Islam Makhachev's Manager Teases Blockbuster
Islam Makhachev's manager Ali Abdelaziz is teasing "one of the biggest fights in UFC right now" — explicitly ruling out Ian Garry as the opponent. Jean Silva vs. Aljamain Sterling is reportedly in the works for UFC 328. Turkish-Belgian heavyweight Gokhan Saricam signed for his UFC debut at UFC Winnipeg on April 18.
With Islam Makhachev now holding the welterweight title after defeating Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322, the list of potential challengers is short but star-studded. The Dagestani champion (28-1) previously cleared out the lightweight division with victories over top contenders like Charles Oliveira and Dustin Poirier before relinquishing that belt. The two names generating the most buzz for a "blockbuster" fight are former welterweight king Kamaru Usman and current lightweight champion Ilia Topuria. Makhachev himself has called Usman the "biggest name" and his potentially "hardest fight" at 170 pounds. A super-fight with Topuria would be a massive champion-vs-champion clash. While Usman and Topuria are the frontrunners, other welterweights are making their case. Undefeated Michael Morales recently strengthened his claim with a first-round knockout of Sean Brady at UFC 322. Carlos Prates, another powerful striker, is also in the conversation as a potential future challenger. The potential featherweight matchup between Jean Silva and Aljamain Sterling pits a rising star against an established former champion. Silva, a Brazilian knockout artist, has won all five of his UFC appearances via knockout, with his most recent victory coming over Bryce Mitchell. Former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has previously acknowledged how dangerous Silva is. In a past interview, Sterling admitted he didn't "want those problems" and called Silva a "tough cat to fight right now," adding intrigue to their potential booking. Making his debut in a separate heavyweight booking, Gokhan Saricam is a 35-year-old veteran of Bellator MMA where he compiled a record of 5-2. The Turkish-Belgian fighter holds a professional record of 11 wins and 2 losses, with eight of those victories coming by way of KO/TKO. Saricam is scheduled to face Canadian Tanner "The Bulldozer" Boser at UFC Winnipeg. The event marks the UFC's return to the Canadian city, and for Boser, it's a return to the promotion after his last fight in August 2023.
