Top 5: Fighters on the Rise at UFC 324

Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s quest for legitimacy in the Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight division places him in harm’s way, directly in front of the man with the most knockouts in UFC history.

The fast-rising Dominican contender will take on Derrick Lewis in a featured UFC 324 attraction on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena, where he can cement himself as a Top 5 heavyweight and move ever closer to an improbable title shot. Cortes-Acosta, 34, has rattled off seven wins across his past eight appearances, a decision defeat to Sergei Pavlovich his only misstep. He last saw action at UFC Fight Night 265, where he needed just 82 seconds to punch out Shamil Gaziev on Nov. 22. It was the fastest finish of Cortes-Acosta’s 18-fight career. “Salsa Boy” held the Legacy Fighting Alliance heavyweight championship before he arrived in the UFC via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022.

The 13-fight lineup at UFC 324 features several fighters on the rise, with Cortes-Acosta at or near the front of the class. Four others to monitor:

Natalia Silva

Women’s Flyweight | 19-5-1 (7-0 UFC)
The burgeoning Team Borracha export finds herself within arm’s reach of a title shot as she approaches her latest assignment. Silva puts her remarkable 13-fight winning streak on the line when she confronts former women’s strawweight champion Rose Namajunas in a three-round showcase at 125 pounds. The 28-year-old Brazilian arrived in the UFC to restrained acclaim three-plus years ago, even as a onetime Jungle Fight titleholder. Silva has since bested all seven of her opponents: Jasmine Jasudavicius, Tereza Bleda, Victoria Leonardo, Andrea Lee, Viviane Araujo, Jessica Andrade and Alexa Grasso. A victory over Namajunas would likely put her in position to challenge reigning women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko later this year.

Jean Silva

Featherweight | 16-3 (5-1 UFC)
A recent hiccup notwithstanding, Silva remains one of the top under-30 talents on the UFC roster. The Fighting Nerds standout has fixed his sights on Arnold Allen in a three-round featherweight battle between Top 10 contenders at 145 pounds. Silva, 29, finds himself on the rebound after his first loss in more than seven years, as he was victimized by a spinning back elbow from Diego Lopes at UFC Fight Night 259 on Sept. 13. The setback snapped a 13-fight winning streak for the explosive Brazilian. Silva boasts 15 finishes among his 16 professional victories, 10 of them inside one round.

Ateba Abega Gautier

Middleweight | 9-1 (3-0 UFC)
Gautier carries all the earmarks of a future superstar at 185 pounds. The 23-year-old Manchester Top Team prospect heads into his latest test with momentum to spare, as he collides with Alexander Shlemenko protégé Andrey Pulyaev in a compelling middleweight prelim. Gautier has strung together eight straight wins, all of them by knockout. “The Silent Assassin” last competed on Oct. 4, when he put away Treston Vines with elbows and punches in the first round of their UFC 320 encounter. Gautier’s other UFC victories have come at the expense of Robert Valentin and Jose Medina.

Josh Hokit

Heavyweight | 7-0 (1-0 UFC)
Hokit has wasted no time in establishing himself as one of the more intriguing characters in the heavyweight division. He marches into his undercard clash opposite Denzel Freeman with a perfect professional record, with all seven of his wins having resulted in finishes. Hokit, 28, impressed in his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 264, where he cut down Max Gimenis with punches a mere 56 seconds into their Nov. 8 confrontation. The Jackson-Wink MMA rep wrestled collegiately and played football at Fresno State University, then enjoyed brief stints in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals.