5 best UFC fights of January 2022

Michael Pereira vs. Andre Fialho [Image courtesy of @ufc on Twitter]

The UFC kicked off 2022 in style following a tremendously successful run in 2021.

The first event of the year was underway at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, where top featherweight contenders Calvin Kattar and Giga Chikadze locked horns in the main event.

The promotion's first pay-per-view of the year went down a week later at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, where two championship fights were contested. Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane clashed in a title-unification bout in the main event. The co-main event saw a trilogy bout between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo.

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January produced some sensational fights. Here are the five best bouts of the month.

#5. Michel Pereira vs. Andre Fialho – UFC 270

Michel Pereira was initially scheduled to fight ranked welterweight contender Muslim Salikhov at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Salikhov was forced to pull out of the bout and was subsequently replaced by promotional newcomer Andre Fialho. Pereira and Fialho put on an incredible back-and-forth bout on the main card of UFC 270.

We're ready for the rollercoaster! 🎢

[ #UFC270 | Main Card LIVE on E+ PPV: ufc.ac/30Kh0nr ] https://t.co/4M1Sz9ddre

Pereira, who is known for his unorthodox and wildly entertaining style of fighting, was stifled by Fialho's sharp boxing. The Brazilian was dominated by the UFC debutant in the first round and looked quite tired going into the second.

Pereira managed to push the pace thereafter and even pulled out some his signature Capoeira moves. He pieced up his Portuguese counterpart in the next two rounds to come away with a unanimous decision victory.

This fight is NUTS 🤯 #UFC270 https://t.co/UaH2bAPKwX

Michel Pereira will be hoping for a ranked opponent in his next bout. Additionally, the Brazilian wildman is guaranteed to produce fireworks every time he fights and has quickly become a fan-favorite.

Meanwhile, Andre Fialho showcased a decent set of skills and heart considering he took the fight on short-notice. It'll be interesting to see how the Portuguese fighter performs with a full fight camp behind him.