The heavyweight fight between ranked contenders Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida will be featured in the main card of UFC 321 on Oct. 25, which will take place inside Etihad Arena in Yas Island, UAE.

Almeida heads into the match as the betting favorite with -230 UFC odds because of his two-fight win streak, while Volkov is the +185 betting underdog as he dropped his previous fight last December.

UFC 321: Volkov vs. Almeida Odds

Alexander Volkov: +185
Jailton Almeida: -230

UFC 321: Volkov vs. Almeida: Prediction

I predict a submission victory for Almeida against Volkov because he has better wrestling and grappling skills than the Russian contender. Over half of Almeida’s wins were via submissions, and I think that he’ll add Volkov to that list.

Almeida has proved that once he gets a hold of his opponents, he will surely work his way into a submission maneuver. What helped him move quicker than the rest of the heavyweight contenders is that he doesn’t max out the weight limit of 265 pounds.

The Brazilian fighter only fights around 230-240 pounds, which greatly helps not only his speed but also his stamina. Additionally, he has decent striking skills, especially his boxing. Almeida can perfectly time a takedown against Volkov if he closes the distance effectively.

On the other hand, Volkov has done an incredible job of fully maximizing his height, reach, and leg reach advantages in his fights. However, his stamina and takedown defense have always been the holes in his fighting style.

Alexander Volkov’s Recent Fight Results

Volkov is an MMA veteran who made his pro debut in 2009. He had fought in various fight organizations before signing with the UFC in 2016. He made his octagon debut against Tim Johnson and eked out a split decision victory.

Since then, he has won 11 of his 16 fights, and several of his most notable wins were against Fabricio Werdum, Alistair Overeem, Tai Tuivasa, and Sergei Pavlovich. His most recent match resulted in a decision loss to Ciryl Gane in their rematch last December at UFC 310.

Jailton Almeida’s Recent Fight Results

Almeida was a product of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021 when he submitted Nasrudin Nasrudinov to earn a UFC contract. Once he made his octagon debut, he quickly racked up six straight victories to crack a spot in the division’s rankings.

In March 2024, he suffered his first loss in the UFC with a second-round stoppage loss to Curtis Blaydes. But he instantly bounced back with back-to-back victories against Alexander Romanov and Serghei Spivac.

UFC 321: Volkov vs. Almeida: Tale of the Tape

Alexander VolkovJailton AlmeidaAge3634Height6’7”6’3”Reach80 inches79 inchesLeg Reach47.5 inches43.5 inchesRecord38-1122-3Fighting StyleBrazilian jiu-jitsuWrestlerFinishing Rate74%95%

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