2022 UFC Hall OF Fame: Fighters react to their induction

During UFC's 10th Annual International Fight Week, some of UFC's greatest athletes were recognized for their everlasting impact on MMA. The UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on July 1 at the T-Mobile Arena, with ticket proceeds benefitting The Knockout Cancer Foundation, established by UFC featherweight Giga Chikadze.

Giga Chikadze was honored with the Forrest Griffin Community Award for the meaningful impact he and his foundation, Knockout Cancer, has on the community. The award includes a $25,000 donation to a charity of Chikadze’s choice.

"I realized since I'm an athlete and a fighter, when my fights get more successful and my name gets bigger I know that I can spread awareness more," Chikadze said. "Once we get this donation, we're going to choose a couple of people, we're going to continue helping others. Every single time I fight, some of my fight purses, some percent goes there as well. We're not stopping, we're just starting."

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"Once we get this donation, we're going to choose a couple of people, we're going to continue helping others. Every single time I fight, some of my fight purse, some percent goes there as well. We're not stopping, we're just starting."

The featherweight bout between Cub Swanson and Dooho Choi that earned Fight of the Year in 2016 was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame Fight Wing.

"I became a fan with certain fighters and their styles and who laid it all out on the line and who never took the safe route," Swanson said. "I always respected fighters like that so to make it in on a fight means more to me. It's like I did it my way, and after 18 years it's a nice little pat on the back."

"From my heart, I think it's most important to bring the fans an enjoyable and exciting fight," Choi said. "I'm very happy to receive this award, I'm very honored. I will bring more interesting and better performances in future fights."

Former two-division champion and now UFC commentator Daniel Cormier was the first to be inducted into UFC's 2022 Hall of Fame Modern Wing. After earning titles at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, Cormier stamped his legacy as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion's history.

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"Winning any UFC title is so hard," Cormier said. "To win one is an amazing accomplishment, to be a double champion is crazy. Don't allow the bad to cripple you. Allow for it to serve as motivation to do something even bigger and better. Because if you get dealt adversity if something bad happens and you quit, you'll never know what you truly can be."

Former undefeated lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov amassed a perfect 29-0 record and defeated top contenders and former champions throughout his career. When he tragically lost his father and life-long coach, he retired.

"I feel like I did a lot of things for this sport and I'm very happy for this," Nurmagomedov said. "This is a very big honor for me. When they put you in a high-level position like this, it means your hard work paid off."

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