5 fantastic UFC fights to look forward to in December

With the final event of November now on the books, it’s time to look to the final month of 2022 for the UFC.

The UFC will present three events in December, and with plenty on the line, including the light heavyweight title, it could be a month to remember.

Whether these fights will all hold together and deliver the goods in the octagon, of course, is another thing entirely. But fans should definitely be hopeful for 2022 to end with a bang.

Here are five fantastic UFC fights to look forward to in December.

---

#5. UFC heavyweight bout: Tai Tuivasa vs. Sergei Pavlovich

Can Sergei Pavlovich pick up a huge win when he faces Tai Tuivasa?

December 3rd’s UFC Fight Night event features a headlining bout between welterweights Stephen Thompson and Kevin Holland. However, the fight most likely to produce thrilling action in Las Vegas is the heavyweight clash between Tai Tuivasa and Sergei Pavlovich.

Put simply, these two big men have bricks for hands, and based on their past fights, it’s highly likely that they’ll wing those hands at one another until one of them falls, quite possibly in the first round.

Of the two, Tuivasa has proven himself against top contenders. The Australian has headlined two major events, and while he is coming off a loss to Ciryl Gane, he gave the Frenchman a real scare and was riding a five-fight win streak prior to that bout.

Pavlovich, on the other hand, is coming off a controversial stoppage of Derrick Lewis. He’s also unbeaten since 2018, and has now stopped four opponents in a row with his heavy hands.

The big question here is whose chin is likely to crack first, and in all honesty, it’s a clash that could definitely go either way. Thompson vs. Holland is a great fight, but this one definitely sounds like more fun.

---

#4. UFC lightweight bout: Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon

Paddy Pimblett's US debut is definitely one of the best fights on tap in December

December 10th’s UFC 282 is set to see the return of UK's Paddy Pimblett, who will be making his stateside debut in the octagon against Jared Gordon.

‘Paddy the Baddy’ has already gone 3-0 in his career with the UFC thus far. While there have been some question marks over his strength of opposition, it’s hard to knock him for finishing all three of his foes.

Is Gordon going to be the man to test him? In all honesty, it feels doubtful. ‘Flash’ has a solid octagon record of 7-4 and is 19-5 in MMA overall. However, none of the opponents he’s beaten – save for the aging Leonardo Santos – would be favored against Pimblett.

More to the point, Gordon’s wild style might play into the hands of ‘Paddy the Baddy’. The Liverpudlian should be confident that if he can get the fight to the ground, he should be able to find a way to secure a submission. He may even come out on top standing, given three of Gordon’s losses in the UFC have come via knockout.

Despite this, Pimblett’s US debut should still be treated as a big deal. He’s already got a huge following in the UK. While he hasn’t defeated the kind of opponents that Conor McGregor did on his rise up the ladder, he’s definitely got the vibe ‘The Notorious’ once possessed.

Basically, ‘Paddy the Baddy’ is quickly becoming a must-see attraction, making this fight one of December’s best.

---

#3. UFC middleweight bout: Jared Cannonier vs. Sean Strickland

Jared Cannonier could move right back into title contention if he can beat Sean Strickland next month

The final UFC event of 2022 is set to be headlined by a pair of middleweight standouts in the form of Jared Cannonier and Sean Strickland. With both men ranked in the top ten at 185lbs, this clash could definitely produce a potential title contender for 2023.

For Strickland, it represents a chance at redemption after his title hopes went up in smoke at the hands – the left hook in particular – of Alex Pereira earlier in 2022. ‘Tarzan’ had been riding a lengthy win streak, but that loss brought into question his chin and striking defense, something he’ll be determined to put right in this fight.

Cannonier, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since his losing effort against Israel Adesanya back in July for the championship. If he can use his heavy hands and violent ground-and-pound to stop Strickland here, ‘The Killa Gorilla’ could lay claim to taking a shot at new champion Pereira next year. After all, the only fighters to beat him at 185lbs are Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.

Watch Cannonier's KO of Derek Brunson below:

However, some of Strickland’s fights – namely his clash with Uriah Hall – have failed to live up to the hype. Hopefully, Cannonier can bring the best out of him.

---

#2. UFC light heavyweight bout: Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Blachowicz

If he beats Jan Blachowicz, it'll be impossible to deny Magomed Ankalaev his title shot in 2023

In most instances, a nine-fight win streak in any division would be enough to net a fighter a title shot, but that hasn’t been the case yet for light-heavyweight contender Magomed Ankalaev.

The UFC has booked a title rematch between champion Jiri Prochazka and former titleholder Glover Teixeira. Hence, the Dagestani will be forced to fight at least one more time before he gets a shot at the gold.

The likely final hurdle for him is another former champion in Jan Blachowicz. The two men will battle in the co-headliner of UFC 282. If this fight delivers, we could be in for something special. Thus far, nobody has really been able to deal with the nasty striking and powerful wrestling of Ankalaev.

Blachowicz has made a career of proving people wrong. He carries 'Polish Power' in his right hand and is an underrated grappler. He also turned back the challenge of another touted prospect – Aleksandar Rakic – in his last fight.

If Ankalaev pulls out his tenth win in a row, it’ll be impossible to deny him a shot at gold in 2023.

---

#1. UFC light heavyweight title: Jiri Prochazka vs. Glover Teixeira

Can Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira produce another classic when they rematch?

Their first fight produced a bonafide contender for 2022’s ‘Fight of the Year’ award. So, it goes without saying that the best bout lined up for December is the light heavyweight title rematch between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira.

The two men are set to headline UFC 282, which looks like one of the best pay-per-views of the year on paper.

Their first fight saw ‘Denisa’ and his Brazilian foe go toe-to-toe in every aspect of MMA over five rounds, belying both Prochazka’s inexperience at the highest level and Teixeira’s advanced age. It was a gutter war that could’ve gone either way, which is why Teixeira should still be confident coming into this rematch.

Whether he can regain his title at the age of 43, though, is another thing entirely. Prochazka should be more comfortable in a five-round bout this time around. Also, he hits as hard as any 205lber we’ve seen in recent years.

With that said, Teixeira is still the superior grappler – even if he was submitted last time due to being fatigued.

Essentially, this one could go either way, and it’s actually likely that we’ll see just as much action as we did the first time around. If there was ever an unmissable fight on tap this December, it’s this one.