As the MMA fights start in earnest in 2022, we have plenty of action to look forward to. You can watch all of the best fighters and even place bets on the outcomes at some of the top betting sites such as Pointsbet. You can read this expert Pointsbet review to find out how to play and what sports markets odds you’re likely to find.
Here are the top fights that we can’t wait to see this year!
Francis Ngannou vs Jon Jones
This one is highly anticipated. We wanted it back in 2020, we thought it might happen in 2021 – and we are still waiting for it in 2022. Hopefully, it’s coming.
If Ngannou can keep hold of his heavyweight title against Cyril Gane in January 2022, then we can only hope for a big fight against Jones. This would certainly Pit one of the toughest heavyweight fighters in UFC history against one of the top fighters ever. This box is one that ticks every box and we can’t wait for it.
Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev
Arguably, Usman is the best fighter in the world right now – with his three big wins in 2021, it’s hard to deny. And he just seems to be getting better and better.
However, Chimaev is something special. His dominance is something we have never witnessed before – and if there’s anyone right now that can beat Usman, it’s Chimaev in his current form. Conversely, if there’s anyone that can put a stop to Chimaev’s dominance, it’s Usman. This one could be HUGE!
Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 3
McGregor will be going into this with back-to-back losses. On the other hand, Diaz’s UFC future is far from clear right now. This might be the fight that is needed by both fighters.
This bout has been on the cards since the rematch was won by McGregor in August 2016. It could have happened a long time ago, but now that neither fighter is in title contention, this could be the time for them to settle the score.
Charles Oliveira vs Islam Makhachev
The reason this one is so exciting is because of Oliveira – and his amazing jiu-jitsu skills, will provide a great stylistic challenge for Makhachev, who has seemed all but unbeatable in recent years.
However, for this fight to happen, Oliveira will need to defeat Justin Gaethje in his next lightweight title fight. Meanwhile, Makhachev will need to beat Beneil Dariush in what could be the No, 1 contender fight. If this is the case, Oliveira vs Makhachev could be one of the most exciting fights of the year.
Petr Yan vs TJ Dillashaw
Many consider Petr Yan to be the best bantamweight fighter in the world – and he hasn’t even reached his prime yet. He is the favoured fighter to win the UFC title fight in his rematch against Aljamain Sterling. He may well consider using the rest of the year to pull away from the rest of the fighters in his weight class.
One man who might stop him is ex-champion Dillashaw. He will be Yan’s toughest opponent yet. This could be a massively entertaining fight to watch, with crafty spiking versus impressive fundamentals.
Sergio Pettis vs Kyoji Horiguchi 2
In Bellator, everyone will certainly be paying a lot of attention to the Bantamweight Grand Prix 2022. And, the fight that we all want to happen at some point during the tournament will be the rematch between Sergio Pettis and Kyoji Horiguchi.
The reigning champ, Pettis, could well be up for the award of ‘Knockout of the Year’ as well as ‘Comeback of the Year’ when he fought Horiguchi in December. Despite being behind during pretty much the whole fight, in the fourth round he nailed his opponent with a spinning back fist. If we do get to see a rematch, it will be interesting to see whether Pettis can make adjustments and properly win rounds against Horiguchi – or whether Horiguchi will get his revenge.
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