Baysangur Susurkayev targets top-15 opponent after UFC 328

Baysangur Susurkayev used his UFC 328 media day appearance to set his sights beyond this weekend, declaring his intention to pursue a top-15 ranked opponent in the middleweight division once he gets past Jorden Santos on Saturday night.

Susurkayev enters the bout viewing it as a launching pad rather than a destination. A win over Santos, he made clear, is the step he needs to demand higher-profile matchups and begin climbing the divisional ladder in earnest.

Among the names floated in commentary around his ambitions is Roman Dolidze, the Georgian middleweight currently ranked twelfth in the division. Dolidze, 37, fights out of Xtreme Couture and carries a professional record of 15-5. Standing six-foot-two with a 76-inch reach, he is a physically imposing orthodox fighter who lands 3.19 significant strikes per minute and adds 1.16 takedowns per 15 minutes to his game. Whether Susurkayev is ready for that level of competition remains an open question, though the ambition behind the callout is clear.

Why it matters

• A convincing win over Santos this weekend would give Susurkayev a credible platform to demand a ranked opponent
• Dolidze sits at number 12 in the middleweight rankings, making him a reachable but meaningful step up in competition
• The stylistic contrast between a reaching, striking-minded fighter in Dolidze and Susurkayev's own profile could produce an intriguing matchup further down the line
• No official negotiations or timelines have been confirmed; the callout remains aspirational at this stage