5 potential long-reigning champions in the UFC

#2. Khamzat Chimaev - UFC welterweight and middleweight

Khamzat Chimaev is undoubtedly the hottest prospect in the UFC right now.

The Russian-born Swedish phenom made waves in the MMA community with a couple of dominant performances in Abu Dhabi in 2020. Subsequently, 'Borz' took on Gerald Meerschaert at UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley. Chimaev knocked Meerschaert out just 17 seconds into the bout, establishing himself as one of the most intriguing prospects in years.

In 2021, Chimaev was booked to fight No.11-ranked Li Jingliang at UFC 267 on Fight Island. Many believed that the durable Chinese welterweight, who had never been finished in the UFC, would pose a threat to Chimaev and that the bout would be a conclusive litmus test to show whether he was a legitimate title contender.

Chimaev secured a double-leg takedown and effortlessly choked out Jingliang in the first round.

There was no doubt after the bout that Khamzat Chimaev is a real threat to Kamaru Usman's reign as the UFC welterweight champion. His background in sambo-style wrestling, coupled with his underrated striking and relentless approach to fighting, will prove to be a real handful for anyone in the 170 lbs and 185 lbs divisions.

Chimaev is one of the most well-rounded fighters in the UFC, making him an incredibly tough matchup for anyone he fights. At just 27 years of age, it's scary to think that ‘Borz’ still has a lot to learn and is not even close to his prime.

Considering he barely takes any damage in his fights, we could be witnessing the rise of potentially one of the longest reigning champions in UFC history.

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#1. Petr Yan - UFC interim bantamweight champion

You’d be hard-pressed to find a challenging stylistic matchup for Petr Yan at 135 lbs. ‘No Mercy’ is an intimidating figure atop the pecking order in the UFC’s bantamweight division. The rest of the fighters in the weight class will have their work cut out for them when they eventually square off against the formidable Russian.

Barring a disqualification-loss to Aljamain Sterling in 2021, Yan’s UFC record is near-perfect. He has beaten the likes of Jimmie Rivera, Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo and Cory Sandhagen in his most recent octagon outings and has emerged as one of the best strikers in the UFC.

Many believed that Aljamain Sterling would pose the toughest test to Yan, considering the former's wrestling prowess. However, what ensued when the duo locked horns left fans watching in disbelief.

Not only did the Russian stuff all but one of Sterling’s takedown attempts, he also managed to take down his American counterpart seven times.

After establishing himself as one of the best strikers in the game and putting on a wrestling clinic against a seasoned wrestler, it’s hard to see who beats Petr Yan in the future. Believe it or not, Yan is just 28 years of age and could potentially break numerous records as a long-reigning champion in the UFC.