Fighters on the Rise | UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs Yan 2
Sadykhov stands out as one of the sport’s rising talents.
Known as “The Black Wolf,” he endured a rough pro debut, being submitted in the first round. Since then, he has stitched together a 12-fight unbeaten run, highlighted by six victories in strong regional promotions that earned him a shot on Season 6 of Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). He secured his UFC berth with a third-round finish. Now 31, the lightweight has compiled a 4-0-1 record since joining the UFC, including two stoppage wins split by a majority draw with Viacheslav Borshchev at UFC 295. He started with Team Serra-Longo and now trains at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas.
Injuries and unfortunate timing kept him inactive in 2024, but he returned with clear purpose in 2025. In February, he opened his bout with Ismael Bonfim in Las Vegas with a brutal question-mark kick that swelled Bonfim’s eye shut and halted the fight. Four months later, Sadykhov delivered a career-highlight moment on home soil in Baku, Azerbaijan. There, he and Nikolas Motta produced one of the most entertaining two-round wars you’ll see, with Sadykhov earning the local crowd’s cheers as he walked away with a Fight of the Night bonus and a Performance of the Night bonus for his efforts.
A relentless striker with serious grit, the main knock on the emerging lightweight is a tendency to start a bit slowly. Once he finds his rhythm, though, Sadykhov becomes a relentless force, pressing forward and pressing his opponents until they crack.
Ziam lands in Las Vegas riding a five-fight win streak but has stagnated somewhat in the pursuit of a Top 15 spot. The 28-year-old Lyon, France resident, who hasn’t fought since February when he defeated Mike Davis, has clearly evolved since his UFC arrival. Yet “Smile Killer” remains a dangerous, underappreciated threat who could derail Sadykhov’s momentum this weekend.
Just as a win over Blachowicz wouldn’t instantly propel Guskov into a title chase, a victory on Saturday isn’t guaranteed to vault Sadykhov into the UFC’s Top 15. Still, it could position him for a ranked matchup in 2026 amid a stacked 155-pound division.
Mansur Abdul-Malik
If this year’s DWCS Class of ’24 has shown anything, it’s that the cohort is already proving its mettle. The group has accumulated a combined 46 victories among UFC rooks, with several Season 8 graduates showing potential as long-term title contenders.
Saturday’s full fight card preview (https://www.ufc.com/news/fight-fight-preview-ufc-323-dvalishvili-vs-yan-2)
Abdul-Malik has been among the first wave from last season’s graduating class to step into the Octagon. Thirteen months after his debut, this middleweight prospect returns on Saturday to face Antonio Trocoli, aiming to stay undefeated and record his third UFC win.
