5 potential long-reigning champions in the UFC

#4. Ciryl Gane - UFC interim heavyweight champion

Ciryl Gane joined the UFC with a professional record of just 3-0. Incredibly, his first three fights in MMA were all championship bouts. He became the heavyweight champion of Canada's TKO promotion in his MMA debut and defended the title twice before being signed by the UFC.

The undefeated Frenchman went on a six-fight win streak upon joining the promotion, including victories over Junior dos Santos, Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Alexander Volkov.

Watch his incredible undefeated run below:

Gane’s phenomenal win streak earned him a shot at interim gold. He took on Derrick Lewis at UFC 265 in Houston, his first time headlining a pay-per-view. He won via third-round TKO to set up a title unification bout with Francis Ngannou.

With his size, skill and mentality, it’s hard to see who beats the Frenchman. At just 31 years of age, ‘Bon Gamin’ could rule the heavyweight division for a long time to come.

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#3. Islam Makhachev - UFC lightweight

Islam Makhachev ripped through the UFC lightweight division in 2021. The Dagestani prodigy started the year as an unranked fighter in the 155 lbs weight class and will be going into 2022 as one of the top lightweights in the world.

By the end of 2021, Makhachev had broken into the top 5 in the UFC lightweight rankings. In his three fights this year – against Drew Dober, Thiago Moises and Dan Hooker – the formidable Russian secured just as many submission finishes and is an ominous presence in the 155 lbs division.

Additionally, he appears to be getting better with every passing fight and has showcased his improved versatility every time he steps inside the octagon.

Most fighters would be smart to avoid taking the fight to the ground against the Russian. Meanwhile, under the tutelage of renowned striking coach Javier Mendez, his striking has come a long way as well.

Moreover, Islam Makhachev has the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier guiding his career. 'The Eagle' and 'DC' are well aware of what it takes to defend a title multiple times over and that kind of experience is very hard to come by.

Many believe it is only a matter of time before Makhachev captures the lightweight strap. At just 30 years of age, the lightweight division could be ruled by yet another dominant Russian champion in the coming years.