Dana White’s Contender Series has once again delivered a promising talent in Baisangur Susurkaev. Making his UFC debut at UFC 319 in Chicago, the middleweight prospect faced fellow newcomer Eric Nolan in the featured prelim. Fresh off earning his UFC contract just four days earlier, Baisangur Susurkaev wasted no time proving himself on the big stage, securing a submission win at 2:01 of Round 2 for his first promotional victory.

The fight itself was a roller coaster. Baisangur Susurkaev entered loose and lighthearted, but Nolan quickly reminded him of the UFC’s unforgiving stage by rocking him near the end of the first round. Though visibly rattled, Susurkaev stayed composed, regrouped, and returned sharper in the second. He punished Nolan with leg kicks, secured a takedown, and locked in a rear-naked choke for the finish. With a spectacular debut behind him, Susurkaev is already eyeing his next fight, making sure UFC CEO Dana White is paying attention.

Baisangur Susurkaev backed to become UFC Champion within three years

Just hours ago, MMA content creator Kevin took to X to share a screenshot of the undefeated 10-0 fighter’s Instagram story. His post was captioned, “Baisangur Susurkaev Tags The UFC Bosses And Calls To Return For November 15th at Madison Square Garden! 👀 Who Should ‘Hunter’ Face Next 🤔.” It’s been only two weeks since Baisangur Susurkaev fought on the undercard of Khamzat Chimaev vs. Dricus Du Plessis, and already he’s asking for another fight, this time just three months later. On Instagram, the 24-year-old shared a photo of himself while tagging UFC matchmakers Mick Maynard, Sean Shelby, and Dana White, writing, “November 15, let’s goo.” But will he really be able to fight on his dream date?

Yesterday, Overdogs Español con Yoel Romero shared a YouTube video where the host asked the Cuban legend about the unbeaten Chechen prospect. Romero confirmed he had been following Susurkaev, recalling, “I know, I saw it. Yes, two days before with a front kick.” The host then noted that before his UFC debut, Susurkaev already carried a strong reputation, having secured one win on Dana White’s Contender Series and four more under Absolute Championship Akhmat. Romero acknowledged this but pointed out, “Khamzat brought him to the UFC… Because it’s Chimaev’s training partner. He’s young too. He’s a kid and tall.”

IN case you already didn’t know, the first and most important link between Khamzat Chimaev and Baisangur Susurkaev is their shared Chechen roots. Both fighters hail from the same homeland, with Baisangur Susurkaev also being one of Chimaev’s longtime teammates. In fact, the two have known each other since before the ‘Hunter’ ever came onto the UFC’s radar. Over the years, the rising middleweight has even played a key role in helping ‘Borz’ prepare for several of his marquee fights. But that’s not all.

At 48, Yoel Romero has seen many prospects come and go, but he is convinced the 10-0 fighter has something special. Speaking about the young fighter, Romero predicted, “At 27 he’ll be fighting for world title for sure. If he continues like this, of course.” Interestingly, Romero isn’t alone in this belief.

Khamzat Chimaev predicts big things for Baisangur Susurkaev

During UFC 319 media day, Khamzat Chimaev revealed that Baisangur Susurkaev had been by his side throughout his most recent training camp. The middleweight contender admitted he was impressed by the 24-year-old’s skills, no small feat given Chimaev’s own standards. According to him, if Baisangur Susurkaev continues to put in the work, he has the potential to become a champion in the years ahead.

“He’s crazy good. He did his whole camp with me, doing sparring and stuff. So I knew he was going to go there and take the contract,” Khamzat Chimaev told reporters. “He has a good future, great future if he continues to work hard like he does. You’re going to get a new champion!”

The hype around Baisangur Susurkaev is already building fast. On Tapology’s prediction board, 97% of fight fans backed him to win by KO/TKO before he even set foot in the Octagon against Eric Nolan. And if that wasn’t enough, even UFC CEO Dana White, who dismissed DWCS Week 1 as “a weird night,” later admitted that Baisangur Susurkaev’s finish was the only real highlight of the card. So, with such momentum behind him, the question is, who should Baisangur Susurkaev fight next?