End of 2022 UFC Champions Prediction

This will be an interesting exercise to look back on and redo in a years time to see how we did. A lot can happen in a calendar year in the UFC as some fighters can fight 3, 4 or even 5 times in a row. In the case of Kamaru Usman, sometimes even the champion is the most active fighter in the division. Here we will do our best to provide our predictions for who will end the year 2022 as UFC champion in each respective weight class. This will include all weight classes although some require more review than others. You can never predict injuries but you can certainly predict the outcome of potential fights so any healthy or potentially healthy down the road fighters will be in play. Fighters ranked outside the top 15 will be considered, although it is rare when that type of jump is made in a calendar year, especially with it already being February.

Women's Strawweight

Current Champ: Rose Namajunas

EOY 2022 Champion: Rose Namajunas

This really is a stacked division with plenty of new faces and previous title contenders. Rose may avoid Weili for a tad longer after two straight defeats, but Zhang may very well force her way back into the division as she is a tough matchup for anybody. Although I expect Rose to take care of business against Esparza she presents some interesting challenges for Namajunas. Xiaonan Yan has power that can really threaten Rose in ways Andrade did in the past. However, Rose is too slick on the feet and too crafty on the mat as I believe she retains the belt throughout the year.

Runner-Ups: Carla Esparza, Weili Zhang, Xiaonan Yan

Women's Flyweight

Current Champ: Valentina Shevchenko

EOY 2022 Champion: Valentina Shevchenko

This feels like an easy pick with how easily Valentina has swept through this division. Casey O'Neill is really making a name for herself right now and this weight class needs some juice, but Shevchenko looks unstoppable right now. A potential fight with Weili Zhang is also intriguing.The only thing I see changing this champion is retirement - which is unlikely - and a move up in weight for a trilogy fight with you know who.

Runner-ups: Casey O'Neill, Taila Santos, Weili Zhang

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Flyweight

Current Champ: Deiveson Figueiredo

EOY 2022 Champion: Askar Askarov

This division has a lot of good depth but I question how many of them are ready to be long time belt holders. Brandon Moreno will always be a threat to take the belt back with how loved he is and his track record but Askarov has some serious power for a division that doesn't have a ton of it. He is very well rounded and has proven to also be durable with a chin. Figgy will be tough to take down but I also question how long he can or will do the weight cut. A move up seems in order sooner rather than later for the current standing champion. Look for Kai Kara France to get an opportunity soon and rising star Manel Kape will be a potential splash run over 2022.

Runner-ups: Brandon Moreno, Kai Kara France, Manel Kape

Women's Bantamweight

Current Champ: Julianna Pena

EOY 2022 Champion: Amanda Nunes

Spoiler! I expect Nunes to regain her title in the rematch against Julianna Pena which also happens to be our new set of the Ultimate Fighter. Julianna Pena of course shocked the world in her upset of Nunes but most of the community saw Nunes was off that night. This is not a great division and no matter how hard the UFC pushes, I refuse to place Holly Holm in this list.

Runner-Ups: Julianna Pena, Irene Aldana

Bantamweight

Current Champ: Yan/Sterling

EOY 2022 Champion: Petr Yan

I expect Petr Yan to also regain his title in the rematch versus Aljamain Sterling. While Sterling presented a great game plan in their first fight, the execution was poor and Yan broke Sterling down over the course of the fight as he does most opponents. Sterling has a path to victory but Yan is too talented and too well rounded. A potential matchup with a healthy Dillashaw is very challenging as well as a future matchup with Sean O'Malley if he decides to fight any ranked fighters. Yan has beaten most of the top 5 so a big 2022 for O'Malley could have him right in contention.

Runner-Ups: TJ Dillashaw, Aljamain Sterling, Sean O'Malley

Women's Featherweight

Current Champ: Amanda Nunes

EOY 2022 Champion: Amanda Nunes

I actually think this weight class is possibly on the way out. There are just no challengers for this division right now and Nunes' dominance makes it difficult to build up any sort of contenders. A potential splash move for Kayla Harrison here may help revive whatever this division used to be but right now, its in trouble.

Runner-Ups: Kayla Harrison

Featherweight

Current Champ: Alexander Volkanovski

EOY 2022 Champion: Max Holloway

This may get some backlash but let me say I don't believe Holloway got robbed in his fights with Volk. I gave the first fight to Volk and the second fight to Holloway, but the second fight was close enough where I was okay with a Volk decision with his work in the championship rounds. However, Holloway continues to become more well rounded and he got better when comparing the first fight between these two to the second. I wouldn't be surprised to see Volk here as I believe he is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of this division. Yair Rodriguez looked fantastic and an eye needs to be kept on rising Arnold Allen.

Runner-Ups: Alexander Volkanovski, Yair Rodriguez, Arnold Allen

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Lightweight

Current Champ: Charles Oliveira

EOY 2022 Champion: Islam Makhachev

I don't mean to ride the hype train, but its a massive hype train for a reason. I am not one that buys into the "Khabib 2.0" narrative but the similarities are certainly there. He has impressive wrestling and ground skills that can't be duplicated in the division as well a legit power to combat the wrestling heavy approach. The submission threat is real and he is patient to let it come to him. A potential fight with Oliveira is absolutely fantastic but you can already feel the UFC push behind Makhachev. Once he gets that signature win, all hands on deck. Justin Gaethje is a tough matchup for Charles Oliveira but with Makhachev being so frequent with his wrestling and submission attempts, that appears to be as bad of a matchup as possible for Gaethje. Its truly hard to say where Poirier goes from here and if we can consider him a real title challenger. The talent is there but its hard to tell if the drive for another grind of a title run is.

Runner-Ups: Charles Oliveira, Justin Gaethje, Beneil Dariush

Welterweight

Current Champ: Kamaru Usman

EOY 2022 Champion: Kamaru Usman

Other than retirement, I don't see a lot that can unseat Kamaru Usman right now. He is on an incredible title run but at the same time continuing to improve. He has lapped a few title challengers now and appears to be looking for fresh meat. A future matchup with Leon Edwards is in store and although Leon has the ability to gain an upset here, that would require Usman really falling in love with his hands. I expect Usman to fight smart and not have anything to prove. I see Vicente Luque giving Usman some struggles especially on the feet and Chimaev is always lingering.

Runner-Ups: Vicente Luque, Leon Edwards, Khamzat Chimaev

Middleweight

Current Champ: Israel Adesanya

EOY 2022 Champion: Israel Adesanya

Same as above, the only thing I see stopping Adesanya in this division is another move up or retirement - which is again unlikely. Whittaker looked much closer to solving this puzzle but ultimately couldn't get the job done. It will be tough for that trilogy to come to fruition unless the match makers truly don't have a choice. Whittaker is a bit stuck in the mud as he nearly beat up the entire division just to get his rematch. Cannonier gets the next title shot but I expect another easy outing for Adesanya there given the matchup for Cannonier. Strickland will get his shot and Darren Till is also a favorite of the Adesanya camp as long as he can string together a few wins. Andre Muniz is a tough matchup for Adesanya but I am not sure he can make that type of climb in the rankings this calendar year.

Runner-Ups: Jared Cannonier, Sean Strickland, Darren Till

Light Heavyweight

Current Champ: Glover Teixeira

EOY 2022 Champion: Jiri Prochazka

This division is very intriguing as Jon Jones skyrockets to # 1 on this list in the event he decides to move back down to recapture his old title. I find that unlikely, but the lack of timeline for a HW debut leaves this return open. Prochazka is a tough matchup for anybody in the division and the perfect opponent to keep Adesanya down at Middleweight. Magomed Ankalaev is an intriguing up and coming fighter in the division and we can't start counting Blachowicz out again. I learned my lesson the first time! Similar to the Nunes fight, Jan seemed out of sorts against Glover. Jiri is a tough matchup for anybody and while he leaves his chin open at times, his pressure can be daunting.

Runner-Ups: Jan Blachowicz, Magomed Ankalaev, Glover Teixeira

Heavyweight

Current Champ: Francis Ngannou

EOY 2022 Champion: Jon Jones

Whoa! I know not exactly going out on a limb here but this one has a lot of moving parts which means, lots of guessing in key points. Will Jon Jones actually return to Heavyweight? Will Jon Jones actually look good at heavyweight after a few lackluster performances in a row at LHW? Will Ngannou and the UFC figure out their negotiations? This is a three headed race between Ngannou, Gane, and Jones. Stipe deserves to be in the conversation as the HW goat but as respectfully as possible, I believe the three mentioned above beat Stipe. Jon Jones brings an interesting wrestling and ground game that cannot be matched in this division especially at the top. I tend to buy into the narrative that Jones was unmotivated at LHW as the competition did slow down considerably. I believe Gane wins a rematch with Ngannou and beats nearly everyone else in the division so if there is no eventual Jon Jones return, the backup pick would be Ciryl Gane. I believe the experience with Ngannou will prove to be pivotal to his career similar to the lessons Ngannou learned in the first Stipe fight.

Runner-Ups: Francis Ngannou, Ciryl Gane