UFC 328 fights to watch: The best undercard bouts to catch before Khamzat Chimaev vs. Sean Strickland

Volkov is in rare form. He's 5-1 in his last six. The blemish is a heavily disputed split decision loss to Gane that even UFC CEO Dana White protested. Cortes-Acosta is one of the breakout contenders of the last two years. This fight will be his seventh in 14 months, almost all of which he's won by knockout. His appetite for fighting up or down the division on a moment's notice has earned him favor with hardcore fans and the promotion. Now, he can punch his ticket to a UFC title.

King Green vs. Jeremy Stephens

These two old dogs, who both turn 40 this year, have bark and bite. Age has not dulled their appetite for action. Green and Stephans have 105 combined professional mixed martial arts fights, not including Stephens' bare-knuckle detours. Green has looked impressive lately, turning back prospects Lance Gibson Jr. and Daniel Zellhuber. Stephens, who made a surprise UFC return last year, hasn't won in MMA since 2022; however, he flourished in BKFC. Green's style is marvelous to watch: low hands and a Philly shell. It should pair wonderfully with Stephens' earth-shattering power. It's crucial to catch a fight like this while it's still available.

Joel Alvarez vs. Yarsoslav Amosov

A decade later, Bellator champions are still chasing the shadow of Eddie Alvarez. Not since July 2016 has a Bellator champion won the UFC title. Michael Chandler got close, Patricio Pitbull joined the promotion too late and Patchy Mix imploded. Aside from Volkov, Amosov is their next great hope. The former Bellator welterweight champion cruised through Neil Magny and will be within striking distance of the ranking if he beats his next opponent.

Alvarez might be the best welterweight without a number next to his name. He's 8-1 in the UFC with seven promotions. His only loss is to Arman Tsarukyan, the consensus best lightweight not named Ilia Topuria. He'll need everything to stop Amosov, who famously rescued the Bellator title from his mother's home while defending war-torn Ukraine from Russia.

Honorable mentions: Sean Brady vs. Joaquin Buckley, Ateba Gautier vs. Ozzy Diaz