Despite boasting an unblemished 19-0 record, Movsar Evloev remains sidelined from the UFC title conversation. The Dagestani standout had been vocal about his championship ambitions after a hard-fought win over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 310 last December. And when Alexander Volkanovski retained his featherweight crown at UFC 314, the reigning champ even expressed interest in defending his belt against the rising Russian contender—calling it a fight that would add to his “legacy.”

But despite the apparent mutual interest, the UFC seems to have hit pause on Evloev’s momentum — a move that’s drawn fiery criticism from his manager, Ali Abdelaziz. “If you’re a UFC fighter and truly believe you’re the best in the world, then you have to take every fight they offer — no risk, no reward. See you guys in July, it’s ON. #AbuDhabi,” Evloev wrote on X, shocking fans and analysts alike. Just days earlier, he had teased a major update on Instagram.

Now, it seems the UFC has different plans for both Volkanovski and Evloev. In a follow-up post, Evloev tagged the champ, saying: “@alexvolkanovski thank you Champ for trying to fight me. I will fight in July, and you fight in September. Hopefully, we both win — and we can meet in December.” Though Evloev appears to have reluctantly accepted a new timeline, which might have been brokered by Hunter Campbell, his manager isn’t staying silent.

Speaking to Submission Radio, Abdelaziz didn’t hold back: “I’ve just begun managing Movsar, right? And I already have a roadmap for him. I’ve done it before with Islam, Khabib, and Belal — guys who took the long way to become champions. Movsar’s no different.”

Then came the jab at UFC brass: “There’s no other rightful contender than Movsar—it doesn’t even exist. Who’s Lopez? He beat him. Allen? He beat him. Aljamain? He beat him. He’s run through everyone. It’s unfair. It’s unjust.”

As of now, the UFC has yet to announce Evloev’s next opponent. But one thing is clear—a co-main event slot in Abu Dhabi might be his final hurdle before a long-overdue title shot. Well, who is his opponent? Are there any guesses? Jean Silva has come forward to answer that question.

Jean Silva explains the timeline for himself and Movsar Evloev

While speaking with his audience, Jean Silva discussed a potential opponent for Movsar Evloev and also provided an update on himself. “I think Evloev will fight Aaron Pico… then Yair Rodriguez vs Volkanovski. Then it’s just me and Diego, you know? That’s what I think the UFC might do. I’m not sure. But in my opinion, I think that’s what makes sense right now.”

If you remember correctly, there were rumors that Aaron Pico was supposed to fight Movsar Evloev down the line, but those rumors were sidelined after the Russian blatantly denied them. However, according to Pico, the fight was indeed in the works, but Evloev eventually pulled out, “I mean, I got a phone call from Ali (Abdelaziz) saying, ‘Hi, can you fight on May 17?’ And I said, ‘Of course.’ And then I just said, ‘Who am I fighting against?’ He said, ‘Movsar.’ And I said, ‘Of course. That’s a great fight for me,” said Pico.

As the latest signee of the promotion, Aaron Pico is eager to make a statement. If the UFC matches him up with Movsar Evloev, we could be in for a banger—a classic showdown between a dominant grappler and a knockout artist. What are your thoughts on the buzz? Share your opinion in the comments below.