Alexander Volkov is hesitant to fight Jailton Almeida due to their current UFC rankings, despite Almeida’s eagerness and claim that Volkov’s refusal should lead to a shift in their rankings positions.
Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida are stirring up quite the rivalry. But will it all lead to a showdown in the octagon? Hmm, not if Volkov has his way.
The seasoned UFC heavyweight contender took to social media. He addressed rumors about a potential fight at a UFC event in Atlanta on June 14, as reported by MMA journalist Léo Guimaraes.
Volkov currently holds the No. 3 spot in the heavyweight rankings, while Almeida is sitting at No. 6. In Volkov’s eyes, a fight with Almeida just doesn’t add up given their current standings.
In a tweet, Volkov expressed his thoughts: “I don’t plan to fight Almeida in July yet. Why? Because I don’t see any point in fighting the 6th ranked fighter… Let’s wait for a more interesting offer.” A bit blunt, isn’t he?
On the flip side, Guilherme Cruz from MMA Fighting confirmed that Almeida’s camp is all in for the bout. But Volkov’s team? Not so much.
Almeida, eager to get into the cage with Volkov, took to social media himself. He made it crystal clear he’s ready for action.
“I already said yes to the UFC! And you Volkov? June 14, Atlanta Georgia!” Almeida tweeted. He brushed off ranking concerns, emphasizing his desire to fight Volkov despite Volkov’s recent loss.
Almeida’s on a roll with two consecutive first-round finishes against Serghei Spivac and Alexander Romanov. Meanwhile, Volkov’s coming off a split decision loss to Ciryl Gane after four straight wins.
Almeida didn’t stop there; he suggested that if Volkov refuses to defend his ranking spot, he should lose it. “If Volkov beats me, he will fight for the title,” Almeida argued. “The question is: Does he believe he can beat me?”
He even called for changes in how rankings are handled, suggesting fighters who refuse bouts should be penalized. “If Volkov refuses to fight me, I deserve to move ahead of him in the rankings,” Almeida claimed.
#3 Almeida ✅
#6 Volkov ✅
And so, the drama continues…