2022 In Review: The Top 5 Fights Of The Year, Part 1

By
Eddie Law
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Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, UFC 281
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 12: Michael Chandler battles Dustin Poirier during the UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

We’re nearing the end of 2022 and you’re going to be flooded by awards articles, YouTube videos, shows etc. In what is a very subjective thing you’ll get into very objective arguments over what makes a fight the fight of the year.

This will be a three part series beginning with fights 5 and 4. Yep, I’m going to make you wait for the rest of them. Now on to our Top 5 Fights of the Year, part 1.

5. Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno III – UFC 270

Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC 270
Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo, UFC 270 weigh-in Credit: Gabriel Gonzalez/Cageside Press

No two opponents know each other better than Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno do. I mean at this point they probably know each other’s phone passcodes, secret recipes, and mother’s maiden names.

Going into UFC 270 the record was technically 1-0-1 for Moreno since the first fight ended in a draw. Moreno clearly showing signs of major improvement from the first fight all the way to the third fight where the two fought to a close decision that is still argued about to this day.

The first three rounds seemed to go Moreno’s way as he employed a more patient game plan in the striking only firing off when he was sure he could land the most damage on Figgy. At the end of the third round Figgy dropped Moreno with a right hand, and then tried to finish the champ with a guillotine choke, but ran out of time.

With rounds 4 and 5 were very close, but the best came at the end of the fight when the two threw all caution to the wind and brawled it out in the final seconds. What a fight.

 

4. Dustin Poirier vs. Michael Chandler – UFC 281

Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, UFC 281
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 12: Michael Chandler battles Dustin Poirier during the UFC 281 event at Madison Square Garden on November 12, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC)

This one kind of came out of nowhere right? At first the two seemed to have an amicable relationship even going as far as Poirier congratulating Chandler on a victory over Dan Hooker at UFC 257.

Then at UFC 276, out of nowhere, the two have heat? To this day nobody is actually sure of why Poirier was yelling at Chandler, other than to set up a possible bout, but we were all here for it. We could all just imagine the violence that would take place.

Finally the two were set up for UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden and MAN did they deliver. The first round by itself stands as one of the best rounds of the year. After Chandler took it to Poirier with body kicks and power shots, and then takedowns, the last 35 seconds or so of the round belonged to “The Diamond”. Nasty stuff.

What we had in the second round can be….well it can be summed up like this.

After pouring blood onto Poirier’s face, using the fish hook to try and finish a choke….well Chandler may have gotten what he deserved. Poirier took his neck and finish him off with the RNC.

Even after the fight we’re not sure if the beef has been settled as a very heated Poirier got into Chandler’s face following the stoppage.

At the end of the day both men are warriors and respect was earned in blood…and snot…and a little bit of carnage.

Fights 3 and 2 later this week!

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