UFC President Dana White has revealed which two potential fights he wants to book the most in 2022.
With a host of stars, rivalries, and top stylistic matchups on the minds of fans every year, the role of White and the UFC matchmakers can’t be easy. But despite organizing over 10 weight classes that comprise a total roster of over 600 fighters, certain future bouts undoubtedly stand out.
That’s certainly the case for the UFC president, who recently revealed the top two fights he’s hoping to put on at some point this year during a recent appearance on BT Sport’s Fight Week Live in London.
“Well, let’s get Leon (Edwards) his (title) fight, that’d be great to get that done,” said White. “But the other one, it’d be good to see Jon Jones back this year. He says he wants to fight heavyweight. I’d like to get a Jon Jones fight at heavyweight this year if that’s possible.”
Jon Jones, a former two-time UFC light heavyweight champion and arguably the leading contender in the race for GOAT status, hasn’t been in action since a successful title defense against Dominick Reyes in February 2020.
After vacating the title and targeting gold in a second division, Jones went to work in the gym, looking to bulk up and transition to heavyweight. But after a monetary dispute with the UFC and yet another run-in with the law, “Bones” is still on the sidelines. White is clearly hoping to change that in the coming months.
Edwards, meanwhile, has firmly staked his claim for a shot at Kamaru Usman’s welterweight title with an active 10-fight unbeaten streak. In his last appearance, “Rocky” comfortably defeated fan favorite Nate Diaz on the scorecards at UFC 263.
Ahead of UFC London this week, White, who has traveled to Edwards’ home country for Saturday’s event, reiterated that the Englishman is next for “The Nigerian Nightmare,” potentially during International Fight Week in July.
Blockbuster PPV Fights Lined Up In 2022
If Usman vs. Edwards 2 and Jones’ heavyweight debut are agreed for later this year, they’ll only add to what is already a stacked pay-per-view lineup in 2022.
So far, we’ve seen Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane collide in a heavyweight unification showdown, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker share the Octagon for the second time, and Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal take their bitter feud to the cage.
Next up on the PPV calendar is UFC 273 on April 9. In the two top spots, gold will be on the line. First, the heated feud between bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan will finally be settled. Then, in the event’s headliner, Alexander Volkanovski will put his belt on the line against “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
At UFC 274 on May 7, Charles Oliveira will look to continue his reign atop the lightweight mountain. In his way of doing so will be Justin Gaethje, who’s coming off a FOTY-worthy war with Michael Chandler. In the co-main, Rose Namajunas will put her title on the line in a rematch eight years in the making versus Carla Esparza.
Opening the summer schedule will be UFC 275, which is set to play host to a light heavyweight collision between veteran champ Glover Teixeira and unpredictable brawler Jiří Procházka. Dominant women’s flyweight queen Valentina Shevchenko is also set to be in action at the event, which is targeted for Singapore. The next challenger to her lengthy rule will be Brazil’s Taila Santos.
Add Usman’s next defense and Jones’ comeback to the mix soon after, and that’s a mighty fine calendar…
Which fight do you most want to see go down before the end of 2022?
