5 bold predictions for the UFC in 2022

#4. Conor McGregor will stay active in the UFC

Conor McGregor has been keeping UFC fans updated regarding his recovery and eventual return to the octagon. The Irish superstar sustained a leg injury in his most recent bout against Dustin Poirier and has been rehabilitating the injury ever since.

Back in January 2020, Conor McGregor took on Donald Cerrone at UFC 246. He secured a sensational TKO victory just 40 seconds into the bout. Before and after the fight with ‘Cowboy’, McGregor discussed how he is looking forward to staying active and enjoying a 'season' of regular fights. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global lockdowns put a halt to his plans.

McGregor’s two fights against Dustin Poirier in 2021 didn’t go his way either. He suffered a second-round TKO loss to ‘The Diamond’ at UFC 257 and a leg injury forced a doctor stoppage in their trilogy bout at UFC 264. The Irishman has since alluded to staying active upon his return to the octagon. Perhaps we could finally get the McGregor ‘season’ after all.

There is no shortage of potential opponents for ‘The Notorious’. McGregor has called out and teased multiple future matchups that fans can look forward to, including a fight against Michael Chandler, a trilogy bout with Nate Diaz and a grudge match against Dustin Poirier.

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#3. Khamzat Chimaev will become the UFC welterweight champion

Khamzat Chimaev is undoubtedly the hottest prospect in the UFC right now. The Russian-born Swede has taken the MMA world by storm since making his UFC debut in 2020. The undefeated Chechen fighter made a splash on UFC Fight Island last year and has since emerged as one of the most intriguing fighters on the roster.

‘Borz’ got off to a sensational 3-0 start to his UFC career before being booked to take on No.11-ranked welterweight Li Jingliang at UFC 267. Chimaev made light work of his Chinese counterpart and subsequently broke into the top 10 in the UFC welterweight rankings.

After the bout, in his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, he seemingly put the entire division and roster on notice while claiming that he was the real champion.

Many believe that Chimaev is just one win away from a title shot. His background in sambo wrestling, coupled with his relentless pressure and underrated striking, is a huge threat to the reigning UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman.

Usman, for quite some time now, has been hinting at retiring from the sport. 'The Nigerian Nightmare', currently the No.1-ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world, has very little to prove having already beaten most of the top fighters in the division. It remains to be seen whether he will be around when Chimaev earns his title shot.

Nevertheless, Chimaev will most likely compete for the welterweight title sometime in 2022. Whether he takes on Usman for the title or competes for a vacant belt in the near future is up for debate. Our bold prediction is that Chimaev will emerge victorious in his quest for gold, and it’s only a matter of time.