Drago is back! Russia's Alexander Volkov to face Curtis Blaydes at UFC Fight Night on June 20

Russian heavyweight star Alexander "Drago" Volkov will return to UFC action on June 20 when he takes on the UFC's No. 3-ranked heavyweight Curtis "Razor" Blaydes in a battle of heavyweight contenders.

Former Bellator heavyweight champion Volkov has lost just once in the UFC – a last-gasp knockout at the hands of Derrick Lewis at the end of a fight he had dominated – but has looked outstanding in his other matchups.

The Lewis defeat aside, Volkov has picked up five big wins in the UFC's heaviest weight class, kicking off his UFC career with decision victories over Tim Johnson and Roy Nelson.

But "Drago" lived up to his power-punching moniker by claiming decisive knockout wins over a pair of big-name heavyweights.

He finished Stefan "Skyscraper" Struve in Rotterdam in 2017, then followed up by knocking out former UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum in London the following year.

Most recently, he outpointed Greg Hardy in Moscow to extend his professional record to 31 wins, 7 losses and keep himself firmly in the heavyweight title hunt.

Now the UFC has announced that Volkov will face powerful former collegiate wrestler Blaydes, whose only two losses in the UFC both came at the heavy hands of Francis Ngannou. He's currently riding a three-fight win streak, with his most recent performance seeing him finish former UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos in Raleigh, North Carolina in January.

Victory for either man should push them to within one big win of a shot at the UFC heavyweight title, but which man will make that step forward?

The bout's location has not yet been announced, but it is expected to take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.