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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Frustrated And Fed Up, Alexander Volkov Takes Aim At Jon Jones’ Heavyweight Reign And Inactivity

Alexander Volkov calls out Jon Jones’ uncertainty in the heavyweight division, says it’s holding the division hostage!

The UFC heavyweight division feels like a traffic jam on a busy weekday right now. Jon Jones became the heavyweight champion back in March 2023 when he submitted Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. That victory marked his move up from light heavyweight, where he had dominated for years before some legal troubles and a brief retirement. But since winning the belt, Jones has defended it just once against 42-year-old Stipe Miocic in November 2024. Meanwhile, interim champion Tom Aspinall sits on the sidelines with his own belt. The rest of the division watches their careers tick away. Alexander Volkov has had enough of this waiting game.

The 36-year-old Russian heavyweight sits at number three in the rankings and knows his window for a title shot is getting smaller every day. Volkov recently spoke out about his frustration with Jones holding up the entire division. He pointed out that other weight classes in the UFC move like a well-oiled machine, with champions staying active and contenders getting their chances. But the heavyweight division has turned into a standstill because Jones seems more interested in picking his fights than defending his belt regularly.

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Alexander Volkov’s Take On Jon Jones

Volkov’s complaints aren’t just sour grapes from a fighter who wants his shot. The numbers back up his frustration. Jones won the title in March 2023 and didn’t defend it for almost two years. When he finally did defend it, he chose to fight Miocic instead of the much more deserving Aspinall. Dana White and the UFC promoted it as a legacy fight, but most fans saw it as Jones taking an easy payday.

“As a fighter, of course, I have a negative opinion about the delay of the Jones-Aspinall fight, because my chances to fight for the championship title are getting smaller, and time is running out…That is why I am unhappy. So I would have had a chance to test myself in a title fight a long time ago, if it were not for Jon Jones.” Volkov told ChampionAT.

Alexander Volkov voices his frustration over the heavyweight title situation:

"Of course I have a negative opinion about the delay of the Jones-Aspinall fight, because my chances to fight for the championship title are getting smaller, and time is running out.

In other weight… pic.twitter.com/ydzm2OxKIB
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 24, 2025

The Russian heavyweight understands the business side of fighting. He admits that if he were in Jones’ position, he would probably do the same thing. Jones has built up enough star power and leverage to call his own shots. He can demand huge paydays and pick opponents who don’t pose serious threats to his reign. But Volkov wonders why the UFC continues to let Jones operate this way when it’s clearly damaging the division’s momentum.

The situation becomes even more ridiculous when you consider that Aspinall holds the interim belt and has been waiting patiently for his unification bout. The British fighter won his interim title by knocking out Sergei Pavlovich in just 69 seconds. He is young, hungry, and represents a serious threat to Jones. Yet Jones seems more interested in social media drama than actually fighting the most dangerous contender in the division.

(Image Credit: Jasmin Frank – Imagn Images)

Alexander Volkov

Jon Jones

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!