Following one of the most successful and engrossing years in the history of the UFC, the mixed martial arts promotion will look to keep building in 2022.
2021 saw Conor McGregor fight twice, marking his most active year since 2016. The Irishman lost to Dustin Poirier in each outing, suffering a horrific broken leg in the most recent, but he is targeting a summer return to the Octagon.
Elsewhere, newer stars like Israel Adesanya, Khamzat Chimaev and Sean O’Malley are looking to further enhance their legacies and profiles, while featherweight queen Amanda Nunes will surely seek to regain her bantamweight belt after losing it to Julianna Pena in a major upset in December.
READ MORE: Predicting every year-end UFC champion in 2022
Islam Makhachev continues to pursue his goal of becoming lightweight champion to follow in the footsteps of his close friend and cornerman Khabib Nurmagomedov, while the men’s bantamweight division is set to see a unification bout between its interim champion Petr Yan and official title holder Aljamain Sterling – with the heavyweight title having been unified in January when Francis Ngannou outpointed Ciryl Gane.
Recommended
FSG ‘fully committed’ to Liverpool amid claims club is up for sale
FSG ‘fully committed’ to Liverpool amid claims club is up for sale
Alex Pereira: Israel Adesanya is ‘mentally shook’ ahead of UFC 281 showdown
Alex Pereira: Israel Adesanya is ‘mentally shook’ ahead of UFC 281 showdown
Israel Adesanya ‘cried backstage’ after disappointing himself in recent UFC win
Israel Adesanya ‘cried backstage’ after disappointing himself in recent UFC win
Here are all the UFC events and fights announced for the coming weeks and months (cards subject to change):
Saturday 12 November – UFC 281 – Madison Square Garden, New York City
Israel Adesanya, centre, remains the UFC middleweight champion (John Locher/PA)
Israel Adesanya, centre, remains the UFC middleweight champion (John Locher/PA)
(AP)
Main card
Israel Adesanya (C) vs Alex Pereira (middleweight title)
Carla Esparza (C) vs Weili Zhang (women’s strawweight title)
Dustin Poirier vs Michael Chandler (lightweight)
Frankie Edgar vs Chris Gutierrez (bantamweight)
Dan Hooker vs Claudio Puelles (lightweight)
Prelims
Brad Riddell vs Renato Moicano (lightweight)
Erin Blanchfield vs Molly McCann (women’s flyweight)
Dominick Reyes vs Ryan Spann (light heavyweight)
Andre Petroski vs Wellington Turman (middleweight)
Early prelims
Matt Frevola vs Ottman Azaitar (lightweight)
Karolina Kowalkiewicz vs Silvan Gomez Juarez (women’s strawweight)
Michael Trizano vs Seung Woo Choi (featherweight)
Julio Arce vs Montel Jackson (bantamweight)
Carlos Ulberg vs Nicolae Negumereanu (light heavyweight)
Saturday 19 November – UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas
UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis
UFC heavyweight contender Derrick Lewis
(Getty Images)
Derrick Lewis vs Serghei Spivac (heavyweight)
Saturday 3 December – UFC Fight Night – Amway Center, Orlando
Stephen Thompson vs Kevin Holland (welterweight)
Saturday 10 December – UFC 282 – T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas
Jiri Prochazka (top) won the light heavyweight title by submitting Glover Teixeira in June
Jiri Prochazka (top) won the light heavyweight title by submitting Glover Teixeira in June
(Getty Images)
Main card
Jiri Prochazka (C) vs Glover Teixeira 2 (light heavyweight title)
Jan Blachowicz vs Magomed Ankalaev (light heavyweight)
Paddy Pimblett vs Jared Gordon (lightweight)
Darren Till vs Dricus Du Plessis (middleweight)
Robbie Lawler vs Santiago Ponzinibbio (welterweight)
Alexander Gustafsson vs Ovince Saint Preux (light heavyweight)
Prelims
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs Chris Daukaus (heavyweight)
Chris Curtis vs Jaoquin Buckley (middleweight)
Edmen Shahbazyan vs Dalcha Lungiambula (middleweight)
Billy Quarantillo vs Alexander Hernandez (featherweight)
TJ Brown vs Erik Silva (featherweight)
Ronnie Lawrence vs Cameron Saaiman (bantamweight)
Vinicius Salvador vs Daniel da Silva (flyweight)
Saturday 17 December – UFC Fight Night – UFC Apex, Las Vegas
Recommended
UFC 281 card as Israel Adesanya tops bill after Poirier vs Chandler clash
UFC 281 card as Israel Adesanya tops bill after Poirier vs Chandler clash
What time does UFC 281 start in UK and US this weekend?
What time does UFC 281 start in UK and US this weekend?
How to watch UFC 281 online and on TV this weekend
How to watch UFC 281 online and on TV this weekend
Jared Cannonier vs Sean Strickland (middleweight)
Jamal Pogues vs Tafon Nchukwi (light heavyweight)
