UFC fans will be praying to the MMA gods their wishes will come true with the likes of Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz and Jon Jones expected to be back in action in 2022. 

Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane's showdown at UFC 270 - the first pay-per-view event since the start of the new year - is one of the first things that springs to mind when thinking of fights to look forward to in the coming weeks and months. 

Brandon Moreno's trilogy with Deiveson Figueiredo is most certainly another one to keep an eye out for, as well as Aljamain Sterling's highly-anticipated rematch with Petr Yan

And who could forget about Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker's rematch of their own for the middleweight title later this year?

With 2021 all but a distant memory by now, GIVEMESPORT thought it'd only be right to put together a list of five mega-fights that simply have to happen before the end of 2022. 

The Chinese Year of 2021 was the Year of The Ox, but could 2022 be the Year of The Trilogy?

Here you go, folks. 

Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz went to war twice in 2016

Conor McGregor vs Nate Diaz 3

Fans have been clamouring to see McGregor and Diaz fight each other again ever since the Notorious went to war with the Stockton slapper twice in 2016. 

And it could be argued it should've been made instead of McGregor's comeback against Dustin Poirier, but then we would've missed out on all of the drama in the build-up to and the aftermath of their trilogy fight, and where would the fun have been in that?

But now, this time however it makes sense. After all, both fighters are coming off disappointing losses in their previous two fights respectively, and a win over the other will put them right back in the title picture.  

Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway have fought twice before with the Australian getting his hand raised on both occasions

Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway 3

Slightly cheating here as the third fight between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway was supposed to happen later this year until the Hawaiian was forced to pull out of his scheduled clash with the Australian last week after aggravating a pre-existing injury in his camp.

According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Chan Sung Jung has offered to save the day and step in to face Volkanovski after the Warrila-born fighter's next fight fell through without any warning.

With that being said, Volkanovski and Holloway have been inextricably linked over the past couple of years and, despite Holloway being 2-0 down in their series, I'll be the first to admit I'd love to see it again. 

Amanda Nunes pictured with Valentina Shevchenko

Amanda Nunes vs Valentina Shevchenko 3 

We did say it was going to be the year of the trilogy, didn't we?

Amanda Nunes's split decision win over Valentina Shevchenko in their 2017 rematch at UFC 215 was so close it could've gone either way, which is why we're eager to see them go at it again for a third time.  

Of course, Nunes could end getting embarrassed again by Julianna Pena, but we just can't see that happening.  

Jon Jones has repeatedly called out Francis Ngannou

Jon Jones vs Francis Ngannou 

Rarely a day goes by without Jones and Ngannou threatening to hurt each other on social media in the worst way imaginable.

The fight itself, which the UFC have actually tried to book before, is an interesting one because heavyweight king Ngannou packs a bigger punch than the pound-for-pound great Jones. 

Jones wants it, Ngannou wants it, and the UFC wants it, which is more than good enough for me. That is, of course, unless Gane has something to say about it later this month...

Israel Adesanya vs Kamaru Usman

Now look, before we get started, we KNOW Kamaru Usman has insisted there is no way he will ever fight his fellow Nigerian. 

But it's time for them to put their friendship aside in the name of personal honour and glory.

Adesanya has looked a class above the rest at 185 lbs, but could Usman be the man to do it? Who knows, but one thing's for sure, we'd certainly love to see him try. 

READ MORE: Ian Garry, Casey O'Neill, Alex Pereira - top UFC prospects to watch out for in 2022