlier in the year, there was growing discussion about whether the UFC’s open-hand-guard culture needed to be regulated more firmly.
How did Volkov fare after his FN 190 loss to Gane?
Volkov remained in the top five of the heavyweight division following the loss. He went on to beat Alistair Overeem in December 2021 and stayed in contention, including a 2022 fight against Tom Aspinall which he lost by first-round submission. His technical striking continued to make him a dangerous opponent for any heavyweight.
What was notable about the FN 190 undercard submission trend?
Three bouts at FN 190 ended by rear-naked choke — Rakhmonov over Prazeres, Carneiro over Herbert, and Avila over Stoliarenko. This tied the UFC record for the most RNC finishes at a single event, an unusual statistical coincidence on a card that was simultaneously producing significant striking finishes elsewhere.
References
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