The year 2022 saw no less than 40 UFC events, starting with UFC on ESPN: Kattar v Chikadze back in mid-January all the way to this past weekend with UFC Fight Night: Cannonier v Strickland. With the UFC now wrapped up for 2022 and on break until mid-January 2023, we look back at the top five fights of the past year. In no particular order:
PROCHAZKA SUBMITS TEIXEIRA
This brutal battle for the light heavyweight championship went almost the full five rounds before Prochazka capitalised on a rare mistake from the veteran Teixeira and forced the Brazilian into the first submission loss of his 20-year professional career. Prochazka claimed the light heavyweight title (becoming the first Czech to win a UFC championship) but has since vacated the belt after suffering a major shoulder injury. The belt went unclaimed at UFC 282 earlier this month when the bout between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev was controversially declared a draw. Teixeira, meanwhile, will have the chance to win the vacant title back when he faces Jamahal Hill at UFC 283 next month.
WONDERBOY TRIUMPHS IN STRIKING BATTLE
Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson showed that he still remains one of the most entertaining fighters on the UFC roster when he overcame Kevin Holland in a brilliant main-event welterweight fight at the Amway Centre in Florida. What made this bout so special was the relentless striking brilliance from both men – but in such massively contrasting styles. Thompson ultimately overwhelmed the tough-as-nails Holland, whose corner wisely called off the fight at the end of round four, but both were hailed for their outstanding performances.
FIGUEIREDO MAKES HISTORY
Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo became the first two-time UFC flyweight champion when he outpointed Brandon Moreno at UFC 270, reclaiming the belt that he had lost to the Mexican at UFC 263 six months earlier. The pair also fought to a majority draw at UFC 256 in late 2020, and their rivalry will bring about an unprecedented fourth fight (a tetralogy!) when they meet for the flyweight championship once again at UFC 283 in Rio de Janeiro next month.
CHIMAEV MAKES HIS MARK
The enormously talented Khamzat Chimaev somewhat sullied his reputation by failing to make weight for a clash with MMA legend Nate Diaz back in September, but five months prior he put up a masterful display against hard-hitting Gilbert Burns to establish himself as the most dangerous up-and-coming welterweight talent. However, the outspoken Swede could well move up a class to middleweight and challenge the likes of new title-holder Alex Pereira and former champion Israel Adesanya for dominance.
PENA UNDERLINES HER GREATNESS
Having lost her bantamweight title to Pena at the end of 2021 at UFC 269 (a first defeat since 2014), many believed 34-year-old Nunes no longer had the desire and hunger to climb back to the top of the sport – including UFC president Dana White. However, ‘The Lioness’ proved her doubters wrong with a dominant unanimous decision win at UFC 277 to reclaim the belt and further underline her status as the greatest female MMA competitor of all time.