Alexander Volkov Faces Crowded Queue Despite Being UFC Heavyweight No. 1 Contender

Alexander Volkov secured the number-one contender spot at UFC 321, but a series of developments have complicated his path to a title shot. Tom Aspinall's potential return, Alex Pereira moving to heavyweight, and surging contenders including Ciryl Gane, Sergei Pavlovich, and Jailton Almeida have all pushed Volkov down the priority list. If Aspinall fights this year, a unification bout is expected no earlier than November or December, meaning Volkov may not get his shot until spring at the earliest.