When fighters are given their release from a major North American MMA promotion like the UFC or Bellator – unless they’re a major star – they often fall into obscurity on the regional/overseas circuit unless they rack up a few wins and end up signing with one of the aforementioned promotions. In this regular feature for MMAOddsBreaker.com, I take a look at some regional/overseas MMA matchups for the month of November and rather than listing off the top fights outside these major organizations, I highlight some familiar names that you might recognize on upcoming fight cards.
Cage Titans 41 – Nov 3 (Plymouth, Massachusetts)
Joe Giannetti (6-1) vs. Josh Harvey (5-0)
TUF 27 Finalist Giannetti looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time in his career when he faces Harvey in a lightweight matchup. The 23-year-old came up short in his UFC debut losing a split decision to Mike Trizano at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale in July. Harvey meanwhile has won all five of his career fights by stoppage.
WXC 74: Allegiance – Nov 9 (Southgate, Michigan)
Mike “Biggie” Rhodes (11-6) vs. Dominique Steele (17-11)
A pair of UFC veterans clash in Michigan as “Biggie” faces Steele in a middleweight affair. Rhodes is coming off a first-round submission win over BJ Lacy at WXC 74: Allegiance – Nov 9 (Southgate, Michigan) which snapped a three-fight unbeaten streak. Steele meanwhile is coming off a first-round TKO loss to fellow UFC veteran Matt Dwyer at XFFC 18 in July.
ACB 90: Moscow – Nov. 10 (Moscow, Russia)
Georgi Karakhanyan (28=8-1) vs. Timur Nagibin (14-3)
Bellator veteran Karakhanyan looks for two-straight wins for the first time since Nov. 2016 when he faces Nagbin. “Insane” is coming off a unanimous decision win over Alexey Polpudnikov at ACB 86 in May. Nagibin meanwhile heads into this matchup having won three of his last four fights.
Andre Winner (22-11-2) vs. Yusup Raisov (13-1)
UFC veteran Winner looks for back-to-back wins for the first time since May 2014 when he faces Raisov. The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finalst returned to the cage earlier this year earning a first-round submission win over Adam Aliev at ACB 87. Raisov meanwhile is riding a four-fight win streak heading into this matchup.
Invicta FC 32 – Nov. 16 (Shawnee, Oklahoma)
Heather Clark (8-6) vs. Mizuki Inoue (12-5)
Bout cancelled per Tapology.
Brave CF 18 – Nov 16 (Manama, Bahrain)
Lucas Martins (20-3) vs. Abdul-Kareem Al-Selwady (9-1)
Former UFC featherweight Martins makes the first defense of his Brave CF title against Al-Selwady. Since being cut from the UFC in 2015, the 29-year-old has remained undefeated winning five-straight fights. Al-Selwady meanwhile is also riding a five-fight win streak and has finished seven of his 10-career opponents.
WFCA 54 – Nov 16 (Bahrain)
Rob Emerson (20-12) vs. Frodo Khasbulaev (20-12)
Bellator/UFC veteran Emerson aims to make it back-to-back wins when he battles Khasvulaev in a featherweight bout. The 37-year-old has won three of his last four fights however has just competed twice since 2017. Khasbualev is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Salman Zhamaldaev which snapped a four-fight win streak.
Oktagon 10 – Nov 17 (Prague, Czech Republic)
Attila Vegh (31-8-2) vs. Maiquel Falcao (39-12)
Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vegh faces former Bellator middleweight title challenger Falcao in a 205-pound bout. Vegh will be looking to make it three straight wins as he’s coming off back-to-back wins against Paul Byrne and Travis Fulton. The 33-year-old will be fighting for the first time since Nov. 2017. Falcao meanwhile snapped a two-fight skid in his last bout defeating Patrick Quadros by second round TKO at Circuito Team Nogueira Viamao 5 in August.
Jeremy Kimball (15-8) vs. Miloš Petrasek (11-3)
Former UFC light heavyweight Kimball’s short retirement didn’t last as he makes his debut for Oktagon. Kimball went 1-4 in the UFC defeating Josh Stansbury and losing to Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Dominick Reyes and Darko Stosic. Petrasek meanwhile heads into this matchup on a four-fight win streak.
XFN 14 – Nov 18 (Bratislava, Slovakia)
Karlos Vémola (22-5) vs. Moise Rimbon (25-11-3)
UFC veteran Vemola looks for his seventh win in a row when he faces Rimbon in a middleweight affair. Since leaving the UFC in 2013, the 33-year-old has gone on a 13-1 run. Rimbon meanwhile carries a three-fight win streak into this bout.
Liddell vs. Ortiz 3 – Nov 24 (Inglewood, California)
Chuck Liddell (21-8) vs. Tito Ortiz (19-12-1)
48-year-old Liddell faces 43-year-old Ortiz in a trilogy bout. Liddell will be competing for the first time since June 2010 and will be looking for his first win since Dec. 2007. Ortiz meanwhile has won three of his last four fights including a first-round submission win over Chael Sonnen at Bellator 170 in Jan. 2017.
Gleison Tibau (32-14) vs. Efrain Escudero (30-13)
A pair of UFC veterans clash in a lightweight bout as ATT’s Tibau faces TUF winner Escudero. Tibau will be looking for his first win since Jan. 2015 and heads into this bout on a four-fight losing streak. Escudero has won back-to-back fights including a submission win over Jason High at PFL #2 back in June.
Tom Lawlor (10-6) vs. Deron Winn (4-0)
UFC veteran Lawlor faces Bellator veteran Winn in a middleweight matchup. Lawlor hasn’t fought since a Mar. 2016 loss to Corey Anderson due to a USADA suspension. “Filthy” will be looking for his first win since July 2015. Winn meanwhile is undefeated and was an assistant coach on Daniel Cormier’s team for TUF 27. The 29-year-old has finished all of his opponents in the first round.
Albert Morales (7-4-1) vs. Cleber Luciano (16-7)
Morales competes outside the UFC for the first time since June 2016 as he faces Brazil’s Luciano. “The Warrior” went 1-4-1 in the UFC defeating Andre Soukhamthath and losing to Thomas Almeida, Brett Johns, Benito Lopez and Manny Bermudez. He also went to a draw with Alejandro Perez at UFC Fight Night 94. Luciano meanwhile has won four of his last five fights.
BTC 4: Vendetta – Nov. 24 (Peterborough, Ontario)
Jason Saggo (12-4) vs. Adam Assenza (9-4)
Former UFC lightweight Saggo competes for the first time in over a year when he faces hometown favorite Assenza. Saggo is coming off back-to-back losses against Gilbert Burns and Rustam Khabilov which prompted his release from the promotion. Saggo fights outside the UFC for the first time since July 2013. Assenza is currently riding a three-fight win streak with all of those wins coming by first round stoppage.
Rumble in the Cage 60 – Nov 24 (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Jesse Bongfeldt (22-7-1) vs. Micah Brakefield (7-7)
Former UFC middleweight Bongfeldt competes for the first time since Nov. 2011 when he faces Brakefield. Bongfeldt fought Rafael Natal to a draw and lost by submission to Chris Weidman in the UFC before he was released in 2011. Brakefield has lost two of his last three fights and is coming off a first-round submission win over Taylor Bull at BFL 56 in July
Is there a notable MMA veteran competing this month that I missed? Or is there a matchup that has been changed? Hit me up on Twitter @LynchOnSports, and I’ll add it in or fix it up. Thanks.
