Why this yr’s class impresses with poise and potential

The UFC is again at its Apex facility in Las Vegas this weekend, with a bantamweight major occasion between Cory Sandhagen and Song Yadong.

Along with the headliner, 33-year-old Chidi Njokuani will make his third UFC look in opposition to Gregory Rodrigues. Njokuani is way from a newbie in combined martial arts. He made his skilled MMA debut in 2007, and his older brother, Anthony, was a fixture of the WEC and UFC for a few years.

Nonetheless, technically talking, Njokuani (22-7) is a UFC rookie this yr — and he is having fun with a incredible rookie season. He has two first-round finishes already beneath his belt, over Marc-Andre Barriault and Dusko Todorovic. The middleweight division is primed for brand new blood, and if Njokuani can maintain racking up the wins, he might quickly discover himself in an enormous combat in opposition to a title contender.

Along with Njokuani, what different “UFC rookies” are placing collectively a terrific 2022? Listed below are 5 names who’ve already turned heads of their first calendar yr with the UFC.

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Jailton Almeida, mild heavyweight/heavyweight

• UFC debut: First-round TKO in opposition to Danilo Marques on Feb. 5

• MMA file: 17-2-0, 6-1 by (T)KO, 11-0 by SUB

• 2022 file: 3-0

Almeida is a possible downside — in two divisions. The 31-year-old lands in a candy spot between mild heavyweight and heavyweight, however that may be an excellent downside as a result of it appears like he can win in each. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Almeida has stable wrestling and athleticism to accompany his submission expertise on the bottom. He is a confirmed finisher, with most of his profession finishes coming contained in the opening spherical. Proper now, he is saying he’ll compete at heavyweight, however we’ll see. The UFC has two fairly wide-open divisions which are ripe for a newcomer to return in and make a press release.

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• UFC debut: First-round submission in opposition to Cody Durden on Mar. 19

• MMA file: 8-0, 2-0 by (T)KO, 3-0 by SUB

• 2022 file: 2-0

In order for you somebody extra becoming of the “rookie” definition, it is Mokaev. However whereas this 22-year-old is a rookie with simply an 8-0 skilled file, it also needs to be famous he spent his time within the minors. Mokaev’s newbie file is 22-0 and dates again to 2015. A dominant wrestler from Dagestan, the identical Russian republic because the Nurmagomedov household, Mokaev set a divisional file of 12 takedowns in a three-round combat in his second UFC look. Mokaev is mature past his 22 years and has already mentioned he would not anticipate preventing for lengthy. However one purpose he has set is to develop into the youngest champion in UFC historical past, a distinction at the moment held by Jon Jones (23).

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• UFC debut: First-round knockout in opposition to Pete Rodriguez on Jan. 22

• MMA file: 12-2, 10-1 by (T)KO, 1-1 by SUB

• 2022 file: 2-0

There is no purpose for the UFC to hurry Della Maddalena by way of its welterweight ranks, aside from that he is actually good and may be prepared for it at age 26. Representing Perth, Australia, a area far lesser identified within the MMA world than the japanese a part of that nation, Della Maddalena thrives as a standup fighter who’s a slick striker. Since shedding the primary two bouts of his skilled profession, he’s 12-0 with 11 finishes. All however a kind of finishes have come by way of knockout. The one victory of his profession that has gone the space was in opposition to one other UFC 2022 rookie, Ange Loosa, in a Contender Sequence combat final yr. Della Maddalena has confidence, energy and about as a lot momentum as one can have using into the top of 2022.

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• UFC debut: First-round knockout in opposition to Trevin Giles on Jan. 22

• MMA file: 14-0, 11-0 by (T)KO, 1-0 by SUB

• 2022 file: 2-0

Morales is a 23-year-old Ecuadorian prospect preventing out of Tijuana, Mexico. He isn’t as polished as a few of the different names on this record, however the UFC may need found a hidden gem right here. He earned a contract as a contestant on Dana White’s Contender Sequence in 2021, as a fairly important underdog in opposition to Kazakhstan’s Nikolay Veretennikov. He confirmed off his punching energy in a fast end in opposition to Giles, earlier than exhibiting off his resolve and perseverance in a back-and-forth combat in opposition to late substitute Adam Fugitt in July. Do not mistake Morales as a completed product, however he has loads of untapped potential. Loads.

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• UFC debut: Unanimous resolution loss to Michel Pereira on Jan. 22

• MMA file: 16-5, 13-3 by (T)KO, 1-0 by SUB

• 2022 file: 2-2

Fialho’s .500 file this yr will not bounce off the web page, however let’s put it into context. On brief discover, he made his debut in opposition to a top-15 expertise in Pereira. He then racked up back-to-back first-round knockouts over high quality opponents in Miguel Baeza and Cameron VanCamp. He is coming off a TKO loss to Jake Matthews in a combat which may have been ill-advised. Staying energetic is one factor, however the Matthews combat was Fialho’s fourth in six months — and it was the second combat he took in 35 days. Whether or not fatigue performed into that outcome or not, the 28-year-old Fialho has been thrown proper into the combo at 170 kilos. He is skilled, well-rounded and carries ending potential. And clearly, he likes to combat often.