5 great UFC fights to look forward to in May

The UFC has another jam-packed month of action planned for May. They kick off their event schedule for the month with a pay-per-view headlined by two title fights.

Based on the fights scheduled for the pay-per-view event, it’s understandable why it’ll get the most attention. But that doesn’t detract from some of the other bouts headlining the Fight Night cards later in the month.

The promotion could potentially see a new contender emerge in a few divisions. The matchmakers did an excellent job putting together many intriguing bouts. This list will look at five great UFC fights to look forward to in May.

---

#5. Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira

Two of the UFC’s top bantamweight contenders will headline a Fight Night card on May 21. Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira will compete in the main event of Fight Night 206 at the Apex. With the current state of the division, it’s realistic that the winner could earn a future title shot. This bout is intriguing as it’ll be a striker vs. grappler matchup.

Current champion Julianna Pena is coaching The Ultimate Fighter opposite former champion Amanda Nunes, and they’ll fight at a later date. There is a chance Holm or Vieira could get a title shot at the end of the year.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ has shown that age is just a number for her. At 40-years-old, Holm is still among the top fighters in the division. She’ll look to maintain her No.2 ranking and extend her winning streak to three fights.

‘Fenomeno’ will be looking to add another former women’s bantamweight champion to her list of notable wins. Vieira is coming into this fight following a unanimous decision win over former champion Miesha Tate this past November.

#4. Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz vs. Aleksandar Rakic

One week after their pay-per-view, the promotion returns to the Apex for a UFC on ESPN event. Former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz returns to the octagon, where he takes on Alexsandar Rakic.

The fight with Rakic will be Blachowicz’s first since losing the title to Glover Texeira in October 2021. The Apex has been kind to him so far, as that’s where he handed Israel Adesanya his first and only career loss. Rakic, on the other hand, has had a stellar MMA career. His career began with a submission loss, but he bounced back and won his next 12 with ten of them being finishes.

Although his winning streak ended with a split decision loss to Volkan Oezdemir, Rakic didn’t get discouraged. ‘Rocket’ has since won back-to-back fights against former title challengers Anthony Smith and Thiago Santos. Both wins came via unanimous decision, so he has proved that he can go the distance with top-ranked 205-pounders.

---

#3. UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas vs. Carla Esparza 2

Reigning UFC strawweight champion Rose Namajunas will have an opportunity to get revenge when she defends against Carla Esparza at UFC 274. There is history between them as they competed in The Ultimate Fighter season 20 finale. It was a significant night for the promotion as they crowned their inaugural strawweight champion.

Esparza was viewed as the favorite and proved it as she dictated the fight. Both women were clearly at different stages of their development, and ‘Cookie Monster’ got her hand raised following a rear-naked choke.

Since TUF 20 finale, ‘Thug Rose’ has significantly improved in all areas. The two-time strawweight champion has proved that she can overcome adversity in the octagon. Both women are coming into the fight with winning streaks. Namajunas has won three straight, while Esparza has won five.

---

#2. Former interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chandler

Tony Ferguson vs. Michael Chandler isn’t a headliner at UFC 274, but it will be a high-stakes contest. Both have been putting on entertaining fights for more than a decade and have earned an excellent reputation.

Ferguson is a former TUF winner and interim lightweight champion, while Chandler is a former three-time Bellator lightweight champion. The two were previously linked to a bout in 2020, but the timing didn’t work out. Instead, Ferguson fought Charles Oliveira, and Chandler made his promotional debut one month later against Dan Hooker.

‘El Cucuy’ has lost three straight bouts, and ‘Iron’ has lost two straight for the first time since 2014. Both fighters essentially have their backs against the wall. The bout's outcome could be crucial for their respective title aspirations, as a loss could jeopardize their ranking. The fight has all the makings of being a strong candidate for Fight of the Night.

---

#1. UFC lightweight champion Charles Oliveira vs. Justin Gaethje

UFC 274 will be headlined by a highly anticipated lightweight championship bout. Charles Oliveira will make his second title defense when he takes on former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje.

Oliveira has had quite the rise to stardom in the lightweight division. It was a tough climb up the rankings. However, he continued winning until it was clear that he was deserving of a more significant opportunity. He had his fair share of struggles at featherweight, and the move to lightweight was the correct decision.

‘Do Bronx’ won the championship in a come-from-behind technical knockout win over Michael Chandler last year. He followed that by submitting former interim champion Dustin Poirier in an impressive fashion. The success was significant as he set the record for most finishes in the promotion’s history.

Gaethje is also no stranger to finishing opponents and putting on exciting fights for fans. He will head into the contest following a thrilling unanimous decision win over Chandler. Out of his 23 wins, ‘The Highlight’ has won 19 via knockout or TKO.