The year 2022 saw a number of exciting battles take place inside the Octagon, including the crowning of new UFC champions, the emergence of new challengers, the stability of celebrity status, and the ascent of new stars. However, with the start of a new year comes the possibility for combat athletes to demonstrate their prowess and abilities within the framework of the premier mixed martial arts organisation in the world. Therefore, to help build your hype for the sport of UFC in 2023, in this article, I will be exploring the two most interesting fighters to watch in 2023. If you would like to support the two fighters mentioned in this article and have the possible chance to win money, then you can do so by using this Premier Bet promo code Malawi. By using the code on the online platform, you will be given fantastic odds, offers and much more, all of which will help you increase your bankroll. Furthermore, let’s discuss the two most anticipated fighters.
Khamzat Chimaev
Khamzat Chimaev had already become a sensation in 2021, but he was able to claim superstar status in 2022 by remaining unblemished and racking up two outstanding victories against top-level competitors. In the beginning, he was put through his paces by Gilbert Burns, who competed against him in a featherweight match that lasted three rounds and took place in April of 2022. The efforts of the Brazilian were not successful, and the Swedish team took home first place honours in a vote of universal approval.
Chimaev earned his first main event headliner in September 2022 for UFC 279 against Nate Diaz due to his massive victory over Burns. However, "Borz" was pressured out of the match and instead fought Kevin Holland in a catchweight bout because of Chimaev's failure to make weight and the chaos that ensued backstage during the weigh-ins. Chimaev defeated Holland in the catchweight bout. Chimaev made short work of Holland by submitting him in the first round with a D'Arce choke.
It has been speculated that the unbeaten prospect will meet Colby Covington in the following bout, which will be a contest between the number-one contenders in the welterweight category. Chimaev is also being considered for a step up to the middleweight category, where he would compete against Alex Pereira for the 185-pound title. If Khamzat Chimaev is able to maintain his supremacy, he has a good chance of winning a championship by the year 2023.
Ilia Topuria
Ilia Topuria is a competitor in the UFC's featherweight category who has yet to suffer a loss despite creating devastation in the sport. In 2022, the Georgian mauler added Jai Herbert and Bryce Mitchell to his roster of victims by knocking out the former in March 2022 and submitting the latter in December 2022. He has now moved up to the number nine spot in the challenger rankings in the 145-pound category as a result of his recent string of successes, which garnered him that spot. He competed in a total of five battles for advertising purposes and won four of them via knockout.
The 25-year-path old to the highest ranking in the division is not going to be an easy one from this point on because the 145-pound weight class is still packed with main candidates such as Arnold Allen, Calvin Kattar, Brian Ortega, and Giga Chikadze, but his well-rounded and aggressive fighting skill should help push him to progress in the top five. It is likely that he will only need two or three more victories over higher-ranked competitors in order to qualify for a chance at the championship in the future.