UFC 321 features a heavyweight title fight at the top and the winner of that bout might already know who they’ll be defending against in the near future.
Division champion Tom Aspinall faces Ciryl Gane in Saturday’s main event, with three other heavyweight bouts scheduled for the Abu Dhabi lineup. Also on the main card, Alexander Volkov fights Jailton Almeida with a potential title shot on the line.
Former UFC champions Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman broke down the stakes of the Volkov vs. Almeida contest on their Pound 4 Pound podcast and they strongly feel whoever wins that fight is the true No. 1 contender.
“There’s a lot of things that the UFC needs to do to really start getting more of those big names at the heavyweight division, because you’re right, there’s lot of people have left,” Cejudo said. “Retirements. Guys that were at the top are no longer at the top.
“Heavyweight does need some restructuring, but I will say this: Volkov and Almeida is the No. 1 contender fight. Winner fights for the title next.”
It’s a fact that the UFC’s heavyweight division has lost a number of notable names over the past few years. Jon Jones retired as undisputed champion, resulting in Aspinall being promoted up from interim status and then booked to defend against Gane. All-time great Stipe Miocic retired following a loss to Jones this past November. And top star Francis Ngannou parted ways with the promotion in 2023 to sign with PFL.
That leaves the contender circle wide open, if only due to a lack of compelling options for Saturday’s main event winner. Volkov competes in his 50th pro bout at UFC 321 and were it not for a recent controversial split decision loss to Gane, he’d be on a five-fight win streak. Almeida has won two straight and eight of nine in the UFC, with six of those wins coming by way of knockout or submission in the opening round.
Cejudo leans towards Volkov to get the job done.
“With heavyweights, it always comes down to power for the most part, for about 90 percent of it,” Cejudo said. “Who’s more precise? Volkov’s been around for a minute but I know Almeida, he’s been around too, but not as much as Volkov. His last fight against Gane, even Dana White said, ‘I apologize, you got f’d in that fight, but I’m going to treat you like if you won. So this could be the No. 1 contender. The winner of this fight between Volkov and Almeida could determine who’s going to fight for that title next.
“And I like Almeida, I just feel like Volkov is just a little too big and he’s gone up against better and tougher competition. He’s got size. As big as Almeida is, Volkov just has size on everybody and if he can use that correctly I can see him winning this fight via decision. Almeida’s going to be a hard dude to put away.”
Usman favors Almeida, but acknowledged that no matter who wins, they have big shoes to fill considering some of the marquee names that have stood atop the heavyweight mountain.
“I’m going to go with Jailton Almeida,” Usman said. “I think his relentless ability to get to the takedown or in pursuit of it to eventually get you down or submit you or punch your lights out, I’m going to go with Jailton Almeida. I think Volkov, there’s just too much of a target there. Volkov is very, very good, really precise striker, but it’s not big power there that ‘Oh, I touch you, I put you away’ like that. It takes maybe a combination or an accumulation of punches to potentially get you out of there, so I’m going to go with Jailton Almeida. And I do agree with you, I think this is a No. 1 contender match because as you can tell, every so often divisions start to get kind of a—what do you call it?—You gut it and you refurbish it. I feel like that’s kind of what we’re getting right here in the heavyweight division right now.
“Because in a division there’s no Jon Jones, in a division you don’t have a Francis Ngannou, in a division you don’t have a Stipe Miocic, in a division you don’t have a Daniel Cormier, in a division you don’t really have Derrick Lewis at the top of the division like you had before. So I feel like we’re kind of going through a refurbishing right now of that division, so I’m excited to see which guys are willing to step up and be that next guy to challenge for that title next.”
Wait. Dana White shoots down Ilia Topuria vs. Paddy Pimblett rumors.
Mailbag. MMA Fighting’s Jed Meshew tries to figure out what can be done with MMA officiating.
Bizarre. The French MMA Federation wants to ding Patchy Mix after he tested positive for marijuana, but the decision isn’t cut and dry.
Pressure. Jon Anik can’t imagine how big the backlash will be if Tom Aspinall is upset at UFC 321.
Shame. Brendan Allen says he would never quit on his stool like Reinier de Ridder did.
Cancel. UFC 321 loses a lightweight bout.
Free. Two-time PFL tournament champion Larissa Pacheco is a free agent.
MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck chops it up with Jon Anik.
UFC 321 press conference, staredowns, and official weigh-ins.
More behind-the-scenes footage with the champ.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Iwo vs. Ibo? Fine. BUT WE WANT ASLAN VS. ERSLAN.
Where’s James Gallagher been? Well, since you asked…
Two title fights and what has to be a No. 1 contender bout at 135 pounds. Pretty good card!
Gives us your predictions.
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