5 major UFC fights that have already been booked for 2022

#2. Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo - UFC flyweight

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo will finish their epic rivalry at UFC 270

The UFC flyweight title rivalry between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo was expected to come to a head with their trilogy bout at UFC 269. It has since been moved to UFC 270, making 2021’s loss 2022’s gain.

The first two meetings between these outstanding fighters rank among the most memorable in the history of the UFC flyweight division. The first, which took place in late 2020, saw Figueiredo seemingly on top, only to find himself docked a point for persistent fouling, allowing Moreno to pull off an unlikely draw.

In the second fight, of course, ‘The Assassin Baby’ surprised everyone by taking the fight to the Brazilian. He submitted him in the third round with a rear-naked choke and taking his title in the process.

Interestingly, Figueiredo, who blamed the loss to Moreno on a bad weight cut, will probably still come into this bout as the favorite. However, his Mexican opponent has proven time after time that he simply can’t be counted out.

Based on their previous two battles, this should be an outstanding fight. Regardless of who wins, the UFC will have a flyweight kingpin they can be proud of.

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#1. Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane - UFC heavyweight

Could Ciryl Gane be the man to defeat UFC heavyweight kingpin Francis Ngannou?

The biggest fight booked for early 2022 might well be the best UFC heavyweight title fight in a generation, too, as Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane finally face off.

It not only pits two titleholders against one another, but it also represents a massive clash of styles and a battle of two of the division’s greatest-ever strikers.

There can be no doubt that Ngannou, the reigning UFC heavyweight champion, should come into the clash as the favorite. Arguably the heaviest hitter in MMA history, ‘The Predator’ has knocked out the majority of the best heavyweights in UFC history, from Cain Velasquez and Stipe Miocic to Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos.

His last fight, his title win over Miocic, saw him display some new wrinkles in the form of a much improved defensive wrestling game and more patience than before, making him even more dangerous. However, he’ll have his hands full with the current interim champion Gane. ‘Bon Gamin’ hasn’t been quite as lethal as Ngannou inside the octagon, with three of his seven UFC victories going the distance.

From a technical standpoint, though, he’s arguably superior to Ngannou. He's picked apart practically every fighter he’s faced in the promotion thus far, from Derrick Lewis to Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Whether Ngannou’s raw power or Gane’s technical style comes out on top remains to be seen. Either way, this fight promises to be a potential classic, with the winner earning not only the UFC heavyweight title, but the label of ‘baddest man on the planet’ as well.