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.<\/p>
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<\/a> 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.<\/p>