5 big fights that the UFC should avoid booking in 2022
2022 is now upon us, and the UFC has already announced some huge fights for the year, including Francis Ngannou vs. Ciryl Gane and Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker.
Plenty more huge fights have been talked about for 2022, but should the UFC really look to book some of them, even if they could draw big money?
So what date am I fighting Oliveira?
The answer is probably no. For some major fights that have been talked about, the cons of booking them far outweigh the pros if the bigger picture is looked at.
With this in mind, here are five fights that the UFC should probably avoid booking in 2022.
#5. UFC welterweight bout: Khamzat Chimaev vs. Nate Diaz
On the face of it, a welterweight bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Nate Diaz might make a lot of sense for the UFC.
Chimaev is the fastest-rising star in the division, if not the entire promotion, and the UFC simply needs him to collect one big win to push him through the stratosphere and set him up for a shot at the UFC welterweight title.
Nate Diaz, meanwhile, is one of the promotion’s biggest-drawing stars, but he’s also on the way down in terms of his career overall.
I’m coming 209 🤪
@NateDiaz209 https://t.co/JjWZC1cTxE
The UFC has always used aging superstars to build up their next generation, and this fight would definitely fit that pattern. More to the point, Chimaev’s wrestling and power would seem to make him a tricky stylistic match for Diaz.
However, the fact that Diaz will become a free agent after his next bout – and looks set to depart the UFC – means that the promotion should avoid booking this fight like the plague.
Sure, Chimaev might be capable of whitewashing Diaz, but what if the opposite were to happen? Diaz would walk away from the UFC with one of the biggest wins of his career, and would either be able to squeeze the promotion for an insane amount of money, or be able to help a burgeoning rival.
Chimaev, meanwhile, would be left looking like a busted flush after suffering the first loss of his career to a fighter seen as past his prime.
In this instance, the UFC would be better served by allowing Chimaev’s star to rise with wins over opponents ranked more highly than him, and would be better served by matching Diaz with an opponent who could afford to take a loss should it happen – meaning his departure wouldn’t be quite as seismic.