Alexander Volkov Faces Long Wait for UFC Heavyweight Title Shot Despite No. 1 Ranking

Alexander Volkov earned the undisputed No. 1 contender position at UFC 321, but a combination of Tom Aspinall's injury, Alex Pereira's move to heavyweight, and the rise of Josh Hokit and Sergei Pavlovich has complicated his path to a title fight. If Aspinall is ready to fight this year, a unification bout would likely not take place before November or December, pushing Volkov's opportunity to spring at the earliest. With contenders such as Hokit, Pavlovich, and Ciryl Gane also in the picture, Volkov faces an increasingly crowded queue despite doing everything right.