Fight Facts: UFC 2022, a Year in Review

The Ultimate Fighting Championship went for broke in 2022, clocking in with a near-record number of fights across 42 tumultuous events at year’s end. The promotion reached peaks and fell into valleys as it threw everything it had into the combat calendar, including several events that might have been canceled in years past. In this all-encompassing Fight Facts review, join us as we dive into the non-stop chain of UFC cards over the past 12 months, which brought more submissions than ever before, a record number of bonus checks, and a wide swath of diverse walkout music.

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TOTAL NUMBER OF UFC FIGHTS IN 2022: 511
TOTAL NUMBER OF UFC EVENTS IN 2022: 42
Knockouts: 62
Technical Knockouts: 108
Submissions: 99
Decisions: 237
Draws: 3
No Contests: 1

They’re Coming Outta the Walls

The Butter Zone: Throughout the year, the UFC held 511 fights across 42 events. The event and bout total came in as the second-most and third-most, respectively, in any year in UFC history. In 2014, the promotion staged 46 fight cards, while 2019 saw 516 bouts play out from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.

This Trend Will Continue in 2023: The UFC stepped out from behind the confines of the UFC Apex more often this year than any since the pandemic began in 2020. While only eight different venues played host to UFC shows in 2021, 18 buildings posted up UFC events in 2022.

Some Progress: Last year, the organization set a record for the most fight cards in a major promotion in one arena, putting up 31 shows at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Exactly half of the 42 events in 2022 took place at the UFC Apex, which is more than any other major promotion ran.

In Defense of the UFC Apex: From February to April in 2021, the UFC held 10 straight shows in the UFC Apex. That set the record for the most consecutive events in one building. The Las Vegas-based league was not eager to replicate that this year, as the Apex never played host to more than three straight fight cards in any given stretch in 2022.

Cut Back on Marathons: Exactly half of the length of the 2020 year-end surge of UFC cards, the promotion ran for 12 straight Saturdays from June 4 to Aug. 20, starting with UFC Fight Night 207 and ending with UFC 278. This is the second-longest stretch of UFC events in a row ever, with that 24-week span in 2020 the lengthiest.

Renewing Passports: The UFC left the United States on five separate occasions this year, including one stop off at “Fight Island” in the United Arab Emirates in October. This is an uptick from the year before, in which the only non-U.S. locale was that Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

But I Am Le Tired: For the first time since 2019, the company planted its flag in a new nation. At UFC Fight Night 209 on Sept. 3, the Accor Arena in Paris welcomed fans for the show. A rarity for first-time events in a new country, all five native fighters including headliner Ciryl Gane had their hands raised by night’s end.

The Year of Smokin’ Joe: Announcer Joe Martinez called 15 UFC fight cards this year, with all but two taking place in Las Vegas. This is the highest number of UFC events Martinez has announced in one year.

Fifteen Are Booked for UFC 283: While it tried several times, the UFC could never keep together an event with 15 bouts by night’s end. It did set a record for the most 14-fight shows in one year, as eight different cards saw 14 fights play out in 2022.

Four on the Floor: Like 2021, exactly four fighters entered the Octagon four times this year. Chase Sherman, Jared Vanderaa, Joaquin Buckley and Kevin Holland each had four fights in 2022, but none emerged with a winning record. Only Andre Fialho had more, with five appearances, but he went 2-3 with a pair of knockout losses.

Hard Ceiling: Throughout the year, zero fighters exceeded three wins. Seventeen competitors did reach three victories in 2022, including new champ Alex Pereira.

That Heavyweight Lifeline: Vanderaa stands alone with the most defeats in 2022, as he fought four times and lost each outing. Six others each dropped three bouts this year, and Dalcha Lungiambula, Ion Cutelaba, Jay Perrin and Ramona Pascual went winless in three fights from start to finish.

Decisions We Didn’t Even Know We Could Get: For the first time in company history, an event saw all four types of decisions take place on a card: unanimous, split, majority and technical. UFC on ESPN 34 in April featured five by UD, one SD, another MD and two technical that were both scored unanimous.

Reusing Drawing Boards: Prior to 2022, each of the last three years had seen exactly five draws play out. This year saw a downturn, with only three. The record still remains with 2016’s seven.

No Business Being Here: Just one UFC fight in 2022 ended by disqualification, breaking a stretch of two straight years where multiple DQs took place. Mike Jackson had his hand raised after Dean Barry fouled him multiple times, with an eye gouge the last straw for referee Chris Tognoni. Barry was released from the promotion after this.

One of a Kind: Barry was not the only competitor to make his unsuccessful debut in 2022 and be cut off his first loss. The notorious Askar Mozharov, who famously had his professional record corrected from 25-7 to 15-13 prior to his UFC debut, got smashed by Alonzo Menifield, failed a drug test, was released for his fraud and retired from the sport.

USADA Hard at Work: The fewest since 2010, only one match inside the Octagon ended by no contest. Sean O'Malley vs. Pedro Munhoz concluded in Round 2 after O’Malley landed an eye poke. No bouts were overturned thus far for failed drug tests.

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