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The UFC recently announced the induction of former champions Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022. Both fighters will take their place in the Modern Wing alongside legends like Ronda Rousey and Georges St-Pierre.
The Modern Wing was created in 2015 when the organization decided to split up the Hall of Fame into different categories. Other categories include Pioneer Wing, Fight Wing, and Contributor's Wing. This was done to ensure fairness in the induction of fighters and other individuals involved in propelling the promotion to the top.
While both 'The Eagle' and 'DC' are very much deserving, the announcement of their induction has ignited discussions concerning other candidates who deserve the same honor.
With that in mind, here are five fighters who deserve to follow the two legends into the 2022 class of the Hall of Fame:
#5. Junior dos Santos - former UFC heavyweight champion
Junior dos Santos started his UFC career in 2008 with a knockout of top contender Fabricio Werdum. The stellar knockout also earned him his first Knockout of the Year award. From here on, he went on to stay undefeated for nine consecutive fights - the longest win streak in the history of the UFC heavyweight division.
His dream run inside the octagon led him to contest for the heavyweight title against Cain Velasquez at UFC on Fox 1. Thanks to dos Santos ' knockout of Velasquez, the fight lasted for a little over a minute. He became the first Brazilian to win the heavyweight title in the promotion.
Another of his memorable performances was against Stipe Miocic in 2014. The five-round back and forth registered 212 significant strikes on target, with dos Santos landing 123. The fight eventually went the distance, and 'Cigano' was announced the winner via unanimous decision.
He holds the record for the most knockdowns landed by a heavyweight fighter in the promotion. Additionally, dos Santos has the second-most KO wins in the division, with ten wins by a knockout.
The 38-year-old left the Zuffa-owned promotion in 2021 with a record of 21-9, bringing an end to a twelve-year-long career in the octagon. He is currently signed to Eagle FC and will make his promotional debut against Yorgan De Castro.
#4. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson - former UFC light heavyweight champion
!['Rampage' Jackson was one of MMA's earliest superstars [Image via @rampage4real on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/05/edb07-16524163485936-1920.jpg)
Quinton Jackson was already a household name before his UFC debut in 2007. This was primarily due to his time at Pride FC, where he amassed a 12-5 record. Despite being well past his prime, he remains one of the best light heavyweights in MMA history.
'Rampage' got his first UFC title shot against his former Pride competitor Chuck Liddell in only the second fight in the promotion. About ninety seconds into the first round, a strong right hook from Jackson sent Liddell down to the canvas.
There was little 'The Iceman' could do from here as 'Rampage' rained down heavy blows from the top position. Moments later, the referee intervened and Jackson became the new champion of the 205lbs division.
His next fight saw him go the distance against Pride middleweight champion Dan Henderson and win by unanimous decision. With this win, 'Rampage' became the first fighter to hold the UFC and Pride FC belts.
With 37 wins in his MMA career, Jackson is undoubtedly one of the greatest light heavyweights of all time.
#3. Demetrious Johnson - former UFC flyweight champion
In 2012, Demetrious Johnson scripted history by becoming the first UFC flyweight champion when he defeated Joseph Benavidez. During the six years that he reigned, Johnson faced stiff competition from the likes of Benavidez, Henry Cejudo, and Ray Borg, amongst others.
One of the best fights of his career was arguably against Borg at UFC 216. Not only did he overpower the American 64-13 in significant strikes on target, but also pulled off an armbar that will be remembered for years to come.
Three minutes into the fifth round, both fighters got into a clinch when 'Mighty Mouse' got Borg's back. Almost in the blink of an eye, he lifted 'The Tazmexican Devil' up using a suplex, caught his left arm mid-air, and finished him with the armbar.
It was his 12th successful title defense, taking him past Anderson Silva's record of most consecutive title defenses at that point.
Following his loss to Henry Cejudo in 2018, he was traded to ONE Championship in exchange for Ben Askren, where he still competes in the flyweight division and won their flyweight Grand Prix.
#2. Frank Shamrock - former UFC light heavyweight champion
![Frank Shamrock was a force to reckon with [Image via @frankshamrock on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/05/4b60f-16524167688697-1920.jpg)
Frank Shamrock makes a strong case for induction into the Hall of Fame as a pioneer of modern MMA. He was one of the first fighters to introduce the art of mixing up different styles of fighting in the cage.
In his debut fight for Dana White's promotion, he submitted Kevin Jackson 16 seconds into the opening round to become the first light heavyweight champion of the promotion. He defended his title four times before leaving the organization with a spotless record of 5-0.
Shamrock faced future Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz in his last fight in the octagon. The 1999 Fight of the Year was a clear test of Shamrock's durability as a fighter. Despite multiple takedowns from Ortiz, Shamrock still had enough energy to knock him out in the fourth round.
After leaving the UFC, Shamrock fought in WEC and Strikeforce before hanging up his gloves in 2011.
#1. Anderson Silva - former UFC middleweight champion
Arguably no fighter has a stronger claim to the Class of 2022 than Anderson Silva. The former middleweight champion was the perfect example of poise and explosiveness inside the octagon.
During his prime, 'The Spider' was perhaps the most consistent fighter in the promotion and almost seemed superhuman. With 16 consecutive victories, he holds the record for the longest win streak in the promotion. Additionally, he also has the fourth-most finishes in the promotion's history. Only three of his seventeen wins in the octagon came via judges' decision.
Of Silva's many notable performances in the octagon, the ones against Chael Sonnen and Vitor Belfort arguably stand apart - for different reasons. While the former tested Silva's tenacity, the latter was proof of his explosiveness.
At UFC 117, Silva returned from the brink of defeat to submit Sonnen in the final round. With Sonnen leading through four rounds, Silva pulled off a magnificent triangle armbar to successfully defend his title.
Against Vitor Belfort at UFC 126, it was business as usual for Silva as he knocked Belfort out with a stunning front kick to the face. While the world had almost gotten used to seeing 'The Spider' doing this to his opponents, no one expected him to fold a prime Belfort the way he did.
MMA fight fans can view the below video for additional updates:
