Top 5 UFC Heavyweights of 2022

Top 5 UFC Heavyweights of 2022

Fun fact: the Heavyweight division features the highest knockout rate of all MMA weight classes. No surprise there, though, given the level of brutality that heavyweights lay on their opponents.

These hefty men aren’t known for their quickness and technical style, but they can really pack a punch. Nowadays, many heavyweights are well-trained in multiple disciplines, which is why the 265-pound division is one of the most thrilling in the sport. 

If you asked UFC fanatics who the five best in the world are, they’d be able to come to a really good consensus. However, ranking them in a particular order is where controversy erupts. That’s why we decided to embrace the controversy and rank the top five UFC heavyweights of 2022. 

Spoiler alert: we didn’t include Stipe Miocic. And before you lose your marbles, first understand that this ranking is for 2022 only, and the former champion hasn’t fought since losing the strap in March 2021.

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Behold, the top-five heavyweight list.

5. Tom Aspinall

The fast-rising Tom Aspinall cracks open the list with the help of nine straight wins by finish (five in the UFC), capped off with a dominant win against Alexander Volkov (first-round submission) at UFC London in March.

The win over “Drago” sent a statement to the rest of the division saying that he has next. With all the momentum and confidence in the world, the Englishman suffered a tragic knee injury in the opening seconds of his fight against Curtis Blaydes, which of course resulted in a loss.

It would’ve been a great opportunity for the 29-year-old to potentially move up a spot in the ranking, but No. 5 is still something to write home about.

4. Tai Tuivasa

Putting his “shoey” antics aside, Tai Tuivasa is a show-stopping striker who will go for broke against any opponent. 13 of his 14 career wins are by way of knockout, including against UFC knockout record-holder Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 in February.

Knocking out “The Beast” is enough to earn the No. 4 spot here. However, “Bam Bam” finally got put in his face in his most recent match when Cyril Gane knocked him out in the main event of UFC Paris in September. Even though the Australian got exposed as an unconditioned, pure power puncher, he deserves to hang with the big boys on his list.

3. Curtis Blaydes

Curtis Blaydes sits smack in the middle of the list thanks to a 2-0 record in 2022. The first win was against No. 11 heavyweight contender Chris Daukaus by way of knockout, earning Performance of the Night honors.

Razor’s second win of the year, as mentioned before, was a weightless 15-second victory over Aspinall in July. The win looks good to the untrained eye, but a good performance against a fellow ranked heavyweight may have worked wonders for his rank.

2. Cyril Gane

Cyril Gane would be the unquestioned top heavyweight if Francis Ngannou didn’t exist. And while he did come out empty in his title fight against the reigning champ in January, the former interim heavyweight champion is still the best striker in the division, as shown by his knockout victory against Tuivasa in September.

“Bon Gamin” is a dangerous 247-pound multidimensional fighter who can pick apart anyone who shares the octagon with him. As the No 2. heavyweight contender, he will soon earn another shot not only to earn the title but also to show the world that he’s the best man in his division.

1. Francis Ngannou

You can’t question “The Predator’s” body of work. He’s been the king of the Heavyweight division since knocking out Miocic (who’s widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight of all time) at UFC 260 to taste UFC gold for the very first time.

The Cameroonian champ then faced another mountainous task at the top of the 2022 calendar year. He beat Gane after a five-round dogfight at UFC 270 to defend and unify the Heavyweight belt.

Ranked No. 6 in the UFC pound-for-pound (P4P) rankings, Ngannou sits comfortably on his throne as he watches his subservient 265-pound opponents try to overtake his top position.

We hope you enjoyed the article ‘Top 5 UFC Heavyweights of 2022.’ Who do you think will be the next UFC heavyweight champion? Let us know!

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