Two top middleweight prospects among UFC 328 fighters to watch

The Octagon travels to Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., this Saturday for UFC 328.

The stacked card features dual title fights at the top of the bill, with middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland in the main event.

Men’s flyweight champion Joshua Van vs. Tatsuro Taira in the co-main event in a championship matchup originally scheduled for UFC 327 but later moved to this weekend.

The two title fights are the most notable bouts on the card, of course, but we are here to analyze the fights and fighters flying under the radar.

With 13 bouts scheduled to take place, there are plenty of other athletes you will want to know about before you watch UFC 328 this weekend, including two of the most hyped young middleweights in the sport who are featured in separate bouts on the preliminary card.

Ateba Gautier (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC)

Middleweight prospect Ateba Gautier is someone who UFC president Dana White and the matchmakers are extremely high on, and for good reason. At just 24 years of age, the Cameroon native has drawn comparisons to fellow countryman Francis Ngannou for his chiseled physique and his incredible knockout power. In 10 career victories, Gautier has won eight fights by knockout, including three first-round stoppage wins inside the Octagon.

The UFC has put Gautier in the featured preliminary card bout against Ozzy Diaz, so there will be plenty of eyeballs on “The Storm” in this fight. It’s a smart move for the promotion to put someone who could be a middleweight star for many years to come in this prominent spot on a card headlined by the promotion’s two best fighters in his weight class.

Gautier is once again the biggest betting favorite on the card, so it’s pretty clear what the UFC is trying to do here. It’s a set-up spot for Gautier, and one that he should win with flying colours. If he does win as expected and moves to 5-0 in the UFC, look for him to get a top-15 opponent his next time out. Keep your eyes on Gautier this weekend, as he could be holding the UFC middleweight title one day.

Baisangur Susurkaev (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC)

Another middleweight to keep your eye on is Baisangur Susurkaev. The 25-year-old Russian burst onto the scene last year when he won on Dana White’s Contender Series last August, and then made his UFC debut four days later at UFC 319. He won his first fight by submission and then followed it up with a knockout win two months later. After taking six months off to rest up and improve in the gym, “Hunter” returns this Saturday against Brazilian Djorden Santos.

Like Gautier against Diaz, the UFC has given Susurkaev a favourable matchup against someone that he should style on – and he’s the second-biggest betting favourite on the card. If you don’t know who Susurkaev is yet, then you will know who he is after UFC 328, as this is a fight he should absolutely win, and likely show off his world-class striking skills in the process.

Marco Tulio (14-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC)

Also, don’t forget about middleweight Marco Tulio. The 31-year-old Brazilian won two fights on Dana White’s Contender Series to earn a UFC contract, and since he’s joined the organization he has proven to be one of the most dangerous strikers at 185 pounds.

In his UFC debut in January 2025, Tulio knocked out Ihor Potieria in the first round, and he followed that up with an eye-opening, second-round finish over Tresean Gore in his sophomore UFC effort. While he did lose his third fight to Christian Leroy Duncan, “CLD” is one of the best up-and-coming middleweights in the sport, so Tulio’s stock didn’t drop too much from that loss.

At UFC 328, Tulio takes on dangerous Russian striker Roman Kopylov in an explosive fight that could be in “Fight of the Night” contention. Both Tulio and Kopylov prefer to stand and trade, so the fans are sure to be in store for an incredible fight that could easily be bonus-worthy.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta (17-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC)

One of the hottest fighters in the UFC these days is heavyweight Waldo Cortes-Acosta. In 2025, the 34-year-old native of the Dominican Republic fought an astounding five times, winning four of those fights, including three by knockout. He has won his last three fights in a row by KO/TKO, earning him the chance to fight Alexander Volkov in the last bout on the UFC 328 main card before the title fights.

Cortes-Acosta has a unique athletic background, as he was once a minor-league pitcher in the Cincinnati Reds’ system. Although his baseball career did not pan out, he has made a name for himself in the UFC in a short amount of time. After winning a UFC contract after an impressive win on the Contender Series in 2022, Cortes-Acosta is already 12 fights deep into his UFC career, having won 10 of those bouts, including five knockouts.

We all know Dana White loves fighters who stay active, and no one has been more active inside at heavyweight than Cortes-Acosta. He has a tall task – literally – in front of him at UFC 328 in the form of the six-foot-seven Volkov, but if “Salsa Boy” can get his hand raised, he would be no more than one more win away from fighting for the UFC heavyweight title.

Yaroslav Amosov (29-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC)

Former Bellator MMA welterweight champion Yaroslav Amosov signed with the UFC last year, and he immediately jumped into the top-15 rankings with a first-round submission win over Neil Magny in his promotional debut. It was a terrific start for the 32-year-old Ukrainian inside the UFC, and it earned him a fight against the dangerous Joel Alvarez at UFC 328.

Amosov is known for his strong wrestling and vicious ground game, having won 21 out of his 29 career victories by stoppage. Alvarez, meanwhile, has won 22 out of his 23 career wins by stoppage, so it’s obvious why the UFC matchmakers put these two together. Combined, Amosov and Alvarez have 43 finishes out of their 52 victories, meaning fans can expect another stoppage on Saturday night. Amosov, of course, is hoping it’s him who gets that finish.

Should Amosov impressively defeat Alvarez, look for him to fight up in the welterweight rankings. He is currently ranked at No. 14, so he could potentially be in line for a top-10 foe in his next fight if he beats Alvarez. Conversely, for Alvarez, a win over Amosov would help him break into rankings at welterweight. Therefore, this is a critical fight in both fighters' careers, which should lead to an incredible match for the fans to watch play out.

Pat Sabatini (21-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC)

Finally, keep your eye on featherweight Pat Sabatini. The 35-year-old Pennsylvania native is 10 fights into his UFC career at this point, but he is still improving, having won his last three fights in a row. A big win at UFC 328, and Sabatini could finally break into the rankings at 145 pounds.

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt known for his incredibly slick ground game, Sabatini has won 12 fights by submission in his MMA career, including three tapout wins in the UFC. He has lost a couple of key fights during his UFC career that have kept him outside the top 15 to this point, but with a big win in Newark that could finally change.

Sabatini takes on Frenchman William Gomis on the prelims in a featherweight fight between two solid talents. With a win here, Sabatini will have a four-fight win streak in his back pocket, and he would surely be in line for a ranked opponent in his next fight if he can defeat “The Jaguar.”