Maybe it’s really true – what goes around eventually comes around. For Alexander Volkov, who turned 37 just two days ago, this must be the sweetest birthday yet. Fighting on the main card of UFC 321: Aspinall vs. Gane, he finally convinced the judges to award him a victory over Brazilian fighter Jailton Almeida. It didn’t take long before deja vu struck fans and celebrities alike, who recalled last year’s nightmare. Despite a convincing performance from Volkov, the judges had awarded his last fight to Ciryl Gane.

Alexander Volkov returned to the cage after a ten-month break following his bout with Ciryl Gane, who headlines the card tonight. With even Dana White stepping in to offer support and apologies to Volkov over the disputed scorecard, last year’s controversy still lingers in many minds.

Alexander Volkov rewrites the script at UFC 321 after the Ciryl Gane setback

While a few questioned the scoring, 29-28 twice in Volkov’s favor and one 28-29 for Almeida, most appeared to agree with the decision, feeling that the Brazilian heavyweight hadn’t done enough to secure a win. Former UFC title challenger and now leading analyst Dan Hardy didn’t mince words: “Good decision. I like Volkov.  Almeida acted like he was terrified of fighting.  Weak performance from him.”

The three-round bout between the heavyweight division’s number two-ranked contender and the fifth-ranked Almeida went the distance. Almeida showcased his wrestling skills, but without a finish, Volkov handled most of the striking.

Considering how the last of the preliminary bouts ended, the verdict of the main card fight may not have been to Dana White’s liking. Still, one cannot ignore last year’s incident. Volkov and Gane met for the second time. While their first outing resulted in the Frenchman’s unanimous victory, the rematch nonetheless left some questions unanswered.

Here’s how some of the UFC’s well-known names reacted to the UFC 321 Volkov vs. Almeida results.

From controversy to cheers: fans and celebrities salute Alexander Volkov

Though he has been recovering from a debilitating medical condition, “Funky” Ben Askren keeps himself abreast of all the latest UFC happenings. Regarding the Volkov-Almeida fight, he was certain: “No way in hell Jailton Almeida won that fight; I don’t care how long he was on top for!!!” As a wrestler himself, Askren could spot the loopholes in the Brazilian’s performance.

Another grappling ace, Henry Cejudo, echoed similar views: “Almeida will never sniff a title shot with this lack of activity on the ground. He hasn’t taken any risks, and he’s landed very little damage in this fight. This is MMA, not BJJ.” Had Almeida combined a few strikes with his grappling, the scores might have tilted in his favor.

However, some, like Chael Sonnen, saw it differently. He summed it up in a single word: “Robbery.” Setting aside last year’s fight, today’s performance does show that Volkov battled through Almeida’s takedowns. He may have fallen short in the clinch, still needing to throw better punches, but he prevented the Brazilian from securing any submissions. A clear plus for which he should be rewarded.

The echoes of the past, however, still resonated. One fan wrote, “Lmaooo, Refs gave Volkov that one for screwing him against Gane.” It was inevitable. Perhaps had Gane or Volkov not been on the same card, the memories wouldn’t have been so strong.

Likewise, Ariel Helwani felt the decision was appropriate. “No issues with the decisions at all,” he said before adding, “I’m glad the judges didn’t reward the lay and pray—but just a tough watch.”

Clearly, it’s a big comeback for Alexander Volkov.

While the discourse around sweet revenge may linger, what matters more is how he plans his next move, especially with a heavyweight title defense looming. Fans should watch closely; UFC’s premier weight class is poised for some intriguing developments.

What are your thoughts on Volkov’s UFC 321 victory?