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The lightweight division remained one of the deepest in all of the UFC in 2021. The final pay-per-view of the year saw Charles Oliveira successfully defend his belt over Dustin Poirier at UFC 269 in Las Vegas.
Heading into that bout, fans, fighters and media alike were all unsure of which fighter would come out on top. This speaks to the depth of talent in the division as pitting any one of the top lightweights against each other produces an intriguing, unpredictable matchup.
On top of that, the UFC lightweight division also contains a number of the sport's biggest stars. Obviously, none are bigger than 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor but he also has a number of high-profile foes at 155 lbs.
Dustin Poirier's battles with McGregor have seen him become one of the biggest stars in MMA. Tony Ferguson is another fan-favorite, and Khabib Nurmagomedov's protégé Islam Makhachev is also on his way to becoming a household name.
Additionally, you can throw both Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler in the mix as they are two of the most exciting fighters in all the UFC. Lastly, the new king of the division, Charles Oliveira is proving himself to be a worthy champion.
This abundance of talent means there is a wealth of high-profile, exciting matchups that we could quite conceivably see next year. Here are 5 blockbuster lightweight matchups to make in 2022:
#5. UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev
While these two are still on their way to becoming mainstream stars, they may also be the two best lightweights in the UFC today. With Charles Oliveira, the current champ, and Islam Makhachev going unbeaten in 2021, they may finally collide in 2022.
Makhachev has looked unstoppable as of late, racking up nine straight wins and now being coached by former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. Oliveira, on the other hand, has ten straight wins and has earned his spot atop the division.
Makhachev is a growing star and his three submission victories in 2021 have him well placed for next year. Seeing if he could follow in the footsteps of Khabib and also win lightweight gold would produce be an interesting story.
#4. Former UFC double-champion Conor McGregor vs. Tony Ferguson
2021 proved Conor McGregor is still the single biggest draw in not just the lightweight division but all of the UFC. It would be surprising if this changed in 2022. With 'Notorious' looking to get back on track following two straight losses, perhaps he could end up fighting another popular star in Tony Ferguson.
Ferguson is on a three-fight losing streak himself, although, in fairness, these losses have been against some of the very best in the division. With both fighters looking to bounce back, pitting them against each other guarantees one athlete will start trending in the right direction.
McGregor, for the first time in a while, may not be in a position to command an immediate title shot upon his return. Fighting and beating the popular Tony Ferguson could provide the Irishman with the opportunity to earn another shot at gold.
#3. Former interim UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje vs. Islam Makhachev
For a while it looked like we might be getting a lightweight clash between Justin Gaethje vs. Islam Makhachev sooner than anticipated as both men argued why they ought to receive the next shot at UFC lightweight gold.
Instead, it now appears Gaethje will fight for the belt next whilst Makhachev has been booked against top lightweight contender Beneil Dariush. In any case, the online sparring has certainly whetted the appetite for a potential bout between Makhachev and Gaethje.
Gaethje's entertaining fighting style ensures plenty of fans tune in to any clash of his. Combine this with the surging popularity of a Khabib-coached Makhachev and this fight is bound to draw plenty of attention.
#2. Conor McGregor vs. Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier
When Conor McGregor broke his leg at UFC 264, he appeared to have only one lightweight in mind for his return fight, Dustin Poirier. The 'Diamond' has had McGregor's number recently and could be temped for a fourth fight against his rival.
The two already have a proven track record of pulling in big numbers without a title belt in the picture. Additionally, Poirier's recent loss to Charles Oliveira may even have increased interest in a fourth bout with McGregor as this was the first fight in some time where we saw signs of weakness from 'The Diamond'.
While McGregor's focus appears to be shifting elsewhere, should his attention once again land on Poirier, the UFC will surely make this fight happen. The narrative of two veterans trying to get back to the top would be different from the previous editions of McGregor vs. Poirier and could make it very interesting.
#1. Charles Oliveira vs. Conor McGregor
It didn't take long for Conor McGregor to start clamoring for a fight with Charles Oliveira. This came only moments after the Brazilian successfully defended his lightweight championship against Dustin Poirier at UFC 269.
While the UFC rankings may not indicate this is the fight to make, with McGregor currently at No.9 in the lightweight division, history has shown us that McGregor's popularity can allow him to pick and choose who he wants to fight.
Oliveira could be set to cash in on a big McGregor pay-per-view pay-day and presumably be keen for the fight himself. For fans, watching McGregor once again fight for a world title would be a blockbuster event.
