Three Men Who Could Be Challenging to Becoming UFC No. 1 In 2022

The number one spot in the UFC’s pound-for-pound list is the position every fighter in the brand wants to hold. After an excellent 2021, with wins over the likes of Gilbert Burns, Jorge Masvidal, and Colby Covington, Kamaru Usman began the new year at the top of the standings.

There is set to be a strong challenge to Usman’s number one position in 2022. Here is a look at who has a good chance of ending the year in the much-coveted spot.

Charles Oliveira

With 15 submissions and 18 finishes, Charles Oliveira is considered one of the most destructive UFC fighters in history. He broke those two records with a victory over Dustin Poirer at UFC 269 back in December. Oliveira is back in the Octagon in May to defend his lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje.

Those who bet online with Paddy Power will see that Oliveira is currently priced as the favorite at -163 odds for that fight. Victory would ensure he extends his winning streak to 11 fights.

The Brazilian is fifth in the pound-for-pound rankings and success against the number one challenger in the lightweight division will help him climb up the list and close the gap on Usman.

Alexander Volkanovski

The closest man to Usman in the current pound-for-pound standings is Alexander Volkanovski. The UFC Featherweight champion has a 23-1 career record and has held his current belt since December 2019.

Nicknamed ‘The Great’, the Australian continues to impress in the Octagon. He has had two successful defenses of his crown, with wins coming over Max Holloway and Brian Ortega. His next appearance is set to come at UFC 273 when he is scheduled to face Chan Sung Jung. 

If Volkanovski has another unbeaten year and has wins over more than one top-five fighter in the featherweight division, he will put serious pressure on the lightweight champion. His rivalry with Holloway could resume later in 2022, and success against the number one challenger will leave him 3-0 in the series with the American.

Israel Adesanya

Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya responded well to the first defeat of his career when he defended his title against Marvin Vettori at UFC 263. He was handed the unanimous decision following five dominant rounds.

Adesanya took a chance in 2021 when he stepped up in weight to face Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title. He was unable to get the better of the heavier fighter, but he lost little in defeat. However, The Last Stylebender is likely to remain in the middleweight division now where he can prove he is the dominant man at the weight. Fights against Jared Cannonier, Jack Hermansson, and a rematch with Robert Whittaker, will help him enhance his reputation further.

If Usman does slip up at any stage in 2022, Adesanya will be one of the contenders to secure the number one position within the brand.

It should be another exciting year in the UFC as many of the top fighters with the brand will have their eye on Usman’s pound-for-pound tag.