Alexander Volkov faces crowded heavyweight picture despite being top contender

Alexander Volkov earned the undisputed number-one contender spot at UFC 321, but a series of developments have complicated his path to a title shot. Tom Aspinall's timeline, Ciryl Gane's rise, Alex Pereira moving to heavyweight, and challengers such as Sergei Pavlovich and Jailton Almeida have all pushed Volkov further back in the queue. At best, Volkov may not receive his title opportunity until spring if Aspinall faces the interim champion in late 2026.