MMA Fights To Look Forward To In February 2017

MMA Fights To Look Forward To In February 2017
January 24, 2017
By Ryan Porzl




Dennis Bermudez vs. Korean Zombie (UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs Zombie, 2/4/17)- This fight is Korean Zombie's first fight in three and a half years after failing beat Jose Aldo for the UFC Featherweight Championship at UFC 163 on August 3, 2013. Since then, Zombie had to do mandatory military service in his native South Korea. Now back, Zombie will like to make up for lost time. Bermudez is currently on a roll with wins over Tatsuya Kawajiri and The Ultimate Fighter Brazil Winner Rony Jason. This fight should be fun as Zombie is someone that be counted on to give it his all. The question is how will he be affected after a three and a half year absence?

Ovince St. Preux vs. Volkan Oedemir (UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs Zombie, 2/4/17)- This is an interesting fight as both have something to gain here. It was only a year ago when St. Preux took on Jon Jones for the Interim Light Heavyweight Championship but he's since gone on a two fight losing streak with losses to Jones and Jimi Manuwa. A loss here wouldn't look good as OSP's job could be in danger, he will far away from any title shot, and 1-4 in his last five fights. St. Preux is also seeing a step back in competition as he was set to face Jan Blachowicz only to now face new comer Volkan Oedemir. Getting a great chance, Oedemir is not a stranger to American MMA as he fought twice in Bellator back from 2013-2014. Though 12-1, Oedemir is stepping up in competition as this will be his toughest fight to date.

Holly Holm vs. Germaine de Randamie (UFC 208, 2/11/17)- This fight is to crown the first UFC Women's Featherweight Championship which that alone makes it something to look out for. Both are on opposite side of win/loss streaks as Holm is riding a two fight losing streak after coming off her biggest win which was upsetting Ronda Rousey. Holm has a lot to gain and a lot to lose in this. A win gets her back on track and makes her a champion again, she will also make history becoming the first woman in UFC to win a belt in two different weight classes. A loss would make three in a row and while she likely won't get cut, it could be a long time before she gets another title shot. On the other side, we have de Randamie who is on a two fight win streak. de Randamie has a lot to gain here as a win would make her the first UFC Women's Featherweight Champion and regardless of Holm's recent slump, it would be by far the biggest win of her career. This fight can also be a fight for those who enjoy striking as both come from kickboxing.

Anderson Silva vs. Derek Brunson (UFC 208, 2/11/17)- The longtime former Middleweight Kingpin is in a must win. Silva has shockingly not won a fight in over four years and is winless in his last five (four losses and one no contest) which is hard to imagine given his past dominance. While losing to Weidman, a bigger Cormier, and suffering a controversial loss to Bisping aren't the end of the world, Silva has to win to show he still has something to offer. Not only has Silva entered a slump but he is 41 and there have likely been calls for retirement. No disrespect to Brunson but another loss will likely make UFC second guess giving Silva anymore fights and probably try to make him retire like Chuck Liddell and Big Nog. Regardless of Silva's decline, a win would still be huge for Brunson as Silva is one of those guys that beating him always means something. Brunson is coming off a loss to Robert Whittaker which snapped a five fight win streak. A win over Silva gets Brunson back on track and it would be, by far, the biggest win of his career to date. The old saying is "To be a legend, you got to beat a legend" and Brunson will be given that opportunity on February 11th.

Travis Browne vs. Derrick Lewis (UFC 208, 2/11/17)- It's feels like a lifetime ago when Travis Browne was potentially the next heavyweight star and possible champion. After he joined The Glendale Fight Club, Browne has lost all his potential and his career has fallen at break neck speed. After going 16-2-1, he then went 2-3 with wins over Brenden Schaub and a controversial one over Matt Mitrione while suffering one sided losses to Cain Velasquez and Fabricio Werdum. While Browne has finally gotten the right idea and ditched Glendale Fight Club in favor of Black House, the question now is can Browne regain the promise he once had and how much time will he need to get back there if he can? Lewis has been a star on the rise as he's currently riding a five fight win streak with wins over former M-1 Global Heavyweight Champion Damien Grabowski, former UFC Heavyweight Championship contender Gabriel Gonzaga, and The Ultimate Fighter 10 winner Roy Nelson. Lewis doesn't have as much on the line but a loss is still a setback. A win could put him in the mix.

Dustin Poirier vs Jim Miller (UFC 208, 2/11/17)- I put this fight on here because this definitely one of those fun fights. Poirier and Miller are two guys you can count on to bring excitement so for that, it's worth it. Though Miller has had some hard times including going 1-4 in five fights between July 2014 to March 2016, Miller has bounced back by currently riding a three fight winning streak with wins over Gomi, Alves, and a rematch against Lauzon. While the ship may have long sailed as Miller being a Lightweight Title contender, you never know in MMA. Poirer moved up to Lightweight back in April 2015 where he racked up a four fight win streak before running into Michael Johnson in his recent fight and lost. A win would put him back on track.

Johny Hendricks vs Hector Lombard (UFC Fight Night 105, 2/19/17)- To say the very least, this is likely a "loser gets cut" fight which makes this interesting as well as Hendricks' debut at Middleweight. As is the case with Browne, it seems like a lifetime ago when these two were on fire with Hendricks putting on the performance of a lifetime against MMA's greatest Welterweight Georges St-Pierre before eventually becoming UFC Welterweight Champion while Lombard was tearing it up as the inaugural Bellator Middleweight Champion in Bellator. However, both men have plummeted in recent years as Hendricks lost the title in his first defense and since then has gone 1-3 with a bounce back win over Matt Brown before going three losses in a row to Stephen Thompson, Kelvin Gastlum, and Neil Magny. Along the way, Hendricks has also become a joke in the industry with he repeated failures to make weight as a fight with Tyron Woodley was cancelled after a bad weight cut and then failed to make weight in his last two fights. Lombard entered the UFC seemingly as a big coup for the organization but has failed miserably to come close to the hype. After going 1-2 in his first three fights, Lombard dropped to Welterweight where he seemed to finally turn it around with wins over Nate Marquardt and Jake Shields. However, a failed drug test took away his win over Josh Burkman and Lombard was suspended. Since his return, Lombard moved back up and has been a trainwreck as he suffered back to back KO losses to Neil Magny and Dan Henderson. Given Hendricks is on a three fight losing streak while Lombard is on two as well as both having issues with Hendricks missing weight repeatedly while Lombard has failed a drug test, it can be safe to say that the loser will likely be sent packing.

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Matt Mitrione (Bellator 172, 2/18/17)- This is the Bellator debut of The Last Emperor. This fight is very important for both fighters. First is because Bellator have already brought up that they plan to crown a new heavyweight champion and a win puts them on the radar. Second is both benefit a win very much. Long considered the greatest heavyweight fighter in MMA history, Emelianenko broke a three year retirement at New Year's Eve 2015 and since then scored two wins but they were an inexperience DEEP Megaton Champion Jaideep Singh and a highly controversial majority decision against Fabio Maldenado. A great win over Mitrione would show that Emelianenko still has fuel in his tank and could make another run at a heavyweight championship. Regardless of Emelianenko's age and mileage, a win would be huge for Mitrione. Emelianenko is like an Anderson Silva in that beating him means something.

Cheick Kongo vs. Oli Thompson (Bellator 172, 2/18/17)- This fight is one you probably not think of one to watch but with rumblings of the heavyweight division crowning a new champion at long last, wins and losses will likely matter. Kongo is riding a three fight win streak since losing to King Mo back in February 2015 including a win over former heavyweight champion Alexander Volkov. Kongo is a top ranked heavyweight in Bellator and the last thing he needs is to lose just as Bellator are hinting at crowning a new heavyweight champion. Thompson had a great 2015 including winning the IGF Heavyweight Championship, the IGF 2015 World Grand Prix, and went 5-0 but that win streak was snapped in his recent fight against Matt Mitrione in his Bellator debut back in July. Thompson needs a win to be considered a contender and a win over Kongo would shoot him up the rankings especially if he wins impressively.

Adam Piccolotti vs. Brent Primus (Bellator 172, 2/18/17)- This is a battle of the undefeated with Piccolotti at 9-0 while Primus is 7-0. Both are good fighters and potential prospects so this fight should be interesting and both can put on fun fights. A win will send one up the ladder and possibly face a name next time while the loser will suffer their first loss and send them down the ladder which is something no one in Lightweight can afford.

Liam McGeary vs. Chris Fields (Bellator 173, 2/24/17)- This fight is clearly a tune up fight for McGeary as Fields is 11-7 with no big wins on his resume and hasn't fight in a year. On paper, this shouldn't be something interesting but McGeary is coming off his first loss and it was a dominating one when he lost the Light Heavyweight Championship to Phil Davis. The question is how will McGeary take it? Will McGeary tear Fields apart like he should or does the loss affect him and Fields find a way to score a massive upset?

Herbert Burns vs. Movlid Khaibulaev (ONE Championship: Throne of Tigers (2/11/17)- Another battle of the undefeated with Burns at 7-0 and Khaibulaev at 11-0. Burns is returning after more than a year off while Khaibulaev is making his ONE debut so this fight means a lot for both especially with champion Marat Gafurov having recently made a successful title defense and no one has been announced as his next challenger so the winner could get the next crack if they win in impressive manner or at least get a title eliminator fight. Burns has already shown promise as he holds wins over inaugural champion Honorio Banario and Timofey Nastyukhin. Khaibulaev doesn't have any notable wins but a win over Burns would be a good start. Again, like Piccolotti and Primus, we're guaranteed someone suffering their first loss.