Fighters On The Rise | VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev

Haddon earned his UFC contract a week prior to Wellmaker, and two weeks ahead of his teammate, Quillan Salkilld, who is part of the top newcomer discussion this year as well. He debuted ahead of both his opponent and teammate as well, jumping right into the fray less than two months after joining the roster and earning a unanimous decision win over Dan Argueta to extend his winning streak to six and push his record to 8-1 overall.

While some likely hoped to see Wellmaker stand opposite a more established opponent, this weekend’s pairing with Haddon is the precise type of test the burgeoning star needs at this moment — a matchup with a young, well-rounded fighter who, in theory, has the skills and tools to push him more than his first two adversaries. If Wellmaker adds to his highlight reel on Saturday night, claiming another bonus while blowing the roof off “The Mecca,” he’ll be assured of a place in the Top 3 when the year-end awards roll out next month.

Fatima Kline

Here’s how you know Kline is the real deal as a prospect: last summer, she was tapped to make her short-notice debut up a division against streaking Canadian Jasmine Jasudavicius, and many pundits believe the New Yorker could pull off the upset win.

RELATED: Kline Making Memories

While she landed on the wrong side of the scorecards in her debut, Kline has validated the hype since returning to the strawweight division this year, earning stoppage wins over Viktoriia Dudakova and Melissa Martinez to land on the doorstep of the Top 15 and land an opportunity against rankings fixture Angela Hill this weekend at MSG.

A two-division champion under the CFFC banner before reaching the UFC roster and a standout grappler, Kline has shown that her striking is catching up to her prowess on the canvas, as she picked apart Martinez on the feet for two rounds before ending things with a flush high kick midway through the third round of their meeting in Nashville this summer. Her gas tank is deep, her tool kit is fully stocked, and despite her pleasant demeanor outside the cage, Kline has a mean streak that comes out the second the Octagon door closes.

Hill is no stranger to this type of matchup and adept at dashing the dreams of hopefuls looking to climb into the rankings at her expense. One of three members of the cast from The Ultimate Fighter Season 20 still active in the UFC, “Overkill” has continually evolved throughout her 28 fights with the promotion and has faced a steady diet of standout talent over the last five or six years.

COMPLETE FIGHT WEEK GUIDE: VeChain UFC 322: Della Maddalena vs Makhachev

Every prospect needs to pass a veteran test like this in order to take that next forward in their careers, and while Kline is sitting for this particular exam quicker than most, she’s earned this opportunity with her previous efforts. Bolstered by fighting at home, it will be interesting to see if “The Archangel” can ascend to the Top 15 with a third straight victory on Saturday.

Baisangur Susurkaev

There have been some quick turnarounds over the years, but this summer, Susurkaev set a new standard for the fastest debut in UFC history.

“Hunter” earned his place on the roster with a first-round stoppage win over Murtaza Talha on the opening week of Dana White’s Contender Series this year, earning heaps of praise from the UFC President. After being awarded his contract, the 24-year-old middleweight requested the opportunity to compete alongside his compatriot and training partner Khamzat Chimaev four days later at UFC 319 in Chicago.

Susurkaev was granted his wish, and after a more competitive first round than he was anticipating, the breakout star of Season 9 collected his first UFC victory, submitting Eric Nolan two minutes and one second into the second round to extend his record to 10-0. All but one of his victories have come inside the distance, and only two of his eight victims have seen the second round, with Susurkaev earning half of his career wins in 90 seconds or less thus far.

WATCH: VeChain UFC 322 Embedded

While there is every reason to be excited about his prospects, this weekend’s pairing with Eric McConico feels like it will be a better indicator of where the young Russian middleweight stands as the MMA Lab product brings a little more experience and the benefit of a full camp with him into their clash at Madison Square Garden. After dropping his promotional debut in February, McConico claimed his first UFC win in August, landing on the favorable side of a split decision verdict in a clash with veteran Cody Brundage.

There has already been a rush to compare Susurkaev bursting onto the scene to the way Chimaev did the same back in the Fight Island days, but the two men are diametrically opposed when it comes to their styles. Still, the way he sought out an immediate opportunity and then made the most of it thrust him into the spotlight, and now it’s time for the 185-pound hopeful to deliver an encore.

Will he thrill the crowd in New York or crumble under the intense pressure to perform?