5 best fighters outside the UFC in 2022

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#4. Demetrious Johnson - ONE Championship

Demetrious Johnson holds a record of 30-4-1

Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson is now heading into his fourth year competing under the ONE Championship banner. While 'Mighty Mouse' won his first three fights under the promotion, he fell short in his most recent bid for the ONE flyweight championship. Adriano Moraes knocked out the former UFC champion in one of the biggest upsets of 2021.

While the loss came as a surprise to many, Johnson's skills cannot be debated given his impressive resume. 'Mighty Mouse' won the inaugural UFC flyweight championship in 2012 and put together a historic reign with the UFC belt, successfully defending it 11 consecutive times.

It will be interesting to see how Johnson rebounds from his recent loss. With that said, should the talented flyweight rediscover the form he showed in the UFC, he will be tough to stop in 2022.

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#3. Adriano Moraes - ONE Championship

Adriano Moraes currently holds a record of 19-3

Next on the list is the man who beat Demetrious Johnson last time out, Adriano Moraes. The 32-year-old is already in the midst of his third reign with the ONE flyweight championship and looks set for a big year in 2022.

While three title reigns are impressive, they also show that he is beatable and somewhat inconsistent. During his previous tenures with the belt, Moraes won the gold, defended the title once and then lost his championship the next time out.

If that pattern repeats itself, Moraes is due to lose his belt in his next bout.

However, if Moraes is able to break that cycle and put together a lengthy run with the title, he could cement himself as one of the elite flyweights on the planet. He is in a great position to do so, having knocked out a UFC great in his most recent fight.