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Recent off the again of an action-packed 12 months with loads of upsets and new contenders rising, we check out the largest UFC fights of 2022.
By no means ones to gradual their schedule, UFC schemers have already lined up a number of enormous fights in 2022, together with a heavyweight title bout and the third combat in a flyweight trilogy to begin the 12 months.
There’s additionally the near-certainty of former two-weight champion Conor McGregor’s return, a super-size comeback for hall-of-famer Jon Jones and a showdown which has been branded the largest ladies’s combat of all time by promotion president Dana White.
UFC 270: Francis Ngannou vs Ciryl Gane
Already confirmed for January 22 on the Honda Heart in California, this will probably be Ngannou’s first heavyweight title protection since dethroning greatest-of-all-time candidate Stipe Miocic in March.
In unbeaten 10-0 Gane, the Cameroonian faces the hardest lively doable challenger and there are already bizarre vibes between the 2 that would quickly escalate to unhealthy blood.
Backstage at UFC 268, Ngannou snubbed ex-teammate Gane and his former coach Fernand Lopez, who now guides the Frenchman, as he walked previous them, with footage of the incident going viral.
“I’m not his mother. I’m not his dad,” defined Lopez on the MMA Hour after, calling Gane “naive” for anticipating a heat reception from ‘The Predator’.
“If he needs to cease having any relationship with me, that’s honest, that’s regular. I don’t have something to do with that.”
Jon Jones’ UFC heavyweight debut
Talking of heavyweights, Jon Jones’ debut at 265lbs is long-awaited. It may come in opposition to the winner of Ngannou vs Gane or a rival reminiscent of Miocic to first take a look at the waters. However it ought to and should occur within the subsequent 12 months.
Come that first bout, Jones will not have been within the octagon in virtually two years since an unflattering mild heavyweight title win over Dominick Reyes.
Apart from the inactivity, his advancing years and the query of whether or not he can cling with the larger boys, different questions over Jones’ head are how his authorized troubles may need affected him.
Jones has admitted to ingesting issues and had a skirmish with Las Vegas Police after allegedly assaulting his spouse and headbutting a patrol automobile whereas being arrested for home violence.
“I’ve manner an excessive amount of trauma to devour alcohol; my mind merely can’t deal with it anymore. I’ll go away alcohol in my previous without end,” he mentioned within the days that adopted the furor.
Having left the Jackson Wink health club, he plans his foray at heavyweight from Battle Prepared in Phoenix, Arizona alongside stars reminiscent of Henry Cejudo and Deiveson Figueiredo.
“Open to concepts” over who he faces first, Jones has made no secret of his meant ultimate vacation spot.
“I’ll admit Francis is an even bigger one relating to the monetary facet,” he informed ESPN. “However it’s all good. I would like the belt, actually. I would like the belt. I would like huge cash.”
Brandon Moreno vs Deiveson Figueiredo III at UFC 270
The 2 flyweights are about to bookend arguably the best trilogy the UFC has ever seen.
Of their first assembly, they battled to a majority draw that was a fairly honest determination and controversy-free for a change, though Figueiredo was docked some extent for low blows.
Then, within the second episode, a slicker Moreno beat the Brazilian to the punch earlier than ending him within the third spherical with a rear-naked choke submission to turn out to be Mexico’s first-ever champion within the elite MMA promotion.
As a part of a co-headline assembly on January’s Ngannou vs Gane card, their rivalry may very well be settled for as soon as and for all. Figuereido, who complained that his defeat was right down to a tough weight lower, will seemingly transfer as much as 135lbs.
Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan II – settling the UFC grudge match
Aljamain Sterling stays bantamweight champion after Petr Yan was disqualified for an unlawful knee whereas the Jamaican-American was grounded of their March tear-up at UFC 259.
Sterling has been sidelined after neck surgical procedure, meaing he has neither defendedd the crown nor supplied a rematch for his Russian foe, with the 2 as a substitute buying and selling insults on Twitter.
Yan grew to become the interim champion with a powerful unanimous determination win in a gripping contest in opposition to Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 in late October after Sterling pulled out.
That provides ‘Funk Grasp’ nowhere to cover, and White is more likely to sanction the bout quickly.
The Return of Henry Cejudo
Regardless of going at it with Yan on social media, Cejudo appeared bored with taking over the winner and reclaiming his 135lbs title.
After White threw chilly water on his deliberate try to turn out to be the UFC’s first three-weight champ by difficult Alexander Volkanovski, although, ‘Triple C’ has teased a showdown with Jose Aldo to get him again within the swing of issues at bantamweight, and his supervisor, Ali Abdelaziz, believes “100%” that his fighter will make his comeback in 2022.
“He’s not coming in for one combat,” the Egyptian informed MMA Preventing. “He’s coming in for a legacy combat to get three belts however there are quite a lot of fights at 135 and 145, too – it’s no drawback.
“He’s a competitor. So long as he’s respiration, this man’s going to be a competitor.”
Khamzat Chimaev’s subsequent combat: A high 10 UFC contender?
Chechen-born sensation Chimaev is at present quantity 11 within the welterweight rankings and is believed to have a strategy to go earlier than present champion Kamaru Usman offers him the chance to strike everlasting gold.
Within the right here and now, as he calls out each man and his canine, it might be intriguing to see the 10-0 Sweden-based upstart face a high 10-ranked opponent earlier than probably cracking the highest 5 earlier than 2022 is out.
UFC 271: Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker II
Adesanya is a good distance from threatening Anderson Silva’s legacy because the middleweight champion with essentially the most title defenses (10), which can also be an MMA file. He can, nevertheless, enhance his personal tally to 4 if he manages to get previous compatriot Whittaker in February after they headline UFC 270.
Bear in mind, it was from Whittaker that the Nigerian-born Kiwi first received high honors at 185lbs in October 2019.
Rebuilding his profession since then, Whittaker has put collectively three spectacular unanimous determination wins over Darren Until, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum whereas Adesanya tasted defeat for the primary time when he failed in his bid to turn out to be a two-weight king in opposition to now-ex-light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowiz at UFC 259.
Bouncing again from that blip with a dominant win over Marvin Vettori, Adesanya could make an announcement and re-establish his design on dominating the division when he makes an attempt a second win over Whittaker in Houston.
The UFC return of Conor McGregor
Final seen breaking his leg in opposition to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July, a fall to 1-3 in his final 4 outings noticed many predicting the tip for Conor McGregor on the high desk.
So what date am I preventing Oliveira?
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) December 13, 2021
Whereas he stays the largest field workplace draw the game has ever seen, nevertheless, loads will line up for his or her “purple panty night time” – in different phrases, the largest payday of their careers as McGregor beefs up and plans one more redemption story.
That’s the reason Poirier opted to combat McGregor for a 3rd time this summer season earlier than shedding to Charles Oliveira at UFC 269 in December. The Sao Paulo native is eager to get in with the Irishman subsequent 12 months.
“Could can be an exquisite date,” Oliveira prompt to Sherdog after successful their Fighter of the 12 months gong.
“Conor challenged me asking a date and tweeted Eire vs. Brazil 2. Not solely him, but additionally myself and all of the world needs to see that combat. So let’s make it occur.
“I am ready for him in Could. It might be at welterweight, light-weight or middleweight, with my title on the road or not. Simply select and I will be prepared.”
Amanda Nunes vs Julianna Pena – the largest UFC ladies’s combat ever?
Pena’s taming of ‘The Lioness’ at UFC 269 has been dubbed the best upset of all time throughout the promotion, however top-ranked bantamweight and reigning featherweight champion Amanda Nunes is already eager on operating it again.
“You suppose I’m going to exit unbalanced?” she requested on social media after licking her wounds.
“I undoubtedly settle for the rematch. Give me somewhat time to get my sh*t collectively and I will probably be again higher than ever.”
Ought to she handle to do this and topple ‘The Venezuelan Vixen’, a possible featherweight title moneyspinner in opposition to American Prime Group teammate Kayla Harrison may beckon if the PFL queen joins the UFC.
Juliana Peña’s historic upset over Amanda Nunes who’s extensively thought of to be the pound-for-pound finest feminine MMA fighter on the earth. The footage after is the following pandemonium of shocked UFC fighters sitting within the entrance row. Unbelievable. What a historic second! pic.twitter.com/dPt37FGdPe
— ZeroPark30 (@ZeroPark30) December 14, 2021
“The Pena rematch with Nunes will in all probability be the largest ladies’s combat of all time,” White just lately predicted to ESPN.
“That rematch would be the greatest ladies’s rematch of all time.”
Ever the hype man, White reckons the folkloric 2015 bout between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm at present takes that title.
“Each manner that it may probably beat it, it should,” he added of Nunes in search of revenge in opposition to Pena. “I don’t suppose it – I do know it. It should crush that combat.”
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