5 best UFC fights of April 2022

#4. Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2 – UFC 273

A title unification bout brimming with bad blood went down in the co-main event of UFC 273. Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling squared off against interim champion Petr Yan at the pay-per-view, over a year after their controversial first meeting.

In their first clash, Yan lost his title via disqualification after landing an illegal knee on Sterling. Going into the rematch, the Russian was eyeing revenge and was a massive betting favorite, considering the nature of the first fight before the illegal strike.

Aljamain Sterling was the target of a ton of criticism before his rematch with Petr Yan. Many fans, fighters and analysts accused the American of over-exaggerating his reaction to the illegal strike in the first fight, which ultimately saw the belt change hands. 'Funk Master' silenced his doubters in style, edging out a narrow decision win over his bitter rival.

Sterling dominated Yan in the third and fourth rounds, outwrestling the Russian and coming tantalizingly close to submitting him. 'No Mercy' bounced back in the final ten minutes, clearly winning the last two rounds, leaving the razor-thin first five minutes as the deciding factor.

The judges scored the bout in favor of Sterling via split decision. The bout was a closely contested and tactical affair, which in addition to the high stakes, made for dramatic viewing. Additionally, there was an expectation that 'Funk Master' would suffer a fate similar to that of their first meeting, making his impressive showing all the more commendable.

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#3. Dwight Grant vs. Sergey Khandozhko – UFC Vegas 52

Sergey Khandozhko is among the most experienced prospects in the UFC right now. The 29-year-old Russian joined the promotion two years ago with 30 professional MMA fights under his belt and has shown quite a bit of promise since then.

Khandozhko went 1-1 in his first two fights in the stacked welterweight division before being booked to take on Dwight Grant, who's been on the roster since 2018. The duo locked horns at UFC Vegas 52 and produced the best bout of the event by far, earning both combatants the 'Fight of the Night' bonus.

Sergey Khandozhko started strong, scoring an early knockdown in the very first round. Dwight Grant returned the favor minutes later, landing a powerful overhand to floor his Russian counterpart.

After both fighters were dropped in the first frame, they adopted a more patient approach in the second. Grant seemed to land the harder strikes but was constantly backing up. This ultimately led to his downfall as Khandozhko cornered him into the cage and uncorked a sharp left hook that ended the fight.