5 UFC stars who may not be seen in action before 2022
Five months of 2021 are in the books, and the UFC has put on several entertaining shows.
Conor McGregor headlined the first PPV of the year, while two PPVs have had three title fights on the main card - UFC 259 and UFC 261. In a year that has promised excitement, it seems inevitable that we'll be witness to many other captivating events.
But these five UFC stars may have to wait until the turn of the year to make a return to the Octagon.
#5 Tony Ferguson
With three losses on the trot, Tony Ferguson's future is up in the air. The former interim champion is a shadow of the fighter who notched up twelve wins in a row, and it would take a herculean effort for him to enter the lightweight elite once again.
Ferguson has a lot of work to do, especially with respect to his takedown defense and overall ground game. Both Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush were able to counter his relentless pressure on the feet by smothering him on the canvas, rendering him immobile for the vast majority of eight whole rounds.
Ferguson needs to find a solid team that can help him improve his skillset across departments, and it will take time before he's ready for UFC-level competition again. His return to the drawing board may keep him out of the Octagon this year.
#4 Dominick Reyes
Another fighter who's on a three-fight skid, Dominick Reyes is at a crossroads as far as his career is concerned. His losses, to Jon Jones, Jan Blachowicz and Jiri Prochazka, have come to three incredible fighters who are either light heavyweight elite or on their way there.
But Reyes has taken a lot of damage over the course of his three losses, and certainly can't afford another reversal in the UFC. Improving his defense, fine-tuning his wrestling and reducing an over-reliance on the power shot will all be on the American's agenda.
Reyes was brutally knocked out by Prochazka only a few weeks ago, and it would be in his best interest to take some time off and improve considerably before returning to the UFC.
#3 Zabit Magomedsharipov
Will Zabit Magomedsharipov ever fight in the UFC again? If he does, it certainly doesn't seem like it'll be in 2021.
Reports emerged earlier this month that Zabit has health issues that will keep him out of action for at least five months. The winter might be the earliest we see the Dagestani featherweight in action, but even that seems like a stretch given how difficult match-making has been for him.
Some rumors even claimed that Zabit has lost his love for the sport, in which case he could walk away altogether. But one thing is clear - his greatly delayed Octagon return has suffered another setback.
#2 Stipe Miocic
After losing his title to Francis Ngannou, Stipe Miocic took some time off before expressing his interest in a trilogy fight. But he doesn't want an immediate rematch, with bulking up and matching Ngannou in terms of size on his agenda.
Miocic's next fight will be for the title though, presumably against the winner of the bout between Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. The duo are on a collision course for this summer, with both having already fought once in 2021.
Miocic has never been the most active heavyweight on the roster, with only six fights since the beginning 2017. It would only be natural for him to return in 2022 and fight for the UFC heavyweight title once again.
#1 Jon Jones
Jon Jones took to Twitter recently to claim that he will be out of action until 2022. 'Bones' is no closer to resolving his pay dispute with the UFC, and president Dana White has claimed that he is no longer interested in negotiating with the former light heavyweight champion.
Jones has stated that he's finding it difficult to bulk up effectively and that he's yet to commence skill work. He last fought in February 2020, so a 2022 return might mean around two years of inactivity.
At 33, Jones has age on his side. But he might turn out to be fatally rusty in the UFC's most challenging division.