Sep 9, 2023; Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA; Alexander Volkov (blue gloves) reacts during his fight with Tai Tuivasa (red gloves) in UFC 293 at Qudos Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasmin Frank-USA TODAY Sports

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Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida To Lock Horns For Major Heavyweight Bout For UFC 321

Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida targeted for UFC 321. Get to know the implications of this fight on the heavyweight division!

The UFC heavyweight division has been a bit of a mess lately. Tom Aspinall holds the undisputed title while Jon Jones keeps flip flopping on retirement. Curtis Blaydes is still lurking around the top rankings. Meanwhile, several contenders have been circling each other like vultures, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The division needs clarity, and title eliminators are one way to get it.

Two of the most dangerous heavyweights have finally agreed to settle their differences in the octagon. Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida have been hinting at the fight for months, with each man claiming he wants to fight the other. Sometimes these call outs turn into nothing more than social media noise. But this time, the UFC listened and decided to give fans exactly what they wanted to see.

Alexander Volkov vs Jailton Almeida For The Title Eliminator

Alexander Volkov knows he’s running out of time to make his mark in the heavyweight division. The Russian fighter has been knocking on the door of title contention for years without quite getting there. At 36 years old, he doesn’t have the luxury of waiting around for perfect opportunities. Every fight matters now, and this clash with Almeida could be his ticket back to the top.

Volkov was riding high on a four fight winning streak before Ciryl Gane spoiled his party in December. That loss stung badly and it was controversial too, which probably made it even harder to swallow. The Russian heavyweight took some time off after that setback. Now he’s ready to get back in there and prove that one loss doesn’t define him. Standing 6’7″ with a 81 inch reach, Volkov uses his size and technical striking to pick apart opponents. His jab is like a piston that keeps firing all night long.

Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov have signed on for a key heavyweight bout at #UFC321 💥 pic.twitter.com/vH4D2YgnUr
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 16, 2025

Jailton Almeida represents the new generation of heavyweights who refuse to be patient. The Brazilian fighter has been steamrolling through opponents since moving up to heavyweight in late 2022. He has won five of six fights with four finishes in the division.

Almeida bounced back beautifully from his TKO loss to Curtis Blaydes in March 2024. He returned with back to back wins over Alexandr Romanov and Serghei Spivac. The Brazilian publicly stated that Volkov turned him down for a June fight in Atlanta. Now they are finally going to settle it on October 26th at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

This fight is for the title eliminator at heavyweight. With this announcement, it is practically guaranteed that Ciryl Gane will be next for challenging for the heavyweight belt against Tom Aspinall.

(Image Credit: Jasmin Frank – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkov

Jailton Almeida

UFC 321

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!