In November’s edition of “Ten Fights to Watch” we take another look around the globe at yet more super fights, super cards, and compelling bouts that are happening during this month.
Stevie Ray vs. Curt Warburton – Cage Warriors 73
The biggest rubber match in UKMMA history goes down on Saturday, November 1st when Cage Warriors lightweight champion Stevie Ray (15-5) faces his opponent Curt Warburton (13-5) for the third time when the two meet at Newcastle’s Metro Arena.
Challenger Warburton drew first blood in the pair’s fight meeting at BAMMA 12 with a unanimous decision win over his Scottish counterpart. In the second meeting it would be Dinky Ninjas trained Ray who would gain a measure of revenge when he defeated Warburton via split decision to win the CWFC lightweight title at Cage Warriors 69 in June.
With bragging rights and the title at stake, who will come out on top in the battle of the UK’s top two domestic lightweights?
Barb Honchak vs Takayo Hashi – Invicta 9
Barb Honchak (9-2) defends her 125lbs title against Japanese veteran Takayo Hashi (15-4) at Invicta 9 on Saturday, November 1st.
The champion Honchak enters the bout off the back of an 8-fight win streak, defeating current TUF 20 cast members Aisling Daly and Felice Herring, as well as Leslie Smith at Invicta 7 winning the flyweight in the process.
Her opponent Hashi will be making her Invicta FC debut off the back of winning the inaugural Deep-Jewels middleweight championship, defeating Shizuka Sugiyama via 3rd round TKO in May.
Leandro Ataides vs. Igor Svirid – ONE FC 22: Battle of Lions
World Brazilian Jiu-jitsu champion Leandro Ataides (8-0) will look to add a mixed martial arts world title to his collection when he enters the cage at ONE FC: BATTLE OF LIONS to face Igor Svirid. The 28-year-old Evolve MMA fighter has managed 7 finishes in a row since winning his debut fight by decision in 2008. With a win over Igor Svirid, Ataides will improve to 9-0 and also become the first ONE FC middleweight world champion.
Kazakhstan born Svirid has also been in a rich vain of form since losing on his debut against Kwi Hyun Joo. Since then Svirid has racked up 9 wins in a row beating the likes of Rashid Aliev, Muslim Khizriev, and most Ramzan Algeriev to earn a shot at ONE FC middleweight gold.
Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping – UFC Fight Night 55
The MMA grudge match of the year goes down at the Allphone Arena in Sydney as top-10 middleweights Michael Bisping (25-6) and Luke Rockhold (12-2) finally get to settle their differences inside the octagon.
The feud began when Ultimate Fighter Season 3 winner, Bisping offended former Strikeforce middleweight champion Rockhold when he jokingly proclaimed himself “the unofficial Strikeforce middleweight champion” during an interview after a sparring session between the two top-10 ranked middleweights. Both fighters will get a chance to prove who is the better man when they step into the octagon at the Allphone Arena on Saturday, November 8th.
Mauricio Rua vs. Ovince St. Preux – UFC Fight Night 56
Former light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is in desperate need of a victory having gone 1-3 in his last four UFC bouts. Shogun halted a 2-fight slide with a KO victory over James Te Huna but would suffer a knockout loss to Dan Henderson on March 23rd. Rua will try to get back in the win column against #10 ranked St. Preux.
St. Preux is also looking to bounce back from his first UFC loss after going 4-0 at the beginning of his UFC career, defeating Gian Villante, Cody Donovan, Nikita Krylov abd Ryan Jimmo before being out-pointed byRyan Bader at UFC Fight Night 47.
Nicolas Dalby vs. Mohsen Bahari – Cage Warriors 74
Cage Warriors champion Nicolas Dalby (12-0) makes the first defence of his welterweight title against Norway’s Mohsen Bahari (8-1) at the Copper Box in London on November 15th.
Rumble Sports trained Dalby was scheduled to make the first defence of his welterweight title against Gael Grimaud at Cage Warriors 72 in September, but a last minutes injury to the Frenchman on the eve of their fight meant Dalby would instead face Bahari some 8-weeks later.
Bahari has bounced straight back from a shock heel hook submission defeat at the hands of SBG Mainland’s Matt Inman at CWFC 57. Since then the Frontline Academy fighter has racked up 3-wins in a row, defeating Alexander Voitenko, Bruno Carvalho, and Ben Alloway to earn a crack at the welterweight title.
Fabricio Werdum vs. Mark Hunt – UFC 180
Mixed martial art’s Cinderella man and fan favourite Mark Hunt (10-8-1) will attempt to win the UFC heavyweight interim title when he takes on Brazil’s Fabricio Werdum (18-5-1) on November 16th at the Mexico City Arena in Mexico. Hunt, who’s currently on a 5-1-1 roll losing only to Junior dos Santos, earned the chance to face former 2-time ADCC heavyweight champion Werdum after the Brazilian’s previous opponent, current UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, had to pull out due to injury.
Frankie Edgar vs. Cub Swanson – UFC Fight Night 57
In the main event of UFC Fight Night 57 #2 and #3 ranked UFC featherweights fight for the next shot at Jose Aldo’s title. Jackson-Wink trained fighter Cub Swanson (21-5) has won 6-fights, counting Ross Pearson, Dustin Poirier, and Jeremy Stephens among his victims during an unbeaten run that stretches back almost 3-years.
Former UFC lightweight champion Frankie “The Answer” Edgar (17-4-1) will look to earn his second crack at Aldo’s title by earning his third win in a row when the two fighters face off on November 22nd.
Ed Arthur vs. Martin Aktar – Superior Challenge 11
Widely regarded as one the UK’s most exciting prospects, known for his intensity and 100% finishing rate to date; Hemel Martial Arts product Arthur (4-0) seeks to claim a first career championship after most recently submitting traditional Jiu Jitsu expert Michael Cutting at the inaugural BAMMA Fight Night on June 7.
In contrast, Akhtar (4-2-1NC) will be familiar to UKMMA fans from his Cage Warriors 66 appearance back in March where the Swede was submitted by current CWFC Bantamweight Champion Toni Tauru. The Malmo Muay Thai fighter most recently took out Miguel Valverde at SHC 10 on Sept. 20, ending the contest in the opening round with a knee to the body.
Philip De Fries vs. Lukasz Parobiec at – Made4TheCage 15
In what will be without a doubt the sternest test of his career to date, Polish Heavyweight Lukasz Parobiec (9-3) will face the biggest test of his career when he faces UFC veteran Philp De Fries at Made4TheCage 15: Bad Blood. Parobiec has bested his last 9 opponents after losing his first 3-bouts, but will have to bring his A-game against De Fries.
Sunderland born De Fries will have hometown advantage as well as the edge in experience when he enters the Rainton Meadows Arena having made 5 appearances in the world’s number 1 mixed martial arts promotion, and has defeated the likes of Rob Broughton, Oli Thompson, and Brett Rogers during his 14-fight career.
Well that’s it for this months “Ten Fights to Watch”, tell us about the fight’s you are looking forward to by leaving a comment below.
