'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#2. Magomed Ankalaev – UFC light heavyweight contender
In 2021, a major dark horse claimed gold in the UFC light heavyweight division. Glover Teixeira – at the age of 42 – submitted Jan Blachowicz in October to become the new champion.
Trending
Quite how long Teixeira can hold onto his title at such an advanced age is anyone’s guess. Many fans seem to believe that Jiri Prochazka, who is expected to face the Brazilian in the early part of this year, could dethrone him.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
Prochazka is only 2-0 in the octagon thus far. Both of his wins – over Volkan Oezdemir and Dominick Reyes – were fabulous. However, whether he’s the best fighter in the division right now is up for debate.
The real dark horse at 205 lbs right now is almost certainly Magomed Ankalaev. Sure, the Dagestani native is ranked below the likes of Anthony Smith, Aleksandar Rakic and Thiago Santos. However, he’s also on an impressive streak, as he’s won seven fights in a row, including a victory over Oezdemir in late 2021.
More to the point, Ankalaev does not appear to have a weakness inside the octagon. He possesses one of the strongest wrestling games in the division, and has a hard-hitting striking arsenal too.
Currently, Ankalaev is booked to face Thiago Santos in March. Should he win that fight impressively, it might be difficult for the UFC to deny him a title shot. While a fight against either Teixeira or Prochazka would be difficult, the Dagestani can beat both, making him a potential champion in the waiting.
#1. Alexandre Pantoja – UFC flyweight contender
The year 2022 has already seen its first title fight in the UFC flyweight division. Deiveson Figueiredo was able to regain the gold from Brandon Moreno in a genuine barnburner this weekend.
The fight was so good that it’s likely to be considered among the best fights of the year by the time 2022 comes to an end. The promotion might well decide to book a fourth fight between the two in the next few months.
However, if that doesn’t happen, or if it happens, and has a definitive result in the next few months, who might be next for the winner? One option, particularly if Moreno regains the title, might be Alexandre Pantoja.
‘The Cannibal’ holds a 2018 victory over Moreno. While a 2019 loss to Figueiredo, and a 2020 defeat to Askar Askarov might hold him back from claiming a title shot right away, things could still fall into place for him.
That’s because Askarov is booked to fight Kai Kara-France in March. If the Dagestani loses that fight, Pantoja, who has already beaten ‘Don’t Blink’, would likely jump ahead of both.
More importantly, though, with his hard-hitting striking and top-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu, ‘The Cannibal’ could well have the best chance of unseating either Figueiredo or Moreno in a title bout.
The UFC clearly likes the Brazilian, as he was reportedly already offered a shot at the gold in late 2021 only for a knee injury to derail him. Therefore, 2022 could well be the year when he takes his shot. If he does so, he’d have a good chance of becoming the new champion at 125 lbs.
