Khamzat Chimaev, Sean O'Malley and more: 5 UFC fighters who could win a title for the first time in 2023
With 2022 nearly over and 2023 almost upon us, it’s worth considering what could happen in the UFC next year and which fighters could claim gold for the first time. Right now, there are a number of hot contenders climbing the ladder in numerous divisions, and any one of them could win a UFC title next year. There are no guarantees, of course, as even great fighters like Francis Ngannou fell in their first title shot. However, these fighters seem to have a better chance than most.
Here are five UFC fighters who could claim gold for the first time in 2023.
#5. Yair Rodriguez – UFC featherweight contender
With current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski moving up to 155 lbs in February to challenge for the lightweight crown, a new interim champ is set to be crowned at 145 lbs.
Interestingly, regardless of who wins the interim title bout between Yair Rodriguez and Josh Emmett, a first-time champion will be crowned. Neither man has claimed gold in the octagon before, but it’s Rodriguez who is perhaps more primed to pull it off.
Emmett is undoubtedly an excellent fighter in his own right. He’s a strong wrestler, he hits remarkably hard, and his striking fundamentals are solid.
However, ‘El Pantera’ not only possesses those skills, but he’s also the kind of fighter who loves to throw caution to the wind. The Mexican is willing to throw low-percentage, flashy strikers in his attempts to take out his opponents, and he’s happy to take risks on the ground too.
1 second left...Yair Rodriguez KO's Chan Sung Jung out of nowhere.
No better way to go out on the 25th Anniversary! https://t.co/1C2C6ev62c
Emmett could win this fight if Rodriguez gets too wild, but overall, it feels like ‘El Pantera’ is just about reaching his prime now. He has the proverbial X-factor, and so he’s likely to become a first-time champion in 2023.
#4. Jamahal Hill – UFC light-heavyweight contender
Earlier this month at UFC 282, we could’ve seen a first-time champion crowned in the light-heavyweight division when Magomed Ankalaev faced Jan Blachowicz for the title vacated by Jiri Prochazka.
However, despite seemingly doing enough to win the fight, Ankalaev was left empty-handed when the judges declared it a draw. That left the title vacant and now another fighter, Jamahal Hill, will have a chance to win it and become a first-time titleholder in his own right.
Hill won’t have it easy, though. He’s set to face former champion Glover Teixeira for the title in Teixeira’s home country of Brazil. Not only will he be faced with an opponent with far more high-level experience, but he’s also likely to be greeted by a truly hostile crowd, something he’s not really been used to in his career.
Despite this, ‘Sweet Dreams’ can definitely win this fight. He’s faster and more explosive than his 42-year-old opponent, and he showed in his 2022 wins over Thiago Santos and Johnny Walker that he’s capable of knocking any opponent out.
SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS!
@JamahalH closes the show on a HISTORIC #UFCVegas59! https://t.co/9xuVa7jw3u
The deeper this fight goes, the more it favors Teixeira and his experience. However, if Hill can blitz him early, then anything is possible, including ‘Sweet Dreams’ becoming a first-time titleholder.
#3. Sergei Pavlovich – UFC heavyweight contender
Given the contract status of Francis Ngannou, it feels like the UFC heavyweight division is most likely to end up with a new titleholder in 2023.
‘The Predator’ has held the title since March 2021, but with his current deal expiring in January, it feels like he’ll be forced to vacate sooner rather than later. So who could claim the gold in his absence?
The most obvious answer is Ciryl Gane, who became interim champion when Ngannou was on the shelf in 2021. However, another contender could be Sergei Pavlovich, the hard-hitting Russian who surged into the title picture in 2022. Pavlovich hadn’t fought since October 2019 before this year, but he’s reeled off three wins since March, including knockouts of Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa.
#UFCOrlandoSERGEI PAVLOVICH STOPS TUIVASA IN UNDER A MINUTE 😱 #UFCOrlando https://t.co/flD5y7lSST
Now ranked at No.3 in the division, could Pavlovich claim the heavyweight title if it is indeed vacated in 2023? It definitely seems possible.
MMA math doesn’t always work, but it is worth noting that the Russian dealt with Tuivasa with far fewer difficulties than Gane did in his bout with the Australian.
Essentially, Pavlovich seems to hit harder than anyone else in the division besides Ngannou. In the heavyweight division, as we’ve seen countless times before, power is the biggest factor, giving the Russian a big chance of becoming a first-time titleholder in 2023.
#2. Sean O’Malley – UFC bantamweight contender
While current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling doesn’t look as vulnerable going into 2023 as he did in 2022, there’s still a chance that he’ll lose his title next year.
That’s because there’s a red-hot contender waiting in the wings for a shot at him in the form of Sean O’Malley. ‘Sugar’ has had his detractors over recent years, but after his win over Petr Yan in October, it’s hard not to see him as a genuine title threat. O’Malley hits like a truck and has an excellent understanding of range, timing, and footwork, and judging by his bout with Yan, he seems to be extremely durable.
The Suga Show is back in the win column! 🌈
Sean O'Malley makes an emphatic return with a third-round knockout! 💪
#UFC260 https://t.co/5djLbSs6gw
Whether he could survive with Sterling on the ground is the big question mark, but he’s clearly not a bad grappler based on what we’ve seen of him thus far.
Overall, though, what gives ‘Sugar’ the biggest chance of becoming a first-time champion in 2023 is the fact that he’s simply full of self-confidence. O’Malley appears to go into any fight believing he can win, and that’s something a fighter can’t really learn.
Whether his inevitable title shot comes early in the year or later on may depend on the status of the returning Henry Cejudo. Either way, though, ‘Sugar’ should take his shot at some point in 2023, and he’s definitely got a good chance of becoming champion.
#1. Khamzat Chimaev – UFC welterweight contender
If anyone in the UFC is going to become a first-time champion in 2023, it’s probably going to be Khamzat Chimaev. It feels like the Chechen's destiny to hold a title ever since he debuted in the octagon, and next year could be the year that it happens for him.
Still unbeaten in the UFC and in MMA overall, few fighters have had more impressive runs in 2022 than ‘Borz.’ His first fight saw him edge out former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns in one of the best fights of the year, and his second saw him whitewash the tough Kevin Holland.
Khamzat Chimaev taps out Kevin Holland in the first round.
#UFC279 https://t.co/9kWjh1Bn5k
At this point, nobody can question Chimaev’s talent, skills in all areas, toughness, and finishing abilities. The only question around him is whether his future lies at 170 or 185 lbs.
While he did miss weight for his eventually-scrapped bout with Nate Diaz, welterweight may still be the best bet for him. Current champ Leon Edwards isn’t unbeatable, and the likes of Colby Covington and former titleholder Kamaru Usman aren’t getting any younger.
However, if he chooses to go up to 185 lbs permanently, his powerful wrestling makes him a difficult match for either current champion Alex Pereira or former titleholder Israel Adesanya.
Essentially, it feels like all Chimaev needs to do is set his sights on one of the two titles, and by hook or crook, he’ll end 2023 with at least one of them wrapped around his waist.