The UFC is packing all of its December violence into one block in the middle of the month. The world’s top MMA promotion is holding four events during a period it has dubbed “Nine Days of Fury.”
The name is apt, but most of the fury is stuffed into a three-day period beginning Dec. 10, when the UFC has full fight cards each night in an unprecedented scheduling decision.
Even the hardcore fans will have some trouble keeping up with the action, so amNewYork will attempt to simplify which fights are the ones most worthy of your time. At the top of the list: three UFC championship bouts.
Here’s a look at the most important UFC contests scheduled this month, as well as a handful of standouts from the rest of the MMA world. All rankings in parentheses come from my personal rankings, which are available to view in full at www.ufc.com/rankings.
Dec. 10: UFC Fight Night: Namajunas vs. VanZant
Women’s Strawweight: Paige VanZant (7) vs. Rose Namajunas (9)
Bantamweight: Aljamain Sterling (4) vs. Johnny Eduardo
Lightweight: Jim Miller (12) vs. Michael Chiesa
The UFC’s first nontitle women’s strawweight main event has the look of an action-packed affair. Both ladies are rising stars in the division with a penchant for violent finishes. It’s anyone’s guess who comes out of this one with a win, but we’ll take VanZant by TKO.
Sterling is on his way to a title shot in 2016, but he needs to get through Eduardo, who hasn’t competed since early 2014, first. The time away probably hasn’t done the aging Eduardo any favors, and Sterling’s wrestling chops will let him control the bout and secure a win.
Miller is stuck with the title of high-level gatekeeper. His only losses over the last five years have come to currently-ranked fighters. Chiesa possesses similar strengths as Miller, but often finds himself in compromising early positions. Miller won’t give him a pass if that happens, and he should win this one.
Dec. 11: The Ultimate Fighter 22 Finale
Featherweight: Frankie Edgar (2, 14 pound-four-pound) vs. Chad Mendes (3)
Lightweight: Tony Ferguson (3) vs. Edson Barboza (8)
Welterweight: Ryan LaFlare (13) vs. Mike Pierce
Lightweight: Joe Lauzon (14) vs. Evan Dunham
Edgar has only lost in title fights during the last seven years, and only by decision. The former lightweight champ has looked great at 145 pounds and likely secures a title shot in 2016 if he can get through the dangerous Mendes. It won’t be easy, but cardio and movement will help Edgar earn the decision.
Both Ferguson and Barboza are action-oriented competitors, but they tend to find finishes more elusive. With that in mind, expect a Fight of the Night candidate to unfold that sees Ferguson’s hand raised at the end, putting him on the cusp of a title shot.
LaFlare and Pierce also struggle to finish fights, only their bouts tend to be more labored than aesthetically pleasing. Look for LaFlare to take advantage of Pierce’s 27 months of inactivity and earn the judges’ nod.
Any Lauzon fight is worth watching. He’s a performance bonus maven, and Dunham might just be obliged to make it a bloody showdown. Favor Lauzon to win thanks to the many tools at his disposal.
Dec. 12: UFC 194
Featherweight Title: Jose Aldo (C, 2 P4P) vs. Conor McGregor (IC)
Middleweight Title: Chris Weidman (C, 4 P4P) vs. Luke Rockhold (2)
Middleweight: Ronaldo Souza (3) vs. Yoel Romero (4)
Featherweight: Max Holloway (5) vs. Jeremy Stephens (9)
Bantamweight: Urijah Faber (6 FW) vs. Frankie Saenz (10)
Women’s Strawweight: Tecia Torres (4) vs. Jocelyn Jones-Lybarger
Welterweight: Demian Maia (5) vs. Gunner Nelson
McGregor proved his worth when he knocked out Mendes in July to capture the interim crown, but there’s reason to be skeptical he can handle one of the top two fighters on the planet. Aldo hasn’t lost in a decade, and it’s hard to say if McGregor has a superior striking game. It’ll be fun to watch, but look for Aldo to take the verbose Irishman down a peg.
Less certain is the 185-pound title bout. Weidman hasn’t lost as a pro, but Rockhold is an all-around athlete in his prime. Give the champ the edge on the mat, but Rockhold should edge ahead on the feet. This one might be a coin toss, but the pick is Weidman to retain the crown in a thriller.
The next middleweight challenger ought to come from the Souza-Romero matchup. Third-ranked Jacare’s striking has close the gap with his all-world grappling game, enough that he can hang with the athletic Romero. Souza will do enough to earn a close decision.
Holloway’s diverse, active kickboxing arsenal makes him a threat to any featherweight. He’s on another level than the brawling Stephens, and Holloway probably will find a way to stop the former lightweight in his tracks.
Faber, back at 135 after a loss to Edgar, remains an elite fighter despite being on the back end of his illustrious career. He’s got more than enough left to submit Saenz.
Torres isn’t often impressive, but all she does is win. And she figures to do just that against a late-replacement in a likely lackluster contest.
Maia and Nelson might be the division’s best Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners. Hopefully, this will be a thrilling test of their grappling acumen and not a boring kickboxing match. Either way, Maia should get the ‘W’.
Dec. 19: UFC on Fox: dos Anjos vs. Cerrone 2
Lightweight Title: Rafael dos Anjos (C, 9 P4P) vs. Donald Cerrone (1)
Heavyweight: Junior dos Santos (3) vs. Alistair Overeem (8)
Featherweight: Myles Jury (5 LW) vs. Charles Oliveira (8)
Lightweight: Michael Johnson (7) vs. Nate Diaz (11)
Women’s Bantamweight: Sarah Kaufman (8) vs. Germaine de Randamie (14)
The last time the two main event fighters met in the summer of 2013, dos Anjos wasn’t yet the champion. He did, however, dominate Cerrone with superior grappling. The champ looked excellent in his March title victory against striking-oriented Anthony Pettis, and he should do the same in this rematch by winning a clear decision.
Former champion dos Santos and Overeem have been seeking this bout for awhile. While dos Santos has the boxing edge, Overeem’s use of kicks could make it tough for dos Santos. This could go either way, but Overeem has the tools to score the upset.
Jury, if he can effectively cut to 145 pounds, could be elite at featherweight. Both are young enough to make serious runs now or in the future. Jury is simply a more polished product right now, and he’ll take a decision.
Diaz has just one victory over the past three years, but the matchup with Johnson might be what he needs to get back in the win column. Johnson is vulnerable to submissions, and Diaz loves ’em. The pick is Diaz.
Kaufman hasn’t been perched atop the division for a few years, but she’s still a top-notch bantamweight. Her opponent, de Randamie, hasn’t made much of a mark due to a lack of activity. It’s hard to pick her, so look for Kaufman to score a decision victory.
Outside the octagon…
Dec. 4: Bellator 147
Lightweight: Josh Thomson vs. Pablo Villaseca
Josh Thomson remains a relevant lightweight who was a tough out during his recent UFC tenure. He should be able to shut down up-and-comer Villaseca. If he can’t, it may be a sign that the end is near.
Dec. 29: Rizin FF 1
Catchweight: Shinya Aoki vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
Aoki has been one of the best lightweight fighters for more than half a decade, and it’s been nearly that long since the legendary Sakuraba competed. This is total fan service for the Japanese masses, who will witness Aoki win easy.
There’s also a heavyweight tournament featuring Bellator “moneyweight” fighter Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal and former UFC competitor Goran Reljic.
Dec. 31: Rizin FF 2
Heavyweight: Fedor Emelianenko vs. TBA
The former Pride champion returns after a 3.5 year retirement against… well, nobody knows yet. When “The Last Emperor” walked away from the sport, he was still top 20 heavyweight. He may still be, but he’s unlikely to face an opponent of great esteem given the UFC’s control of the sport’s top big men.
