Which early surprises in 2022 are here to stay in the UFC?

The first three months of the year are nearly in the books, but which UFC fighters have surprised and stood out most thus far? More importantly, are they here to stay?

The heavyweight division looks to be making way for new stars, as Tai Tuivasa survived a rock fight with Derrick Lewis last month to fast-track his way toward a title shot. Also, Curtis Blaydes threw out his old playbook and slugged his way into a conversation with Stipe Miocic after finishing Chris Daukaus on Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio.

While some have surprised with their outstanding performances, others have come into 2022 with more questions that need answering. Will legendary stars Conor McGregor and Jon Jones ever return to the Octagon? Can former champions Tony Ferguson, Joanna Jedrzejczyk and Max Holloway find a pathway back to the title? Will standouts Israel Adesanya and Colby Covington have to consider changing weight classes to keep growing in the spot?

Brett Okamoto, Marc Raimondi and Jeff Wagenheim examine some early-season storylines, including which rising stars outside the UFC are most likely to join the promotion in the near future.

Which fighter’s success has surprised you most thus far in 2022?

Raimondi: Tai Tuivasa. Not too long ago, the shoey-downing Aussie was thought to be nothing more than an exciting fighter with a great personality that would be an excellent addition to any pay-per-view card. Tuivasa established himself as more than that by knocking out Derrick Lewis at UFC 271 last month in Houston, Lewis’ adopted hometown. That was the biggest win of Tuivasa’s career and solidified him as a legitimate, top-five heavyweight in the UFC. This is a guy who lost three straight in 2018 and 2019 and nearly got his walking papers. But he refocused, worked on his wrestling and became an elite fighter — a pretty cool story.

Okamoto: I was not too…