Alexander Volkov is REFUSING to leave Russia despite Dana White’s efforts to bring him to England early for UFC London

UFC fighter Alexander Volkov doesn’t want to leave Russia despite the travel uncertainties that have occurred due to the war in Ukraine.

Volkov is scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night against British ace Tom Aspinall on March 19 at The O2 Arena in London and president Dana White has been trying to get him to the UK early.

That is because of the UK government’s crackdown on Russian nationals and countries complicit with Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

However, the Russian bruiser has decided to stay put even after Home Secretary Priti Patel cancelled the visas for teams and athletes from nations connected to Putin’s aggressions, such as Belarus.

White told TSN: “We’re trying to get him into England sooner so he can fight.

“When things like this start blowing up, we start looking at potential problems and what possibilities are, and we try to get around them.

“We try to figure out, ‘If that’s going to happen, let’s get these guys into England earlier.’

“I know that we’ve been trying to get Volkov to leave Russia, and he hasn’t wanted to.”

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White is facing the same issues with Russian Interim UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan.

Yan could also be affected ahead of his title match with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273 in Florida and, just like in Volkov’s case, the American businessman doesn’t know what will happen.

White added: “Like I tell you guys all the time, just when you think the world’s about to get normal again, it gets even nuttier.

“So we’ll see how it works out. You keep asking me questions like, ‘Will Conor McGregor fight for the title when he comes back in the fall?’

“I don’t know what’s going on in the fall. When the fall comes, we’ll see what’s happening.

“‘If Petr Yan cannot get into the country?’ I have no idea what’s going to happen with Russia and all these other things. I don’t know.”