Volkov faces long wait for UFC heavyweight title shot despite No. 1 ranking

Alexander Volkov secured the No. 1 contender spot at UFC 321, but a series of events has pushed his title opportunity further away. Tom Aspinall's injury, Alex Pereira's move to heavyweight, and the emergence of challengers such as Hockett and Sergei Pavlovich have complicated the picture significantly. Even if Aspinall returns to fight this year, the unification bout is unlikely before November or December, meaning Volkov's shot could realistically come no earlier than spring at best.