5 best UFC fights of 2022 so far

#4. Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov - UFC 271

One of the best fights of the year so far went down on the prelims of UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 in Houston, Texas. Douglas Silva de Andrade and Sergey Morozov squared off in a three-round bantamweight bout that left fans in awe.

The action-packed bout delivered right from the get-go. Morozov came out like a house on fire in the first round and picked apart Silva de Andrade in the early striking exchanges. He even knocked down his Brazilian counterpart with a powerful uppercut.

Douglas Silva de Andrade rallied and returned the favor in the second round by knocking down Morozov, who managed to scramble back to his feet, and the duo continued to exchange heavy blows in the pocket.

Silva de Andrade later landed another powerful strike and secured a takedown. The Brazilian subsequently locked in a rear-naked choke, putting his opponent to sleep to conclude an exhilarating bantamweight scrap, which won the 'Fight of the Night' bonus.

de Silva and Morozov won the 'Fight of the Night' bonus [Image via @ufc on Instagram]

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#3. Charles Oliviera vs. Justin Gaethje – UFC 274

For as long as this scintillating bout lasted, it was a thrilling sight to behold.

Two of the most lethal finishers in the UFC, Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, locked horns in the main event of UFC 274. Oliveira was stripped of his lightweight belt after controversially missing weight by 0.5 pounds, and only Gaethje was eligible to walk away with the title if he emerged victorious.

Nevertheless, Oliveira further extended his scorching win streak, finishing Gaethje inside the very first round.

Justin Gaethje started strong and even scored a knockdown inside the first minute. However, likely out of fear of his opponent's grappling prowess, 'The Highlight' opted to allow Charles Oliveira back to his feet rather than join him on the mat.

With both lightweights clearly looking for a quick finish, 'The Higlight' started loading up on his punches and knocked down the former titleholder for a second time. Oliveira bounced back soon after, dropping his American foe with a crisp right straight before pouncing on him on the ground.

Despite being bloodied, 'do Bronx' worked his way to Gaethje's back swiftly and locked in a rear-naked choke to further cement his popular war cry – "The champion has a name and it's Charles Oliveira."