Few could have imagined that the much-hyped Abu Dhabi event, UFC 321, would go down as one of the “worst cards in UFC history.” While the prelims delivered with high-paced action and finishes, the main card failed to live up to the hype. The problems continued as the heavyweight clash between Alexander Volkov and Jailton Almeida ended in a close split decision, scored 28-29, 29-28, 29-28 in ‘Drago’s favor.

While Almeida repeatedly secured takedowns, Alexander Volkov kept working from the bottom, landing punches and elbows to stay active. ‘Malhadinho’s emphasis on control over damage drew criticism from fans, especially after judge Mike Bell’s scorecard went against Volkov — a decision many called unjustified. Adding to the discussion, former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman weighed in, breaking down why he believes Volkov was the rightful winner.

Kamaru Usman backs Alexander Volkov as the legitimate victor over Jailton Almeida

Ahead of UFC 321, Kamaru Usman had confidently picked Alexander Volkov to defeat Jailton Almeida — and the former welterweight champion’s prediction proved accurate. Following the event, Usman revisited his call on the Pound 4 Pound podcast on YouTube, where he analyzed the judges’ scorecards and explained why he believed ‘Drago’ rightfully earned the win. Breaking down the fight, Usman emphasized Volkov’s composure and activity even after being taken down early in the first round.

According to the Nigerian-American star, Alexander Volkov’s ability to stay active on the ground, work back to his feet, and dictate the striking exchanges was the difference-maker. “Volkov definitely won. Yes, he got taken down, but he kept wrestling. He wrestled up, got back to his feet, and landed the bigger, more damaging strikes in that first round. He was constantly trying to advance the fight, to advance position, to finish the fight. If we go back to total strikes, you’ll see that even when he was taken down and on his back, Volkov landed 123 strikes to Almeida’s 27,” said Usman.

Usman didn’t stop there, questioning Jailton Almeida’s lack of urgency and pointing out that ‘Drago’ displayed a much greater will to finish the fight. “That right there tells you who was trying to fight, who wanted to fight, who wanted to finish. Even when he was on his back in that second round, Volkov was threatening — he had him in a triangle at one point. Volkov worked in every position he was in,” Usman remarked.

The win marks an important rebound for Volkov, who had fallen short against Ciryl Gane last year. Now riding a 5-1 record in his last six UFC outings, the Russian veteran is once again positioning himself for a potential title run. However, due to the recent controversy surrounding the UFC 321 heavyweight main event between Tom Aspinall and Gane, Volkov might have to wait a bit longer for a championship shot.

Dana White satisfied with Volkov’s split-decision victory at UFC 321

For years, the heavyweight division has struggled to find consistency, with the title being defended only twice in more than 800 days during Jon Jones’ reign. When Jones announced his retirement earlier this summer, many hoped the division’s long streak of uncertainty would finally end. Instead, UFC 321 delivered more turmoil. The main event between Tom Aspinall and Ciryl Gane was cut short after a double eye poke forced a no-contest ruling, leaving fans frustrated once again.

Yet, amid the chaos, one bout managed to bring some redemption. Alexander Volkov’s gritty split-decision win over Jailton Almeida not only kept the Russian’s title aspirations alive but also earned high praise from UFC CEO Dana White. “‘I’m glad the judges gave [Volkov] the fight,’ White said at the UFC 321 post-fight press conference. ‘I think he deserved the fight. I think he won. You can’t win a fight by not doing anything. You can’t just lay on somebody and win a fight. That’s not how it works. I was actually very happy with the way judges scored that fight.’”

Still, beyond Volkov’s win, the judging throughout UFC 321 sparked plenty of debate. Did the officials truly deliver fair decisions across the card, or were some fighters robbed of their rightful outcomes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.