Sep 9, 2023; Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA; Alexander Volkov leaves the Octagon after defeating Tai Tuivasa (not pictured) fights during UFC 293 at Qudos Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

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Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida Reportedly Set For High Stakes UFC Title Eliminator Clash!

Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov reportedly agree to a title eliminator fight; leaving Tom Aspinall with this potential opponent!

The UFC heavyweight division has been in complete chaos for what feels like forever. Jon Jones held the title hostage for months, refusing to fight interim champion Tom Aspinall in a unification bout. Instead, ‘Bones’ decided to retire rather than face the Englishman, leaving fans frustrated and the division in limbo.

Now that Jones has finally stepped aside, Tom Aspinall has been promoted to undisputed heavyweight champion. The 30 year old Brit defended his interim title in front of his home crowd in Manchester. Aspinall has been calling for big fights and more activity in the division, promising to be the active champion that fans deserve. With the title situation finally sorted out, the focus has shifted to who will get the first shot at the new champion. Three names have been floating around as potential challengers, but it looks like two of them have decided to settle things between themselves first.

Alexander Volkov And Jailton Almeida Agree To #1 Contender Fight

Jailton Almeida has been making noise on social media for weeks, practically begging the UFC to book him against Tom Aspinall. The Brazilian heavyweight has been constantly tagging Dana White and UFC matchmakers in his posts. His campaign for a title shot has been relentless, but it seems like his lobbying efforts haven’t paid off the way he hoped. Instead of getting the call to fight for the belt, Almeida appears to be heading into a title eliminator fight.

Alexander Volkov has been much quieter about the whole situation. He’s been steadily climbing back up the rankings after suffering some setbacks in recent years. When asked about potentially fighting Almeida in a title eliminator, Volkov seemed open to the idea. The two fighters have apparently worked out most of the details already, with Almeida suggesting they could fight either in Abu Dhabi or Brazil. Both men are looking at October or November for the showdown, which would give them plenty of time to prepare for such a crucial bout. Almeida posted on social media that all parties involved are excited about the matchup.

“Good news are coming. Volkov already agreed. I said close to his home in Abu Dhabi, he said in my home in Brazil, both said October or November, so…let’s go! I like the fight, he likes the fight and UFC likes the fight! @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite”

Good news are comming…🙏Volkov already agreed. I said close to his home in Abu Dhabi, he said in my home in Brazil, both said october or november, so…lets go! I like the fight, he likes the fight and UFC likes the fight! @Mickmaynard2 @danawhite pic.twitter.com/k1CG6FOXPT
— Jailton Almeida “Malhadinho” (@Malhadinho_UFC) July 9, 2025

The enthusiasm from both fighters and the UFC suggests this fight is basically a done deal. It’s a smart move by the promotion to have two top contenders fight each other while the champion prepares for his next defense!

Who WIll Tom Aspnall Fight Next?

With Volkov and Almeida set to fight each other, that leaves Ciryl Gane as the most obvious choice for Aspinall’s first title defense. The French striker has been relatively quiet about the whole situation, but his silence might actually work in his favor.

This bad blood between the two fighters stems from Gane’s reluctance to fight Aspinall before the Brit won the interim title. Aspinall believes that Gane avoided him when he was trying to establish himself as a top contender. Now that roles have reversed, Aspinall holds all the power and Gane needs the fight more than ever.

If everything goes according to plan, fans could see Aspinall defend his title against Gane in the coming months, followed by a fight against the winner of Volkov vs Almeida later in the year. The new champion has expressed his desire to fight twice in 2025, which would bring some much needed activity to a division that has been stagnant for far too long!

(Image Credit: Jasmin Frank – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkov

Ciryl Gane

Jailton Almeida

Tom Aspinall

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!