Ranked #3 in the UFC heavyweight division, former Bellator heavyweight champ and longtime UFC standout Alexander Volkov (38-10) returns to action at UFC 310 on Saturday, paired up in what some have called a number one contender’s fight against Ciryl Gane.
The title eliminator status of that fight is far from certain, however, thanks in no small part to the question marks surrounding Jon Jones. Will he fight interim champ Tom Aspinall? Will he vacate the UFC heavyweight championship and take a super-fight with Alex Pereira? Will he hold the belt, but fight Pereira anyway? Or will he retire and ride off into the sunset?
Regardless, Alexander Volkov, whose own career may be stalled due to the Jones-Aspinall situation, feels it’s the interim champ who is more deserving of holding gold at heavyweight.
“In my opinion, Tom is more deserving the champion’s belt in heavyweight than Jon Jones,” Volkov said at Wednesday’s UFC 310 media day, speaking with outlets including Cageside Press. “I can’t say Jon Jones is a bad fighter or he can’t beat Tom Aspinall or something, but the way Tom Aspinall got [the title] at heavyweight, his way to take this belt at heavyweight, it was more honest to give him this.”
“Jon Jones kind of cut the line. He kind of [went] from the side, getting his first fight with Ciryl Gane for the belt, who already lost to [Francis] Ngannou who was the champion. And gets his belt, and then defends it from the number six ranked guy. Who, he was champion of course, Stipe Miocic, he’s a really good fighter, but he didn’t fight [for a] few years. It looks like more a super-fight then championship fight, so I think Tom Aspinall defends it more.”
Having said that, Alexander Volkov, closing in on 50 pro fights (this Saturday against Gane will mark #49), doesn’t see it as ducking if Jones ultimately decides not to fight Aspinall.
“Jon Jones, he can do everything he wants. He’s in a position— he has good money for fights, he has his own name, he has everything. The reason he doesn’t want to fight with Tom Aspinall is it doesn’t give him this legacy of all his fights by win, in case Tom Aspinall beats him. It’s a good reason. I don’t think he avoids Tom Aspinall, just kind of part of business.”
In the meantime, Alexander Volkov has a rematch with Gane to contend with. The fight didn’t exactly come as a surprise, despite the pair having fought in 2021. While the UFC might be reluctant to book rematches so close together, Volkov pointed out that “there was some time after our fight. Was it a surprise? Not really.”
While expressing his desire to fight Aspinall, the Jones situation has put that on hold for the time being. “Who else [is there] to fight with me? I mean, I’m on a win streak, I didn’t see anybody who can contend on a title shot like me or Ciryl Gane. It looks like a good fight for both of us to show who will be the next contender for the belt.”
Of course, when or if that title shot comes for the winner of Ciryl Gane vs. Alexander Volkov 2 comes down to the decision of the UFC, Aspinall, and “on the decision of Jon Jones, fighting with any of us heavyweights, or with Pereira,” noted Volkov. “I don’t know with who. So many ‘buts’ and ‘depends,’ I don’t really know about my future after this fight. I just will enjoy this fight.”