5 UFC fighters who will likely become champions in 2022

#2. UFC lightweight Islam Makhachev

The UFC lightweight everyone’s talking about of late, Islam Makhachev, is on a tear. The former combat sambo world champion is gradually rising through the ranks of the division.

The only problem the Dagestani warrior is facing right now is that next to one wants to fight him. As a result, the high-intensity grappler has been ripping apart lightweights outside of the division’s top ten.

Assuming he continues to impress, there’ll come a time when the big guns of the division can no longer duck him. The 20-1 rising star is set to face former UFC lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 267. Assuming he can get past dos Anjos, Makhachev’s chances of a title fight next year will be very high. 2022 may well be the year when the lightweight title returns to Dagestan.

Makhachev, a lifelong friend of Khabib Nurmagomedov, is a relentless pressure fighter. As if his offense wasn’t hard enough to handle, Makhachev’s self-preservation in the octagon is commendable. He currently has a significant strikes absorbed per minute rate of 0.77 - the best in company history. No wonder so few are willing to step into the octagon with him.

#1. UFC light heavyweight Jiri Prochazka

With a higher than 95% finishing rate, it’s safe to say Jiri Prochazka is one of the scariest fighters in the world right now. The ferocious Muay Thai master fights out of Brno, Czech Republic and has not lost a bout since 2015.

The 28-3-1 knockout artist joined the UFC last year after a dominant run in the Rizin Fighting Federation. For his UFC debut, he sent Volkan Oezdemir to the shadow realm with a fatal punch early in round two. Since then, he has added Dominick Reyes’ scalp to his collection, knocking him out with a rare spinning back elbow in May this year.

Prochazka has expressed strong interest in fighting current UFC light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz. Interestingly, ‘Denisa’ has been rumored as the back-up fighter for Blachowicz’s upcoming UFC 267 clash with Glover Teixeira.

Assuming the Blachowicz vs. Teixeira bout goes off without a hitch, the winner could be in deep trouble come 2022. Prochazka is a fast and efficient fighter with explosive high knees and multi-faceted upper body striking.

He’s on a twelve-fight winning streak and has great discipline through his dedication to the Bushido code. Prochazka maintains a calm, focused temperament through his following of the code's traditional samurai principles.

Couple his laser-focus with his deadly striking and you have a surefire champion in the near future.