UFC Best Fights of 2022

By Jim Beviglia Published: Nov 22, 2022, Updated: Jan 05, 2024

Every year the UFC has plenty of memorable fights that are etched into our memories. They involve knockouts, submissions, and decisions that are determined by only a few points. 2022 was no different – we witnessed mind-blowing moments that changed the trajectory of MMA.

This article includes information on the best UFC fights of 2022 and why they were epic. Keep in mind that 13 pay-per-view events and 29 UFC Fight Nights took place this year. In other words, there were plenty of incredible matches that kept us on the edge of our seats.

Keep in mind that my list is completely subjective, but I did my best to be non-biased. I selected fights based on performance, entertainment value, historical significance, and other factors.

Glover Teixeira vs. Jiri Prochazka

Event: UFC 275
Date: June 12
Winner: Jiri Prochazka
Winning Method: Submission

Glover Teixeira vs Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 was easily the best fight of the year. The two light heavyweight fighters duked it out in a title fight, with Prochazka capturing a victory via rear-naked choke in the final round of the match.

Since Jon Jones relinquished the title in 2020, the light heavyweight division has seen a lot of fluctuation. Jan Blachowicz took the vacant title and then was quickly dethroned by Glover Teixeira. He fought Prochazka in his first title defense, and then history was made at UFC 275.

Glover vs Jiri in slow motion!
Watch all of #UFC275 Fight Motion on @UFCFightPass now! pic.twitter.com/Exq78tWHOg
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) June 18, 2022

Prochazka delivered plenty of heavy blows in the first round, but Teixeira showed resilience and weathered the storm. Prochazka also won the second round, catching the Brazilian former champion with a few powerful punches.

Teixeira would then take over the fight in the third and fourth rounds. He also nearly won the match after he caught Prochazka in a head-and-arm choke. Somehow Prochazka escaped it, and the fight would go to the fifth round.

Throughout the final round, Teixeira was poised to defeat Prochazka and defend his title. However, in the final minute of the match, Prochazka would force Teixeira to tap out. Only 28 seconds remained on the clock.

Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Event: UFC 273
Date: April 9
Winner: Khamzat Chimaev
Winning Method: Unanimous Decision

Gilbert Burns and Khamzat Chimaev faced off in what would become one of the greatest UFC fights of 2022. The pivotal welterweight bout was also a highly-anticipated match at UFC 273 that everyone knew would be good.

Chimaev was a rising star at the time that he fought Burns, who’s a former No. 2 in the rankings at welterweight. Burns actually earned a lot of respect from fans for accepting the fight because everyone knew that Chimaev would take the division by storm.

Prior to the fight, Chimaev had a perfect 4-0 record in the UFC. He won all four of those fights by either knockout or submission. The match against Burns, however, would prove to be Chimaev’s greatest test in his career.

Going into the final round, both fighters had yet to pull ahead and the match was still up for grabs. Chimaev, however, would keep his composure and dismantle Burns, ultimately winning the fight via decision. The victory then catapulted Chimaev into the top five of the division.

Charles Oliviera vs. Justin Gaethje

Event: UFC 274
Date: May 7
Winner: Charles Oliviera
Winning Method: Submission

Charles Oliviera and Justin Gaethje are two of the most deadly fighters in the UFC. When they fought back in May, they delivered one of the top UFC matches of 2022. The fight was thrilling and incredibly epic, even though it ended in the first round.

After being stripped of his lightweight title for missing weight, Oliviera had to reclaim it. He would make quick work of his challenger and extend his win streak to 11 fights in a row.

Both fighters were trying to end the fight as quickly as possible. Gaethje executed a successful takedown in the first minute of the match. Oliviera would recover and get back on his feet immediately, and then the two fighters began hurley punches.

Oliviera would drop Gaethje with a nasty right-handed jab before pouncing on him while he was down. He worked his way onto Gaethje’s back and caught him in a rear-naked choke. Oliviera would recapture the belt but then lose it in the very next fight against Islam Makhachev.

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov

Event: UFC 271
Date: February 12
Winner: Douglas Silva de Andrade
Winning Method: Submission

Douglas Silva de Andrade vs. Sergey Morozov deserves a spot on my list. Even though the fight wasn’t included on the main card, it was entertaining nonetheless. The three-round bout was a lot better than expected, and it left plenty of fans in awe.

The match had plenty of action right from the outset. Morozov got the best of Andrade during the first round, winning some early exchanges. He even managed to knock down Andrade, and that’s when things were looking bleak for the Brazilian challenger.

Andrade would rally and knock down Morozov in the very next round. Morozov had to scramble back to his feet, and from there, nothing but sheer chaos ensued. The two fighters would exchange several heavy blows in what was a whirlwind of punches.

After landing another clean strike on Morozov, Andrade would secure the takedown and lock him into a rear-naked choke. It was an exhilarating bantamweight bout that garnered “Fight of the Night” honors.

Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena

Event: UFC Fight Night in Columbus, OH
Date: March 26
Winner: Bryan Barberena
Winning Method: Split Decision

This is one of the UFC’s best fights of 2022 that was also an all-out brawl between the two fighters. Matt Brown vs. Bryan Barberena was on the undercard at UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukaus. It proved to be the most entertaining match of the night by a long shot.

Brown by this time was a 15-year UFC veteran who’s had some pretty epic fights in his career. Barberena is also known for giving it his all and engaging in some pretty incredible slugfests. Many expected the fight to be good, but it actually went beyond what was promised.

Both welterweights stepped into every punch and neither of them backed down during the onslaught. Both Brown and Barberena sustained a ton of damage during the fight. Barberena would ultimately via split decision win by a very narrow scoring margin.

The truth is that the match could’ve gone either way. Brown clearly won the first round, while Barberena won the third. The second round, however, was extremely close, and it’s difficult to say who actually won it.

Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira

Event: UFC 281
Date: November 12
Winner: Alex Pereira
Winning Method: Technical Knockout

It was a main event involving two talented and dominant fighters at middleweight. Israel Adesanya would attempt to defend his title for the seventh consecutive time against UFC newcomer Alex Pereira. The match would be an epic showdown with an unlikely outcome.

There’s no question that Adesanya was in control for the entire fight. He hurt Pereira twice and was cruising his way to a decision victory over his Brazilian opponent. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Pereira would come alive in the final round, throwing several deadly combos.

Pereira threw a right hand that messed up Izzy’s equilibrium and made him appear wobbly. Then, Pereira would deliver multiple blows while Adesanya did his best to defend himself. The official would stop the match, awarding Pereira the victory by technical knockout.

This match was significant because it was the first time we saw a new middleweight champion since 2019. Adesanya was also leading every scorecard up until the final round. However, the scores ultimately wouldn’t matter.

Molly McCann vs. Luana Carolina

Event: UFC Fight Night in London
Date: March 19
Winner: Molly McCann
Winning Method: Knockout

It was a highlight reel knockout delivered by Molly McCann that makes this one of the best UFC bouts of 2022. She’s not the most well-known fighter, but her spinning elbow against Luana Carolina to end the match was something to behold.

SPINNING ELBOW FROM @MEATBALLMOLLY #UFCLONDON pic.twitter.com/RbagwQXrKX
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 19, 2022

The first round had plenty of entertaining moments. McCann put on a clinic and appeared to be dancing around Carolina, who somehow managed to survive the onslaught. The next round wasn’t as explosive, but McCann was still able to deliver multiple blows and secure a takedown.

The final round saw Carolina bring a lot more energy and confidence. She landed a good number of punches against McCann, who looked a little hurt at one point. However, McCann would execute a massive spinning elbow that would earn her the victory.

More to Come?

We’ve still got a few fights left on the UFC calendar in 2022 that’ll deliver plenty of thrills. UFC 282 could end up becoming one of the biggest events of the year. It features the rematch between Teixeira and Prochazka, which could also be one of the best UFC fights of 2022.