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Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Kamaru Usman vs Khamzat Chimaev

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

This is a fight that many people want to see right now, but there are some conditions I need met before I want to see Kamaru Usman defend his welterweight championship against Khamzat Chimaev.

The Swedish fighter has taken the UFC by storm, smashing through 2020 before making a return in 2021 after suffering with COVID-19 to absolutely obliterate Li Jingliang at UFC 267 in the first round.

It was supposed to be his biggest test to date, and yet once again he went the whole round without absorbing a single strike meaning he now has more finish victories in the UFC than times he’s been hit.

Obviously this has seen him receive a major push in the organisation, and his social media popularity has shot through the roof due to the fact that he is quite literally willing to fight anyone and everyone at any time.

But at the top of his 170-pound division is the man who is without a doubt the best pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC today.

Usman extended his unbeaten UFC run to 13 with three more wins in 2021 as he stopped Gilbert Burns at UFC 258, Jorge Masvidal at UFC 261 with one of the knockouts of the year before another five-round war with Colby Covington at UFC 268.

We’re now at a stage where Usman has fought and beaten all the contenders at welterweight, which makes this fight perfect.

Despite that though, there are a few things I’d like to see happen first.

Firstly, Leon Edwards needs to get his title shot. An 11-fight unbeaten run deserves an opportunity and he has beaten plenty of top contenders along the way so deserves his chance.

Also though, Chimaev needs to take on some more top competition. The win over Jingliang was the first victory over a ranked opponent in his run so far and he isn’t even in the top ten currently.

There are several fighters he could face off against between now and a title shot, but in reality it’s hard to see anyone until the absolute elites get in there with him that can stop him.

I’d like to see Chimaev face a top ten opponent and then a top five opponent before getting a possible title shot, but I will be rooting for him to get those victories just to set this fight up.

Both guys have got elite grappling and wrestling skills, while Usman’s improved striking has been on display for the entirety of 2021. It’s forgotten among many that Chimaev is actually a very credible striker in his own right, which makes this fight even more exciting.

What happens when the unstoppable force meets the immovable object? Lets find out in 2022.

Make it happen, Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – dustin poirier vs leon edwards
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Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Dustin Poirier vs Leon Edwards

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

Two fighters who most UFC fans would say deserve a title around their waist at some point in their careers are Dustin Poirier and Leon Edwards.

Poirier has had two attempts and been submitted via rear-naked choke both times, while Edwards is yet to get his shot at the gold strap on the biggest stage of them all.

But with the way 2021 went for them both, they could well meet each other in a fight that nobody would have expected just a few months ago.

Poirier opened 2021 with a monumental knockout win over Conor McGregor at UFC 257, before he then capped the trilogy with yet another stoppage win over ‘Notorious’ at UFC 264.

It ended however at UFC 269 when he faced off against Charles Oliveira and suffered defeat, which made him publicly question his desire to return to the weight class in the future.

He did however react positively to a potential welterweight bout with Nate Diaz early in 2022, which got me thinking about how he’d do at 170-pounds.

In a division full of killers, Poirier’s skills stand up alongside anyone but would make for a brilliant fight against Edwards.

‘Rocky’ had a decent 2021, finally getting back into the octagon only for the fight with Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 21 to end in a no contest. He then followed that up with a highly impressive win over Nate Diaz at UFC 263, before a fight with Jorge Masvidal fell out at the end of the year.

The state of the welterweight division means that he is likely the next title challenger, but if Kamaru Usman is successful in retaining his title then a big bout between Poirier and Edwards could be the perfect remedy.

A win for Poirier over one of the top contenders in a new weight class puts him straight into contention for a title shot, while a win for Edwards against a name like Poirier puts him straight back into the mix too.

Stylistically, both fighters are expert strikers with a solid wrestling base and grappling skills too. It would be an all-action affair that could easily headline a card or feature on a pay-per-view too.

It would be an amazing fight between two guys who deserve their plaudits as the best in the world, but with a new weight class mixed in too there is added intrigue and drama for fans to enjoy.

Make it happen, Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – jiri prochazka vs paulo costa
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Jiri Prochazka vs Paulo Costa

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

2021 was very different for these two fighters, but that could potentially put them both on a war path towards each other.

Jiri Prochazka’s only fight last year came in May against the former title challenger Dominick Reyes at UFC Vegas 25, where a spinning elbow knockout in the second round earned him an emphatic victory and a title shot in 2022 – as well as knockout of the year.

On the other hand, Paulo Costa’s only bout of the year came with plenty of controversy and ended in defeat against Marvin Vettori and now seemingly a new weight class for the new year.

Despite agreeing to fight at 185-pounds, the Brazilian basically refused to cut weight and forced the fight to be re-agreed for the light heavyweight division during fight week.

This led to Dana White claiming he will fight at 205-pounds going forward, which a defeat in that bout only confirmed.

But with his star power undeniable and the 205-pound division needing big names to power it through a damp patch, he’s only a couple of wins away from potentially getting a title shot.

With Prochazka getting the next fight against champion Glover Teixeira at some point, you can see exactly where their paths could cross and it would make for a stunning bout.

Prochazka and Costa are both machines, with sensational cardio ability and extraordinary knockout power in their hands.

Between them they have earned 35 knockout wins from 42 professional career victories and strike fear into their opponents with constant pressure and legitimate one shot, fight-ending power.

It would certainly be one of the most exciting fights stylistically that can be made in the division and while a few things would need to happen first, this is a fight I would love to see in 2022 and is very possible.

Make it happen, Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – petr yan vs tj dillashaw
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Petr Yan vs TJ Dillashaw

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

The bantamweight division is without a doubt the best and most stacked weight class in the UFC right now so it’s no surprise one of the best fights the company could make is at 135 pounds.

Petr Yan had a rollercoaster of a 2021, losing the undisputed title to Aljamain Sterling via disqualification at UFC 259 following an illegal knee.

He bounced back with an amazing win in a fight of the year contender against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 to win the interim title after Sterling wasn’t cleared to fight in their rematch due to a neck problem.

That fight came together in itself because despite Sandhagen’s brilliant win over Frankie Edgar at UFC Vegas 18, he was defeated by TJ Dillashaw in the former champion’s return bout following a two-year drug ban at UFC Vegas 32.

In that fight though, Dillashaw suffered a knee injury that required surgery and meant he was unavailable to step in for the title fight.

If Yan can get past Sterling in their unification bout early in 2022, then the obvious fight to make and the best fight in the division would undoubtedly be between Yan and Dillashaw.

Both are brilliant strikers, with Dustin Poirier even naming Yan as the best boxer in the company, while Dillashaw has made a career for himself with his wrestling skills and Yan has proved to have some of the best takedown defence ever.

Both fighters are in the prime of their careers and are incredibly well rounded with great cardio, grappling and striking as well as legitimate knockout power too.

It would be two of the most well-rounded fighters in the sport battling it out for the undisputed championship of the world in the best division in the sport.

Make it happen Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – sean o’malley vs song yadong
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Sean O’Malley vs Song Yadong

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

2021 was the year of the ‘Suga Show’, as he went 3-0 with three knockouts and finally became ranked to win the Tap Ins & Tap Outs Breakthrough Fighter of the Year award.

Now that he’s ranked, O’Malley can start to fight ranked opponents on a more regular basis and that sets him up perfectly to fight one of the best young prospects in the UFC at any weight class – Song Yadong.

O’Malley started 2021 with a big knockout win against Thomas Almeida at UFC 260, before a dominant performance and knockout win against Kris Moutinho at UFC 264 and then ending the year by starching Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.

Yadong went 2-1 in 2021, suffering a defeat to Kyler Phillips at UFC 259 before earning a split decision win over Casey Kenney at UFC 265 and then knocking out Julio Arce at UFC Vegas 42.

Many would like to see ‘Suga’ shoot up the rankings quickly and start fighting elite guys, but there is no need to rush him. The UFC seem to be happy with a slow build too, and a win against an elite prospect would be big for him.

In the same way that it would help him, it would also help Yadong’s star to rise hugely if he was able to secure a victory against O’Malley.

Both fighters are primarily strikers but they have well-rounded ground games too and it would certainly set up an exciting fight between two excellent prospects that fans adore.

A win for either would set up a big future fight against someone ranked inside the top ten, with all eyes on them to potentially make a run towards the title for the end of the year.

Make it happen, Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – brian ortega vs yair rodriguez
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Brian Ortega vs Yair Rodriguez

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

The featherweight division is in a weird, yet fun place right now and it’s in part down to these two fighters.

The title picture looks pretty set, with Alexander Volkanovski set to take on Max Holloway in their trilogy bout at some point in 2022 for their next bout.

Beyond those two at the top is Brian Ortega and Yair Rodriguez who, respectfully, are a safe distance clear of the rest of the division at this current moment in time.

So it makes complete sense to pit them against each other at some point in 2022 to make up for the fact their fight in Mexico City back in 2019 fell out.

Ortega is a submission specialist who has shown greatly improved striking in each of his last two fights against The Korean Zombie at UFC Fight Island 6 and then in his title fight defeat to Volkanovski at UFC 266, despite the defeat.

Rodriguez on the other hand is a striking expert, who came incredibly close to defeating Holloway in their fight at UFC Vegas 42 in November that would have seen him claim the next title fight.

It was his wrestling that let him down in that one, but the power in his striking certainly caused ‘Blessed’ problems which means it would almost definitely do the same to Ortega.

With that said, if ‘T-City’ gets the fight to the ground and can implement his jiu-jitsu skills then it could be over quickly for ‘Pantera’.

It’s a fight that pits two different styles together in a finely balanced bout that would potentially produce the next title challenger too.

Fans win, the division continues to move forward and that’s the most important thing. Make it happen Uncle Dana!

fights to make in 2022 – conor mcgregor vs nate diaz 3
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 3

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

It feels like something that’s been spoken about for years, but there has arguably never been a better time to make the Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz trilogy fight.

Their first fight was stumbled upon by pure chance during McGregor’s incredible rise to – excuse the pun – notorious status in the sport. It was at a point in his career where he genuinely would fight anyone, anywhere and at any weight.

Diaz was a big name for his street demeanour, but he wasn’t quite a ‘needle mover’ yet. By the time their rematch rolled around, that was totally different though.

With both guys coming off successive defeats and not involved in any sort of title picture in their respective divisions, then you may as well set it up.

McGregor’s defeats to Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 and UFC 264 showed that he is still an elite striker, but Poirier’s well-roundedness was able to win the day in the end on both occasions.

While Diaz is an excellent grappler in his own right, he is a guy who will look to pressure his opponent on the feet and just straight bang it out.

That would suit McGregor greatly as a comeback fight, with his leg unlikely to be tested too much due to the boxing-heavy approach that Diaz likes to take to his fights.

It’s a fight that could easily headline a pay-per-view card and would likely be the highest-selling card of the year if it happened. Add to the fact that it could happen at either 155-pounds or 170-pounds and you have plenty of possibilities going forward.

Ultimately, this would be a fight for the fans. There’s no real implications behind it other than one of them getting bragging rights and back into the win column. For the other, the end is probably nigh.

The ultimate fan encounter between the two biggest stars in the sport, make it happen Uncle Dana.

fights to make in 2022 – julianna pena vs amanda nunes 2
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Julianna Pena vs Amanda Nunes 2

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

The biggest upset of 2021, and potentially in the history of the sport, came just last month at UFC 269 when Amanda Nunes was submitted by Julianna Pena in the second round of their bantamweight title bout.

After 12 straight wins prior to that fight, including several stoppage wins against former champions, Nunes is considered the greatest female combat sports athlete of all-time.

That didn’t deter Pena from coming forward, applying pressure, breaking Nunes’ will and choking her out to take the title from her on the night.

As soon as the fight ended there was talk of a rematch, and it’s quite easily the biggest women’s fight the UFC could make right now heading into the new year.

A hungry ‘Lioness’ who wants her title and her status back, or a ‘Venezuelan Vixen’ who proves that she had the G.O.A.T’s number the whole time just like she said she did?

This fight will generate an incredible amount of hype and publicity and will surely have fans taking far more of an interest after seeing how the original played out when everyone wrote it off as feeding time for Nunes.

If Pena can defeat Nunes again, it opens up a whole new realm of opportunity for the women’s bantamweight division in the UFC. There are so many fresh match ups available for the UFC to make and Pena will be the undisputed top dog.

If Nunes reclaims her crown, it likely sets up a huge trilogy bout at some point down the line where the winner takes all the bragging rights.

It would likely be one of the most anticipated fights of the year, and that’s exactly why we have to see it made in 2022.

fights to make in 2022 – charles oliveira vs justin gaethje
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fights to make in 2022 – Charles Oliveira vs Justin Gaethje

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After the absolutely incredible fight year that was 2021, 2022 is promising to be bigger, better and badder than ever before in the UFC.

There will be title fights, shocking upsets, incredible wars and new rivalries created throughout the year, but there are some that already spilling over from this year.

With that, we’re going to name you ten fights that the UFC should make in 2022 at some point to give the fans the ultimate fight experience.

Kicking off our fights to see in 2022, it’s one that we’ve already pretty much had guaranteed is going to happen next at the top of the lightweight division.

After a huge win at UFC 268 over Michael Chandler in one of the fights of the year, Justin Gaethje is the man who is considered as the number one contender to the undisputed title.

That title is held by Charles ‘Du Bronx’ Oliveira, after he submitted Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 the following month in order to ensure that he is seen as ‘the man’ at 155-pounds.

This fight now is one that has got the entire MMA world on it’s feet, waiting for a date to be announced so that we can all be glued to our television sets at home.

Much like both of their previous fights, this one is guaranteed to be an all-action bout that will be exciting no matter where it takes place.

Gaethje will almost certainly have the advantage on the feet and after seeing both Chandler and Poirier hurt Oliveira and dropped him with strikes in his two title fights, he will feel he can get the job done as he is the power puncher of the division.

Oliveira will be very aware of that and will take his own encouragement from watching Gaethje’s last undisputed title shot against Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254, when he was dominated on the ground and submitted in the second round.

But this will once again be a fight between the two very best fighters in the world in their weight division, and there is nothing better than that for a fight fan.

At some point in 2022 this one will take place, and we can’t wait for it.

tap ins & tap outs 2021 awards – fighter of the year
Fantasy Fights, MMA

Fantasy Fights: Georges St-Pierre vs Kamaru Usman

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I’ve been putting this comparison off for as long as I could, simply because Georges St-Pierre is one of my favourite fighters of all-time.

But we’ve reached a point in time in the UFC now where there is a genuine and deserved debate as to who the welterweight G.O.A.T is these days.

Kamaru Usman has made himself inevitable now, moving to 15-0 in the UFC and 20-1 in his professional career after a successful fifth welterweight title defence at UFC 268 this past weekend.

But who is the greatest welterweight fighter of all-time? Is it Georges St-Pierre or Kamaru Usman? Who would win if they both fought each other at the peak of their powers? Lets break it down and find out.

Every fight starts on the feet, so we should probably start off with who would win a straight striking match between the two.

Usman has developed his skillset over the last two years or so to become one of the best on the feet in the division. He has an absolutely brilliant jab, using his reach to manage range and he has developed a kill-shot of a right hand that has turned the lights out on the likes of Colby Covington, Gilbert Burns and Jorge Masvidal.

Georges St-Pierre though was a different level. GSP’s jab was excellent but he also had tremendous kicks from his karate background and great power too. Both men are durable, but technically GSP was much further ahead of the curve in the striking realm and he would have the edge here.

GSP’s greatest successes in the octagon came once he developed his wrestling game to a level where he could take anyone down and control the fight.

The issue for him this time, is he is not going to be able to do that against Usman.

‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is a brilliant wrestler, possibly second only to Khabib Nurmagomedov in UFC history. Officially he has a 100% takedown defence throughout his UFC career (although most believe Covington took him down during their UFC 268 bout).

He has the strength advantage between the two and I think because of the striking edge going in GSP’s favour, Usman would likely use his wrestling in this bout and that’s because he is the better wrestler.

Both fighters have got a tremendous gas tank and experience of performing on the biggest stage of them all. They have been through wars, fought fierce rivals, earned knockouts and submission wins – they really have done it all.

It would undoubtedly be the biggest fight in UFC history but it would almost certainly not be the most exciting.

Kamaru Usman of Nigeria reacts after his victory over Gilbert Burns of Brazil in their UFC welterweight championship fight during the UFC 258 event...

The prettier this fight is, the more chance of St-Pierre winning and that means that Usman would make it as ugly as possible. He would use his grinding style to close the distance, use his jab to set up takedowns and control top position whenever given the chance.

It would be razor close, simply because St-Pierre is that talented. But ultimately, Usman is the man and I would have him as the favourite to be the undisputed G.O.A.T by the end of 25 minutes together in the octagon.

matchmaking the lightweight division after ufc 268