Alright, so I learned my lesson. And that lesson is that Ryan Jimmo should never be in a post about fights to watch. His fight with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou was actually probably the one of the worst fights in October, with possibly only Matt Mitrione vs Chieck Kongo being a worse affair. So, with the lessons learned and a new month ahead, it’s time for the five fights to watch in November.
Cain Velasquez vs Junior Dos Santos, UFC on Fox (November 12th): Seriously, this is an absolute no brainer. So much so that if you aren’t planning on watching this fight, I want you to never return. Let me list the ways this is important. It’s the first UFC fight on Fox. It’s the long awaited return of Cain Velasquez. Oh and it’s also for the heavyweight title. Get psyched for this fight.
Ben Henderson vs Clay Guida, UFC on Fox (November 12th): It is a shame that this fight won’t air on television as I believe that it would immediately capture the audience. If you want to watch this fight, you’ll need to either check out the Facebook stream or Fox.com. Henderson and Guida are likely fighting for a title shot. Dana White has not committed to it but this is as important a fight as the main event in terms of the UFC’s business.
Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez, HBO PPV (November 12th): It’s the return of the most successful Pay Per View fighter. The UFC is so terrified of this fight that they are airing Cain vs Junior early to avoid a cross over. The fight promises to be extremely fun and if you have the extra cash to toss, this is the PPV to order.
Mauricio Rua vs Dan Henderson, UFC 139 (November 19th): Finally…THE HENDO HAS COME BACK…TO THE UFC! Dan Henderson returns to the UFC after capturing the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt and handing Fedor Emelianenko his third straight loss. His opponent is Shogun, who returns to the octagon after knocking out Forrest Griffin at UFC 134. Dana White has said that if Hendo wins, he’ll get a middleweight (?) title shot.
Urijah Faber vs Brian Bowles, UFC 139 (November 19th): Urijah Faber and Brian Bowles is possibly the most important fight on the UFC 139 card. The two bantamweights will be fighting for a shot at Dominick Cruz and the fight promises to be an exciting affair.