As the year 2023 is just around the corner we are now left with yet another stellar year of Fight Club Rush action to look back at.
2022 gave us a record amount of FCR events and thereby, a record amount of FCR fights. It comes as no surprise that there are several fantastic fights that the fans were treated to over the year, and here are some of the absolute best.
While many fighters delivered sensational performances, these are the bouts that made the fans scream and shout in excitement. So before enjoying some holiday cheer with the family, why not fire up UFC Fight Pass and check out some of the years best FCR fights?
FCR 11: Wasi Adesina vs Eryk Walecki
The years first FCR event would see the promotional debuts of Wasi Adesina and Eryk Walecki in what has become an unforgettable battle.
Both fighters were hoping to secure their first pro win and while Adesina was well known as a heavy-handed slugger Walecki was more of a question mark for many. However, Walecki had impressed with over 50 amateur bouts.
Adesina and Walecki battled it out in a true thriller of a fight. Just as Adesina seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, Walecki would fire back or clinch up.
In the end Adesina earned a unanimous decision victory, but the fans were the biggest winners.
FCR 11: Zoran Milic vs Anton Larsson
In the first of many Zoran Milic fights to be listed in such a fashion, we begin with his battle against hardened northerner Anton Larsson.
Per usual, Larsson stepped up on short notice - but he was not at FCR 11 to be someones stepping stone. Larsson poured on the pressure early, forcing a wrestling exchange out of his opponent.
The two battled back and forth until Milic began finding his groove in the second round, securing a vicious end to the already exciting fight.
FCR 12: amir Malekpour vs safi husseini
The clash between Amir Malekpour and Safi Husseini came at a pivotal point in both fighters' careers. Malekpour was coming off of a tough KO loss to Alexander Lööf in his previous bout, while Husseini had dazzled with a shocking knockout of Jakob Valegren just seconds into his pro debut.
Husseini had the opportunity to take his hype train into overdrive at Malekpours expense.
Malekpour would show his experience, though, and reminded fans all around the world of why he won the IMMAF European Championships. The bout started off close but Malekpour began pulling away, connecting with brutal shots. Husseini showed heart and stayed in the fight while many others would have fallen.
A lot was at stake, and Malekpour returned to the win column in impressive fashion.
FCR 12: zoran milic vs gerard burns
Once again we find fan favourite Zoran Milic in the mix, this time it's his epic three round war with Irelands Gerard Burns that titillated fans.
The hometown hero Milic welcomed Burns to Västerås - though the away fighter brought a huge Irish contingency with him, that made one wonder which country the bout took place in. The atmosphere was on point, setting the stage for an unforgettable battle.
Burns started off strong but as he usually does, Milic battled his way back into the fight, rocking his opponent on the feet. Both fighters had their moments, but in the end Milic pulled through with a decision victory in a true barn burner.
FCR 12: ALEXANDER LÖÖF vs SAMUEL BARK
The main event at FCR 12 was an interesting meeting between rivals that turned into a violent chess match.
Muay Thai star Samuel Bark had sparked up a rivalry with Västerås Fight Clubs Tobias Harila. As Harila was under contract with Cage Warriors, Alexander Lööf stepped up to take on the challenge as two undefeated prospects collided.
This bout was a tactical battle in all the best ways. Lööf picked his moments and showed a wide arsenal of strikes and techniques as Bark plodded forward, searching for the KO.
The fight took an unexpected turn towards the end and kept fans on the edge of their seats until the decision was read.
FCR 13: ROBIN LARSSON vs VIKING KARLSON
While this may have been an amateur contest, these fighters delivered every ounce of heavyweight action that one might expect as two titans duke it out.
As a former representative of the Swedish National Team in amateur MMA Robin Larsson was a proven commodity. Viking Karlson, however, was a true mystery. Purposefully withdrawn and not willing to speak to media, Karlsson was hard to figure out.
Though the first round was even, Larsson began figuring out the mystery that was Karlsson, with increasingly punishing answers for the questions that were presented, resulting in a violent finish.
FCR 13: Wasi Adesina vs sakhi qambari
As FCR debuted in Stockholm there were many big names ready to step into the spotlight, however these two warriors stole the show.
Fans already knew that Wasi Adesina could stand his ground and throw down. Sakhi "Machete" Qambari proved to be as close to an unstoppable force as possible. "Machete" lived up to his name early on, cutting through his opponents defense and hurting Adesina with a brutal knee to the body.
Adesina would not go down, however, took advantage of his opponents diminished gas tank and found the finish in the second round of an unrivaled slug fest.
FCR 14: Ali yazbeck vs abbe hussein
MMA has no shortage of intriguing story lines - something proven by this next entry. Abbe Hussein had knocked ut Redline Training Centers Ali Al-Jasim at FCR 11. Three events later Ali Yazbeck, friend and training partner to A-Jasim, made his pro debut against Hussein - hoping to avenge his team mate.
Yazbeck took many by surprise with his well-rounded skill set, though Hussein is tough as nails and pressed forward with tenacity. In the end, however, the bout served as a coming out party for Yazbeck - who firmly established himself as a hot prospect at featherweight.
FCR 14: hecher sosa vs bilal TIPSAEV
It's no secret that bantamweight is one of the most talent stacked divisions in all of MMA. Three time Spanish MMA champ Hecher Sosa thundered into FCR with a devastating knockout of Swedish champ Jonny Touma. He faltered in his subsequent FCR appearance, getting knocked out himself by ice cold Ukrainian Karlen Minasian. Now he was hoping to return to the win column.
Bilal Tipsaev is one of the most hyped prospects to come out of the famed Allstars Training Center as well as being a member of the feared Wolf Pack at the very same gym. He had lined up two straight, dominant wins in FCR and was looking to extend his win streak at the expense of Sosa.
With drastically different fighting styles but a wealth of experience, the two bantamweights battled it out in an increasingly intense and violent fight - much to the delight of the fans. It was bloody, it was adrenaline-filled, and it was quite possibly the best fight of the night.
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