UFC CEO Dana White didn’t mince words when discussing Alexander Volkov’s controversial split decision victory over Jailton Almeida at UFC 321. The heavyweight bout, which many considered a potential title eliminator, became a lightning rod for debate about scoring and effective grappling in mixed martial arts.
Despite Almeida securing multiple takedowns and controlling significant portions of all three rounds, the judges ultimately sided with Volkov by scores of 29-28, 29-28, and 28-29. White made his position crystal clear during the post-fight press conference, firmly supporting the judges’ decision.
“You can’t win a fight by just laying on top of somebody. That’s not how it works,” White stated in the post-bout interview. “So, I was actually very happy with the way the judges scored that fight.”
The comment drew attention to an ongoing conversation in MMA about the value of control time versus effective striking and damage. Almeida’s wrestling-heavy approach dominated the positional battle. But Volkov’s defensive composure and offensive output from bottom position—including sharp elbows and knees—apparently resonated more with the judges.
When pressed further about the match, White reinforced his stance: “You can’t win a fight by not doing anything. You can’t just lay on somebody and win a fight.”
His remarks echoed frustrations that fight commentators, including former fighter Ben Askren, expressed during the broadcast about Almeida’s lack of ground strikes despite his dominant positioning.
The victory reignites Volkov’s momentum in the heavyweight division after his own controversial split decision loss to Ciryl Gane in December. White had previously suggested Volkov deserved to win that match, making this victory particularly sweet for the Russian heavyweight.
However, White tempered expectations about Volkov’s title prospects. With the main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ending in a no-contest due to an eye poke, and a likely rematch on the horizon, Volkov’s path to a title shot remains uncertain.
“Unfortunately for Volkov, he won the fight tonight, which I thought he should have, but…the main event was a nightmare and doesn’t make him the number one contender right now,” White explained.
