5 best UFC fights of May 2022

#2. Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Michel Pereira – UFC Vegas 55

Michel Pereira made an explosive introduction to UFC fans when he viciously knocked out English welterweight Danny Roberts back in 2019. In the bout against Roberts, the flamboyant Brazilian showcased his incredible Capoeira skills and athletic abilities, which went on to cost him in his next two bouts, wherein he clearly gassed out.

After going 1-2 in his first three fights in the famed octagon, Pereira went on to win his next four bouts, adopting a more disciplined approach, rather than his typically exuberant style.

At UFC Vegas 55, 'Demolidor' had the chance to break into the rankings when he took on welterweight veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio.

Ponzinibbio struggled in the opening frame of the three-round bout. The Argentine couldn't keep up with Pereira's lateral movement and got caught on quite a few occasions when 'Demolidor' exploded forward.

The second round saw Ponzinibbio bounce back as Pereira started to fatigue. He landed more significant strikes throughout the round and even secured a takedown moments before the bell.

Both fighters were clearly exhausted going into the third and final round, and the final five minutes of action were astonishing to say the least. Pereira ditched the lateral movement that served him well throughout the fight and proceeded to engage in a slugfest with Ponzinibbio.

The final minute of the back-and-forth bout saw both welterweights throw down with very little regard for defense. It appeared as though Pereira edged out his fellow South American counterpart and the judges' decision reflected the same. He came away with a split decision victory to break into the rankings at 170 pounds.

The Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Michel Pereira fight was arguably the most anticipated bout on the fight card and it undoubtedly delivered. Both fighters came away with a $50,000 post-fight bonus for their efforts.

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#1. Brandon Royval vs. Matt Schnell – UFC 274

Not dissimilar to the Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje UFC 274 headliner, a bout on the preliminary card before the pay-per-view featuring top-ranked flyweights Brandon Royval and Matt Schnell stole the show at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

With both fighters looking to put themselves in title contention, Royval and Schnell engaged in a memorable one-round barnburner.

After a frantic opening minute which saw both fighters land decent shots, Schnell dropped Royval with a right hook and followed him to the ground. He landed heavy ground-and-pound strikes as 'Rawdog' composed himself and started attacking submissions.

After a failed attempt at taking his opponent's back, Schnell latched on to a guillotine choke, which he later modified into a D'Arce. However, Royval managed to break out of the choke and stood up.

As Schnell tried a takedown to get the fight back onto the mat, Royval locked in a guillotine of his own, forcing a rare double-hand tap.

Brandon Royval advanced to the No.5 spot in the flyweight rankings with his win over Matt Schnell, and is likely one win away from a shot at gold.

Following his submission victory, Royval offered to be the back-up fighter for the upcoming interim title fight between former champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Kai Kara-France, which will be contested at UFC 277 in July.