It’s time to take a moment to acknowledge Jonathan Pearce’s 2022 before the page is turned and the new schedule of fights for 2023 gets underway.
The UFC featherweight didn’t win a championship belt, didn’t headline a UFC event, didn’t finish 2022 in the UFC’s official rankings – heck, he didn’t even break 10,000 followers on Instagram. But that doesn’t take away the fact Pearce (14-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) had a successful year, but more importantly, one that looks to be the beginning of something much bigger.
Pearce put together three consecutive wins in 2022 to improve his current streak to five in a row. Through that process, Pearce quietly grew from a 2-1 UFC rookie into a legit prospect at 145 pounds.
Pearce began the year in February when he stepped in the octagon to fight Christian Rodriguez at UFC Fight Night 201. He quickly took control of the bout and maintained it throughout, using his size, relentless pressure and solid grappling skills to notch a convincing unanimous decision win.
Pearce then got a big step up when he made his return in July. The Tennessee native flew across the pond to face fan favorite Makwan Amirkhani in London in what many perceived to be a showcase bout for “Mr. Finland.” But Pearce had other plans. In a fairly quick fight, Pearce put a beating on Amirkhani from the very start, badly battering him with ground-and-pound before scoring a TKO in Round 2.
The victory earned Pearce a $50,000 Performance of the Night check and began turning the wheels in the minds of some analysts and pundits.
Pearce clocked in one more win before he closed out the year. Pearce took on Darren Elkins at UFC on ESPN 42 and beat the gritty veteran at his own game, fearlessly locking up and outlasting him to win another unanimous decision.
Within a year, Pearce got a clear escalation in competition in his 3-0 run, and each time he answered the call while showing evolution.
Pearce worked all of 2022 in the prelims and never tasted the light of a UFC main card. His body of work didn’t catch the eyes of the official UFC rankings panel, major attention from media outlets or any grand hype from the MMA fanbase, yet, it’s undeniable he’s a player in the making at featherweight and a tough outing for anyone with a number next to his name.
That’s why Pearce is MMA Junkie’s Under-the-Radar Fighter of the Year and should be in your list of fighters to watch for 2023.
