6 Upset Picks for UFC 328, Including Bad News For Khamzat Chimaev Fans

Green will outbox Stephens, but is at a big risk of getting the restart button pressed.

Jim Miller defeats Jared Gordon

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UFC 328 features a matchup of tri-state greybeards when 42-year-old Jim Miller takes on 37-year-old Jared Gordon. Gordon, the New York native, is a solid favorite because his New Jersey opponent is trying to squeeze out every bit of what’s left in his body as a pro athlete.

Miller’s win over Damon Jackson in 2024 shows he is still dangerous. And Gordon having just eight knockouts in 21 wins is another big plus for Miller’s well-aged chin. While he might struggle in Round 1, look for Miller to eventually use his grappling and grind out an upset win in front of his home state fans.

Roman Kopylov defeats Marco Tulio Silva

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Roman Kopylov is a sleeper underdog to keep an eye on at UFC 328. He has lost his last two and is facing a dangerous striker in Marco Tulio Silva, who had four-straight KO wins before a surprise loss in November. Plus Silva is four years younger.

However, the devil is in the details, and Kopylov’s defeats came against high-level competition in Gregory Rodrigues and Paulo Costa. The Russian is also a very skilled striker with legit knockout talent. Look for him to use it and get back in the win column on Saturday.

William Gomis defeats Pat Sabbatini

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Talented grappler Pat Sabbatini returns to action on Saturday at UFC 328 and is a solid favorite against France’s William Gomis. We all know how a lot of Western European talents struggle with grapplers, and that is probably why the American is the favorite.

However, Sabbatini will turn 36 later this year, and age creeps on fighters fast, especially at the lower weight classes. Gomis is a skilled striker and good athlete who will do just enough to avoid takedowns and will eke out a decision win in New Jersey.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeats Alexander Volkov

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One of the big fights at UFC 328 — in terms of relevance and sheer size — is the heavyweight clash between top contender Alexander Volkov and red-hot Dominican Waldo Cortes-Acosta. A case could be made that the winner should be next in line for a title fight if Tom Aspinall’s eyes are not yet ready for a return in the fall.

Volkov’s length is always a big problem for foes, and he knows how to use it well. However, Cortes-Acosta is a small underdog because he has scored three-straight KO wins and is a far better athlete than he looks. Volkov should win because of his length and experience, but we see an upset coming because of “Salsa Boy’s” speed and athleticism advantages.

Sean Strickland defeats Khamzat Chimaev

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All eyes will be on the UFC 328 main event clash between Strickland and Chimaev on Saturday because they offer big tests for each other. Can the American be the first man to slow down and upend Chimaev’s wrestling onslaught? What does “Borz” do if he can’t wrestle his way to victory and has to go into the deep end of the pool with a man who has the best gas tank in the division?

The interesting thing about this matchup is that they have trained together, so Strickland has a sense of Chimaev’s strength and techniques. That is a huge plus for him. Don’t be surprised if the former champion loses the first three rounds, but his gas tank and output turn the tide in the second half of the fight, and he eventually overwhelms Chimaev to get a shocking TKO win in the fifth round.

Chimaev is a big favorite and should win, but there are unique elements of this fight that make him a worthwhile risk to bet against.

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