5 fighters not ranked in their division's top 5 who could win UFC gold in 2022

Could the No. 9 ranked McGregor win lightweight gold in 2022?

A new year in the UFC is upon us and one can't help but think about which fighters will win gold in 2022. The contenders likely to get their hands on a championship can be the found in the top five of the rankings, however there could be plenty of exceptions to that rule in the next 12 months.

Here's how the #UFC rankings look entering 2022, how will they look at the end? 🤔

Give us your predictions below! 👇 https://t.co/3ItxL35Srl

Fighters can come from the lower ranks into title contention for a number of reasons. Getting a winning streak under their belt often leads to a title shot or more for lower-ranked stars.

Some fighters are ranked disproportionately low after one or two uncharacteristically poor performances. However, they are still big names and can command a title fight from the promotion.

Inactivity or a move to another weight division can also affect the rankings of a fighter who should be vying for the gold.

Here we look at five UFC stars who could get a title shot in 2022 even though they aren't in the top five of their division.

#5. Conor McGregor - Former UFC lightweight champion

McGregor is currently ranked No.9 in the lightweight division

While Conor McGregor went winless in 2021, 2022 has the potential to be a very different story. The popularity of 'Notorious' means the UFC is always looking to put him in big fights and so his road back to title contention is likely not as long as it might be for others.

While McGregor is a former featherweight and lightweight champion, his days at 145 lbs are long behind him, making a run at lightweight gold more likely. He has also already begun calling out the division's champion, Charles Oliveira, who appears keen to give 'Notorious' a title shot.

So what date am I fighting Oliveira?

Should that fight happen, McGregor matches up rather well with the Brazilian on paper. Oliveira has shown that he can be susceptible to taking some big strikes and few hit harder than The Irishman. Were McGregor to catch the champion with a big shot, he could find himself once again holding gold.