5 trilogy fights we need to see in the UFC in 2022

There have only been a handful of trilogies throughout the history of the UFC. Sometimes, the rivalry between two fighters demands a rubber match to finally settle the score.

A highly-anticipated trilogy bout is set to go down at the promotion's first pay-per-view of 2022. Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo are set to put an end to their rivalry in the co-main event of UFC 270. Their first fight ended in a draw, allowing then-champion Figueiredo to retain his title following a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

In the rematch, Moreno shocked the world and choked out Figueiredo in the third round to become the new king of the flyweight division and the first Mexican-born champion in UFC history. The reigning champion will look to defend his title when the duo square off in their upcoming trilogy bout, while his Brazilian counterpart will be seeking redemption.

Some of the most iconic trilogies in promotional history include the rivalries between Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos, Georges St-Pierre and Matt Hughes, Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier, Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor, to name a few.

That said, we thought we'd look at five trilogy fights we need to see in 2022.

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#5. Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja 3 – UFC flyweight division

Brandon Moreno was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 24. That particular TUF season, which was also called The Tournament of Champions, called upon flyweight champions from regional promotions around the world to compete for a UFC contract, as well as an immediate title shot.

The winner of the show was slated to take on then-flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, who ran out of challengers at 125 lbs.

Moreno, the reigning WFF flyweight champion, was deemed the lowest seed on the show. He suffered a loss in his very first fight at TUF, against Alexandre Pantoja.

Despite his shortcomings on TUF, Moreno received a contract as the promotion's 125 lbs division lacked talent and depth at the time. After going 1-2 in his next three fights, he was released. One of those two came against none other than Pantoja.

Moreno returned to the UFC in 2019. He put together a four-fight unbeaten streak to earn a shot at gold in the flyweight division in 2020. The Mexican put on a hearty performance against then-champion Deiveson Figueiredo, earning a draw for his efforts in a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

The duo squared off in a rematch at UFC 263 in June 2021, where Moreno shocked the world. As discussed earlier, he submitted Figueiredo in the third round to become the new flyweight champion.

Meanwhile, Alexandre Pantoja is a top contender in the flyweight division. The Brazilian has a strong case for a shot at the title, considering he has two wins over the reigning champion, Moreno.

Following his most recent victory over Brandon Royval, Pantoja issued one of the nicest and most respectful callouts ever while Moreno was on commentary duty.

Moreno has acknowledged that he intends to redeem himself and show his improvements in a trilogy fight with Pantoja. The duo are likely to lock horns in the near future.

#4. Alexander Volkanovski vs. Max Holloway 3 – UFC featherweight division

The moniker of ‘featherweight GOAT’ has changed hands numerous times in the UFC. Jose Aldo ruled the division for a very long time but was handily beaten twice by Max Holloway. Holloway was the champion for two years before suffering a somewhat similar fate to the former champion, Aldo.

Holloway was dethroned by Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 245 in 2019. The bout was a razor-thin affair. Volkanovski outpointed Holloway to earn a unanimous decision victory. A rematch was subsequently booked for UFC 251 in 2020.

Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway engaged in yet another tactical affair in their rematch.

Holloway clearly won the first two rounds, dropping Volkanovski twice in the opening 10 minutes. However, the Aussie champion turned the tide in the last three rounds, clearly outstriking his Hawaiian counterpart in the final two. The third round in particular was extremely close and could’ve gone either way.

Strip away all the debates as to who won both fights, and one thing becomes undeniably clear – Volkanovski and Holloway are so evenly matched. Arguably, the Australian might just have the former champion’s number.

Holloway is the best volume-striker in MMA. In his fights against Brian Ortega and Calvin Kattar, ‘Blessed’ broke numerous striking records and famously likes to drown his opponents with his relentless output and cardio.

He struggled to carry out the same gameplan against Volkanovski and has been outstruck by ‘The Great’ over the collective 50 minutes they’ve shared in the octagon.

It’ll be interesting to see how a third fight plays out between the two.

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#3. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Amanda Nunes 3 – UFC women’s bantamweight division

Who is the best female fighter in the world?

According to the official UFC pound-for-pound women’s rankings, it's Valentina Shevchenko.

Shevchenko has established herself as one of the best fighters on the planet in recent years, irrespective of gender. The lifelong martial artist has enjoyed an incredible career so far. The Kyrgyzstani phenom is one of the most dominant champions in MMA, having defended her flyweight title six times.

Shevchenko’s run in the UFC at 135 lbs pre-dated the existence of the promotion’s flyweight division altogether. As a result, she spent almost half her career competing at bantamweight. Despite clearly being undersized, ‘Bullet’ emerged as one of the best fighters in the bantamweight division, picking up wins over Holly Holm and Julianna Pena.

In fact, it was Shevchenko and Amanda Nunes who were the clear-cut best fighters in the division. The duo locked horns twice, with Nunes securing a unanimous decision victory in the first and a split-decision in the second. However, many believe Shevchenko should have come out on top in their second bout.

Amanda Nunes is considered by many as the GOAT of women’s MMA. Nunes is one of only seven fighters in UFC history to become a two-division champion. She is also the only woman who has achieved this feat.

‘The Lioness’ became a bonafide superstar following her incredible wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg and Holly Holm. She remains the only double-champion to have simultaneously defended two belts multiple times.

In one of the biggest upsets in combat sports history, Julianna Pena choked out Amanda Nunes at UFC 269 in Las Vegas. Considering Shevchenko already has a win over Pena, she could look to return to the 135 lbs division and challenge for the title. A victory over Pena could set up a potential trilogy bout with Nunes.

We could finally have an answer to the question asked at the start of this entry: Who is the best female fighter in the world?

#2. Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz 3 – UFC welterweight division

The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz has produced some of the most memorable moments in UFC history. They are the two biggest stars in the sport at the moment, despite their recent shortcomings.

The first time McGregor and Diaz fought, ‘The Notorious’ was on an incredible tear in the UFC's featherweight division. The Irishman was coming off a sensational 13-second KO victory over then-featherweight champion Jose Aldo. He was set to fight then-lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in pursuit of champ-champ status at UFC 196.

However, dos Anjos was forced to pull out of the bout less than two weeks before the event due to a foot injury. Nate Diaz, the TUF season 5 winner and brother of MMA legend Nick Diaz, stepped in on short notice as a replacement for the 155 lbs champion. The bout was contested at welterweight as Diaz didn’t have enough time to make the lightweight limit.

Many expected McGregor to walk through Diaz. However, the Stockton native shocked the world as he choked out his Irish counterpart in the second round, handing the then-featherweight champion his first loss in the UFC.

Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz locked horns in a rematch at UFC 202, just five months after their first bout. McGregor dominated Diaz in the opening three rounds, knocking him down to the canvas several times with his infamous left straight. Nevertheless, Diaz survived and swarmed McGregor in the last two rounds.

The Irishman came away with a majority-decision victory and acknowledged Diaz's durability in his post-fight interview. He told Joe Rogan:

"He [Diaz] took them better than I expected. He didn't show, he didn't let me know [that he was hurt]. In the first three rounds, I proved the class difference. I was [on] another level to him. And then that toughness and that durability that he has crept back in the later rounds but I'm still happy to come away with the win. Hell of a fight! He's a hell of a competitor. [He] Brought out the best in me."

Watch McGregor and Diaz's post-fight interviews below:

This iconic rivalry deserves a fitting ending. It would be a travesty if a trilogy bout never comes to fruition.

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#1. Francis Ngannou vs. Stipe Miocic 3 – UFC heavyweight division

Francis Ngannou and Stipe Miocic have shared an incredibly memorable rivalry over the last four years. Ngannou went on an incredible six-fight winning streak between 2015 and 2017 to earn a shot at Miocic’s heavyweight title.

The Cameroonian’s stunning run comprised five knockout victories and one submission. He gained a reputation for possessing an incredible amount of power in his strikes. He was even the betting favorite going into his championship bout against the reigning champion.

At UFC 220, Stipe Miocic put on a clinic against Francis Ngannou, dominating him for 25 minutes en route to a unanimous decision victory.

Ngannou’s poor wrestling and limited gas tank were exposed by Miocic. ‘The Predator’ suffered his first loss in the promotion at the hands of the champion and has since credited his undeniable improvements over the last few years to that fateful defeat in 2018.

Francis Ngannou has since learned to use his power more effectively, setting up traps before throwing bombs. After putting together another scintillating winning streak, he secured another title shot. KO/TKO victories over Curtis Blaydes, Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik saw ‘The Predator’ take on Stipe Miocic in a rematch at UFC 260 in 2021.

Ngannou knocked Miocic out in brutal fashion to become the new heavyweight champion.

Stipe Miocic is considered the greatest heavyweight champion in UFC history. No other heavyweight champion in promotional history has defended the belt as many times as the Cleveland native.

With his rivalry with Francis Ngannou standing at 1-1, a rubber match will determine who the best heavyweight of the modern era really is.