Overview
- Multiple outlets report the heavyweight bout is being lined up for May 9 at Prudential Center in Newark, with formal UFC confirmation still pending.
- MMA Fighting says the event will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., and credits Leo Guimaraes with first reporting the matchup.
- The pairing is widely framed as a No. 1 contender fight as the division awaits clarity on the champion’s return timeline.
- Alexander Volkov has won five of his past six, rebounding from a controversial decision against Ciryl Gane with a split-decision win over Jailton Almeida.
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta enters on a surge that includes a January knockout of Derrick Lewis after a busy 2025 campaign with multiple finishes.