# UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall
**UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall** was a mixed martial arts event produced by the [Ultimate Fighting Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/ultimate-fighting-championship) on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at a sold-out O2 Arena in London, England, headlined by a heavyweight bout in which England's Tom Aspinall submitted Russia's Alexander Volkov in the first round.[1](https://www.ufc.com/news/updates-ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall) • [2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london) It was the UFC's first event in London since 2019 and the twelfth the promotion had held in the city; the 2020 London show had been canceled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/60110379)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Date and venue | Saturday, March 19, 2022, O2 Arena, London, England[1](https://www.ufc.com/news/updates-ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall) |
| Attendance | Sell-out crowd of over 17,000[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23) |
| Main event | Tom Aspinall def. Alexander Volkov via submission (straight armlock) at 3:45 of round one[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london) |
| Records after the event | Aspinall 12-2; Volkov 34-10[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london) |
| Co-main event | Arnold Allen def. Dan Hooker via TKO at 2:33 of round one[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london) |
| Commercial record | Highest-grossing Fight Night in UFC history and highest-grossing single sporting event ever at The O2[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23) |
| Finishes | Nine stoppages, six by British athletes; a promotion-record nine post-fight bonuses[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23) • [5](https://mmalondon2027.co.uk/editions/2022-volkov-vs-aspinall/) |
## Background
The event was announced in January 2022 as the UFC's return to London after a three-year absence. [Dana White](https://www.edgepedia.org/dana-white), the UFC's president, said the promotion had wanted to return once coronavirus protocols in the UK were relaxed; the 2020 London show, scheduled for March 21 of that year at the O2 Arena, had been canceled because of the pandemic.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/60110379) • [6](https://abcnews.com/Sports/ufc-returns-london-tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-headline/story?id=82387427)
The main event paired the 28-year-old Aspinall, who had won his first four fights in the UFC and was unbeaten in seven, with the 33-year-old Volkov, a top-five heavyweight with 34 wins from 43 bouts and victories over [Alistair Overeem](https://www.edgepedia.org/alistair-overeem) and Fabricio Werdum. Aspinall had originally been matched with [Shamil Abdurakhimov](https://www.edgepedia.org/shamil-abdurakhimov) on the same card before the UFC broke up that pairing in favor of the new headliner.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/60110379) • [6](https://abcnews.com/Sports/ufc-returns-london-tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-headline/story?id=82387427) It was Aspinall's first time headlining, and his first UFC fight in his home country since signing with the promotion in 2020; his 4-0 start in the UFC had all taken place behind closed doors during the pandemic.[3](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/60110379) • [7](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/1/21/22895000/alexander-volkov-vs-tom-aspinall-to-headline-ufcs-return-to-london-in-march) • [8](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/ufc/tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-ufc-london-b2007754.html)
One bout fell off the card shortly before the event: Vince Morales was removed from his bantamweight fight with Nathaniel Wood due to illness, and the bout was canceled.[1](https://www.ufc.com/news/updates-ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall)
## Main event
Aspinall pressed forward from the opening moments, showing speed and striking accuracy, and put Volkov on the mat less than a minute into the fight. He bloodied Volkov on the ground before the Russian returned to his feet just before the midway point of the round. Aspinall scored a second takedown with under two minutes remaining and finished the fight with a straight armlock, forcing the tap at 3:45 of round one.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london)
With the win, the No. 11-ranked Aspinall moved to 12-2, while the [No. 6](https://www.edgepedia.org/no-6)-ranked Volkov fell to 34-10.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london) The victory extended Aspinall's unbeaten record in the UFC and earned him his fourth [Performance](https://www.edgepedia.org/performance) of the Night bonus.[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23)
## Co-main event and highlights
In the co-main event, British featherweight [Arnold Allen](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-allen) stopped New Zealand's Dan Hooker in the first round. Allen tripped while throwing an early kick, which prompted him to unleash a barrage of power shots that put Hooker in trouble; after a brief respite he attacked again with hands, knees, and elbows, and referee Dan Movahedi halted the fight at 2:33 of the opening frame. Allen, ranked No. 7, extended his winning streak to nine and moved to 18-1; Hooker, returning to lightweight after a stint at featherweight, fell to 21-12.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london)
Twenty-one-year-old flyweight [Muhammad Mokaev](https://www.edgepedia.org/muhammad-mokaev), the youngest fighter on the UFC roster at the time, submitted Cody Durden in his promotional debut. A flying left knee rattled Durden in the opening minute, and Mokaev locked in a guillotine choke that he held through a slam to the mat, securing the tap at :58 of round one. Mokaev moved to 7-0 with 1 no contest; Durden fell to 12-4-1.[2](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london)
## Records and aftermath
The card produced nine stoppages, six of them by British athletes, and a promotion-record nine post-fight bonuses awarded for finishes.[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23) • [5](https://mmalondon2027.co.uk/editions/2022-volkov-vs-aspinall/) It became the highest-grossing Fight Night in UFC history and the highest-grossing single sporting event ever held at [The O2](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-o2), and the UFC announced a second London event for July 23, 2022, within weeks.[4](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23)
Aspinall returned to The O2 that July to headline against [Curtis Blaydes](https://www.edgepedia.org/curtis-blaydes), but the fight ended just fifteen seconds in when he suffered a serious knee injury and the bout was ruled a TKO due to injury.[5](https://mmalondon2027.co.uk/editions/2022-volkov-vs-aspinall/) The Volkov win is regarded in retrospect as the night London first saw a heavyweight who would later reach the top of the division.[5](https://mmalondon2027.co.uk/editions/2022-volkov-vs-aspinall/)
## References
1. [Updates to UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Aspinall, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/updates-ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall)
2. [UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Aspinall Results, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-fight-night-volkov-vs-aspinall-results-highlights-winners-interviews-ufc-london)
3. [UFC London: Tom Aspinall set to face Alexander Volkov, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/mixed-martial-arts/60110379)
4. [UFC Confirmed for London Return on July 23, UFC](https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-confirmed-london-return-july-23)
5. [Volkov vs. Aspinall (2022): card & results, MMA London](https://mmalondon2027.co.uk/editions/2022-volkov-vs-aspinall/)
6. [UFC returns to London as Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkov headline March 19 event, ABC News](https://abcnews.com/Sports/ufc-returns-london-tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-headline/story?id=82387427)
7. [Alexander Volkov vs. Tom Aspinall to headline UFC's return to London in March, MMA Fighting](https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/1/21/22895000/alexander-volkov-vs-tom-aspinall-to-headline-ufcs-return-to-london-in-march)
8. [UFC London headliner Tom Aspinall interview, The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/ufc/tom-aspinall-alexander-volkov-ufc-london-b2007754.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Mixed martial arts › UFC Fight Night events › UFC Fight Night events 2022–present*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license