5 frontrunners for Fight of the Night at UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill

The first UFC pay-per-view of 2022 will be underway this weekend at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, with two championship bouts and numerous explosive matchups on tap.

At UFC 283, the light heavyweight and flyweight titles will be contested in the main and co-main events respectively. Every single bout on the fight card features a Brazil-born fighter, which will undoubtedly add to the atmosphere inside the arena on the night.

With a stacked fight card, sold-out arena and the famously raucous Brazilian fans cherring their compatriots on, this upcoming pay-per-view certainly has a lot to offer. Looking at the mouth-watering matchups, there's going to be tons of competition for post-fight bonuses.

On that note, here are five frontrunners for Fight of the Night at UFC 283: Teixeira vs. Hill.

#5. Gilbert Burns vs. Neil Magny

The feature bout at UFC 283 pits perennial contenders Gilbert Burns and Neil Magny in a high-stakes welterweight clash that promises to deliver the goods. Burns and Magny are just a couple of big wins away from potentially contesting the title, making this matchup pivotal to both fighters' championship aspirations.

Gilbert Burns is coming off his three-round war with Khamzat Chimaev last year, wherein he showed tremendous grit. One can even make a case for Burns deserving of winning that bout, with the judges ultimately awarding it to Chimaev. Nevertheless, 'Durinho's stock didn't take a hit. if anything, his standing among the fanbase has reached new heights.

Meanwhile, Neil Magny continues to break records with every passing fight. His most recent triumph, a submission win against Daniel Rodriguez, saw him become the winningest fighter in UFC welterweight history, ahead of Georges St-Pierre. Currently occupying the No.12 spot in the rankings, Magny will be looking to break into the top tier of the division with a win over No.5-ranked Burns.

With both fighters in their mid-30s, time is running out if either welterweight wants to seriously mount a title run.

#4. Glover Teixeira vs. Jamahal Hill – UFC 283 main event

There was no shortage of memorable barnburners in 2022, but Glover Teixeira's title fight against Jiri Prochazka stands above the rest. Momentum shifts, near-fight-ending scenarios and the Hail Mary submission from Prochazka all contributed to arguably the greatest light heavyweight fight of all time.

Teixeira lost his belt on that occasion and will look to re-claim the title when he squares off against up-and-coming knockout artist Jamahal Hill this weekend.

Glover Teixeira admittedly made a lot of mistakes against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 275 in Singapore last year. The veteran Brazilian will be hoping for a cleaner performance this time around, rather than rushing for a finish like he did against Prochazka.

Teixeira holds a significant grappling advantage over Jamahal Hill, and if he gets on top of the American early on, a finish is very plausible. However, at 43, a devastating striker like Hill may just be too much to overcome.

While Hill's takedown defense is far from perfect, he makes up for it with his heart and the threat of his power. 'Sweet Dreams' has already knocked out the likes of Ovince Saint Preux, Jimmy Crute, Johnny Walker, and Thiago Santos. One clean shot on Teixeira's chin could prove to be the final strike of UFC 283.

This fight is unlikely to go the distance and will be incredible for as long as it lasts, considering both light heavyweights' fight-ending ability. With a championship on the line, this has all the makings of another memorable 205-pound title fight.

#3. Johnny Walker vs. Paul Craig

With the light heavyweight championship up for grabs in the main event of UFC 283, top-ranked 205-pounders Johnny Walker and Paul Craig will have a massive opportunity to edge closer to a title shot in the pay-per-view opener. Both Walker and Craig have struggled for consistency in recent times and both fighters will be itching to accrue some winning momentum.

After back-to-back losses to Thiago Santos and Jamahal Hill, Johnny Walker returned to winning ways with a quick submission win over Ion Cutelaba. The flamboyant Brazilian currently occupies the No.12 spot in the rankings and could break into the top 10 with a win over No.9-ranked Paul Craig.

With his incredible submission wins over highly-touted 205-pounders Magomed Ankalaev and Jamahal Hill, Craig is among the most interesting contenders in the division. The Scottish grappling phenom was on a six-fight unbeaten streak before losing to Volkan Oezdemir last year and will be raring to return to the win column.

Walker's newfound safe style of distance-striking could see him edge out a decision win. However, if things get chaotic, expect him to return to his old wild ways. Craig is a master of chaos, and if he can create some grappling entanglements, a submission is inevitable, making this matchup unmissable.

#2. Gregory Rodrigues vs. Brunno Ferreira

Since signing with the UFC in 2021, Gregory Rodrigues has established himself as one of the most entertaining fighters to watch in the sport. The Brazilian middleweight's kill-or-be-killed mentality has seen him claim numerous post-fight bonuses and he will look to uphold his excellent form when he takes on Brunno Ferreira at UFC 283.

Rodrigues was originally slated to take on ranked middleweight Brad Tavares, who was forced to pull out of the bout just over a week before the pay-per-view. Ferreira, who will be making his UFC debut this weekend, stepped in on short notice to replace Tavares, making for an incredible stylistic matchup.

Despite being a credentialled grappler, Rodrigues prefers to stand-and-bang. 'Robocop' has seven knockout wins on his record and his style perfectly compliments his opponent's.

Ferreira earned a UFC contract in Dana White's Contender Series last year, extending his unblemished record to 9-0. 'The Hulk' boasts a 100% finishing rate, having knocked out every opponent he's faced this far, with seven of his wins coming in the very first round.

This is essentially going to be a high-octane kickboxing fight between two hard-nosed Brazilians looking to make a name for themselves in front of their compatriots. Need I say more?

#1. Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno 4 – UFC 283 co-main event

One of the most compelling and competitive rivalries in UFC history will come to a head at UFC 283 as Brazilian flyweight king Deiveson Figueiredo will lock horns with Mexican challenger Brandon Moreno for a record fourth time.

Both fighters have one win apiece over the other, with their first-ever meeting ending in a draw. With their rivalry at 1-1-1 heading into their upcoming championship fight, a winner-takes-all rubber match is in order.

There's clearly something special about this matchup. The contrast between the two fighters' styles makes for some sensational striking battles and incredible scrambles on the mat. Notably, two of their three fights thus far have claimed Fight of the Night honors.

Deiveson Figueiredo is undoubtedly more powerful than Brandon Moreno, who largely relies on speed and volume. While Figueiredo is bigger and seemingly stronger than Moreno, the manner in which he got submitted in their second fight calls into question the champion's consistency.

Figueiredo's power proved to be a game-changer in their trilogy bout last year. Despite being outstruck, 'Deus da Guerra' dropped Moreno several times to edge out a decision. As such, the challenger will have to have a perfect night at the office if he is to re-claim the flyweight strap at UFC 283.

Hopefully, this rivalry will get settled on Saturday night. However, if we get treated to another sensational five-round war, coupled with another questionable scorecard from the judges, we're not opposed to a historic fifth clash between the duo, preferably in Mexico.