5 best UFC fights of May 2022

The UFC delivered three action-packed fight cards in May. Across one pay-per-view and the two subsequent Fight Nights, we saw some jaw-dropping finishes, in addition to a handful of back-and-forth barnburners.

The first event of the month was the UFC 274 pay-per-view, headlined by the highly anticipated Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje bout, which delivered on all fronts. In direct contrast to the Oliveira-Gaethje fight, Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza put on arguably the worst title fight in promotional history in the co-main event.

Thankfully, we didn't witness any other fights quite as bad as the Namajunas vs. Esparza rematch in May. Fans were treated to some memorable matchups over the course of the three fight cards of the month, with some even ending with a highlight reel finish.

Here are the five best fights of May 2022.

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#5. Chase Hooper vs. Felipe Colares – UFC Vegas 55

For all the grappling enthusiants out there, this featherweight bout between Chase Hooper and Felipe Colares was an absolute treat to watch from start to finish.

Hooper, who joined the roster as a 20-year-old back in 2019, has struggled for consistency since signing with the world's premier MMA promotion. The submission specialist has looked out of his depth on occasion, with many criticizing his decision to join the big leagues at such a young age.

At UFC Vegas 55, he picked up his third win in the promotion, putting on a mature and encouraging display against Felipe Colares to return to the win column.

The bout was a back-and-forth affair, and largely took place on the mat. Hooper repeatedly closed the distance and wore his opponent down with his relentless wrestling pressure. Every time the opportunity presented itself, he attempted submissions, but Colares was wise to it.

Colares put on an admirable display of submission defense in the first two rounds, halting all of Hooper's attempts to snatch an arm, take his back or squeeze his neck.

However, his resilience was short-lived as 'The Dream' secured full back mount in the final round and rained down heavy ground-and-pound strikes, prompting the referee to call a halt to the action. This was Hooper's first 'Performance of the Night' bonus in the UFC.

Chase Hooper won a $50k bonus [Image via UFC on Instagram]

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

For as long as this scorching 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 title after controversially missing weight by 0.5 pounds, and only Gaethje was eligible to walk away with the belt if he came out on top.

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

Gaethje started strong and even scored a knockdown early on. However, likely out of fear of his counterpart's grappling prowess, the American opted to allow Oliveira back to his feet rather than join him on the canvas.

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

Despite being bloodied, Oliveira worked his way to Gaethje's back swiftly and sunk in a rear-naked choke to finish the fight.

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#3. Michael Chandler vs. Tony Ferguson – UFC 274

Michael Chandler has made quite the impression since joining the UFC back in 2020. The former Bellator lightweight champion hit the ground running upon joining the world's premier MMA organization, coming away with a first-round TKO win over perennial contender Dan Hooker in his promotional debut.

However, Chandler came up short in his next two bouts against Charles Oliveira and Justin Gaethje, which saw him drift further away from title contention. At UFC 274, 'Iron' took on former interim champion Tony Ferguson, who was also looking to snap his losing skid.

Ferguson was coming off consecutive losses to Gaethje, Oliveira and Beneil Dariush going into the bout with Chandler. 'El Cucuy' lost almost every round in the three aforementioned losses and it appeared as though time had finally caught up with the TUF winner.

Nonetheless, Ferguson looked back to his best in the first round, dropping Chandler with a left hook and causing significant damage from bottom position after 'Iron' took him down.

17 seconds into the second round, Chandler bounced back in emphatic fashion, putting Ferguson to sleep with a thunderous front kick up the middle.

Chandler's surefire 'Knockout of the Year' contender turned the MMA world on its head. Moreover, his memorable pro-wrestling style post-fight interview went viral, as did the still image of his foot crashing into Ferguson's chin.

#2. Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Michel Pereira – UFC Vegas 55

Michel Pereira made an explosive introduction to UFC fans when he viciously knocked out English welterweight Danny Roberts back in 2019. In the bout against Roberts, the flamboyant Brazilian showcased his incredible Capoeira skills and athletic abilities, which went on to cost him in his next two bouts, wherein he clearly gassed out.

After going 1-2 in his first three fights in the famed octagon, Pereira went on to win his next four bouts, adopting a more disciplined approach, rather than his typically exuberant style.

At UFC Vegas 55, 'Demolidor' had the chance to break into the rankings when he took on welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio.

Ponzinibbio struggled in the opening frame of the three-round bout. The Argentine couldn't keep up with Pereira's lateral movement and got caught on quite a few occasions when 'Demolidor' exploded forward.

The second round saw Ponzinibbio bounce back as Pereira started to fatigue. He landed more significant strikes throughout the round and even secured a takedown moments before the bell.

Both fighters were clearly exhausted going into the third and final round, and the final five minutes of action were astonishing to say the least. Pereira ditched the lateral movement that served him well throughout the fight and proceeded to engage in a slugfest with Ponzinibbio.

The final minute of the back-and-forth bout saw both welterweights throw down with very little regard for defense. It appeared as though Pereira edged out his fellow South American counterpart and the judges' decision reflected the same. He came away with a split decision victory to break into the rankings at 170 pounds.

The Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Michel Pereira fight was arguably the most anticipated bout on the fight card and it undoubtedly delivered. Both fighters came away with a $50,000 post-fight bonus for their efforts.

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#1. Brandon Royval vs. Matt Schnell – UFC 274

Not dissimilar to the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje UFC 274 headliner, a bout on the preliminary card before the pay-per-view featuring top-ranked flyweights Brandon Royval and Matt Schnell stole the show at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

With both fighters looking to put themselves in title contention, Royval and Schnell engaged in a memorable one-round barnburner.

After a frantic opening minute which saw both fighters land decent shots, Schnell dropped Royval with a right hook and followed him to the ground. He landed heavy ground-and-pound strikes as 'Rawdog' composed himself and started attacking submissions.

After a failed attempt at taking his opponent's back, Schnell latched on to a guillotine choke, which he later modified into a D'Arce. However, Royval managed to break out of the choke and stood up.

As Schnell tried a takedown to get the fight back onto the mat, Royval locked in a guillotine of his own, forcing a rare double-hand tap.

Brandon Royval advanced to the No.5 spot in the flyweight rankings with his win over Matt Schnell, and is likely one win away from a shot at gold.

Following his submission victory, Royval offered to be the back-up fighter for the upcoming interim title fight between former champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Kai Kara-France, which will be contested at UFC 277 in July.