UFC heavyweight Roy Nelson loves martial arts. ‘Big Country’ has practiced Ng Ga Kuen Kung Fu since he was a teenager. He studies the sweet science of boxing with Jeff Mayweather. He has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Renzo Gracie. It’s fighting in the Octagon that he is less crazy about.

Nelson has lost nine fights since 2010, but it was against a murder’s row – Junior dos Santos, Frank Mir, Fabricio Werdum, Stipe Miocic, Daniel Cormier, Mark Hunt, Alistair Overeem, Josh Barnett, and most recently to Derrick Lewis. However, the Lewis loss was a Split Decision; one judge thought Nelson won, as did many onlookers, and Nelson himself. He also beat Jared Rosholt and ‘Bigfoot Silva’ in 2016, so he sees himself as 3-0 last year.

On Saturday he fights Alexander Volkov at the top of the UFC on FOX 24 prelims, and he plans to win that one too. Now 40 Nelson is not considering retirement. In fact, he would like a title shot.

Randy won the belt at 43, said Nelson as transcribed by Mike Bohn and Matt Erickson for MMAjunkie. So I’ve got three more years of even thinking about trying to get the belt.

I think guys that retire, they just don’t love what they do – I love what I do. I don’t mind getting in there and getting in some scraps. I actually hate fighting, but I love the sport of MMA and I love going out there and just doing jiu-jitsu and boxing. It’s one thing that makes me get up in the morning.

I’m just waiting for rematches. You name everybody I’ve ever fought and anybody I’ve ever tried to get a rematch, they don’t want to fight me again. And there’s a reason why, and it’s because they’re either scared or afraid to lose again. I remember when Junior fought Cain , everyone was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Then Cain beat the crap out of him the last two times.

Before any rematches of course, Nelson has the former Bellator MMA heavyweight champion Volkov in front of him.

I wouldn’t say I’m the best guy he’s ever fought, said Nelson. If you’re talking about paperwork, he beat Ricco Rodriguez, and he was the UFC champ. He’s beaten some top guys. But me, it’s a new day and new era and I’m still ticking.

I’m going to go out and knock him out.