I wouldn’t say that March 2015 is the best month of MMA action coming up, at least on paper, but there are still a number of exciting fights scheduled to take place that you should tune in and watch.
Here are the top five fights coming up in March, in chronological order:
Carla Esparza vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk, UFC 185
Arguably the best and most competitive bout that will take place all month long is the women’s strawweight title fight between champion Carla Esparza and challenger Joanna Jedrzejczyk, which co-headlines UFC 185 on March 15 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Unlike the main event, which features a mismatch between UFC Lightweight Champion Anthony Pettis and Rafael dos Anjos, Esparza vs. Jedrzejczyk is a very close fight to call, and one that could go either way. Esparza holds the wrestling edge and is the more proven fighter, but Jedrzejczyk is a far superior striker, and if she can unleash her vicious Muay Thai, she can win this fight. It’s such a tough one to call, and I can’t wait for it to go down next weekend on pay-per-view.
• Carla Esparza vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk (UFC Strawweight Championship)
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Johny Hendricks vs. Matt Brown, UFC 185
Another fantastic fight at UFC 185 is a welterweight bout between top contenders Johny Hendricks and Matt Brown. I just don’t see how this fight can be boring. Both guys are always involved in epic fights, and I don’t expect anything less when they meet in the Octagon next weekend. I could see this fight playing out like a wrestling match, I could see it being a boxing match, I could see it being a mixed martial arts match. Whatever the case is, it won’t be boring, that’s for sure, and fans can expect to be entertained for 15 minutes or less when these two step in the cage with one another.
• Matt Brown vs. Johny Hendricks
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Katsunori Kikuno vs. Edimilson Souza, UFC Fight Night 62
After the recent scratch of Ben Saunders vs. Erick Silva, a prelim bout is arguably the best fight at UFC Fight Night 62; I’m talking about the featherweight contest between Edmilson Souza and Katsunori Kikuno. Both men are dangerous strikers, and I’m expecting someone to get knocked out in this fight. Kikuno, a karate fighter, is more technical, but Souza is longer, rangier, and has more power in his strikes. This fight is going to end with someone staring up at a doctor’s flashlight, and if I’m a betting man (which I am), I’d imagine it will be Souza knocking Kikuno out in brutal fashion. I can’t wait for this one.
• Katsunori Kikuno vs. Edimilson Souza
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman, Bellator 135
Bellator 135 takes place March 27 at WinStar Casino Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma, and is headlined by a bantamweight title fight between champion Joe Warren and top contender
Marcos Galvao, but the fight I’m more excited for is the co-headliner between former champ Eduardo Dantas and Mike Richman. I believe this is going to be a real war, and with a title shot likely on the line for the winner, I’m expecting two very motivated bantamweights to put on a show for the fans. This is a tough fight to call since Richman has looked so damn good since dropping to 135, but Dantas was the longtime champ for a reason, and I expect him to make this a gritty war, one that likely ends in a stoppage within the 15 minutes allotted.
• Eduardo Dantas vs. Mike Richman
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino, WSOF 19
WSOF 19 takes place March 28 at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona and airs live on NBC. WSOF may only have one card this month, but it’s headlined by a fantastic 155-pound bout pitting WSOF Lightweight Champion Justin Gaethje against top contender Luis Palomino. Both Gaethje and Palomino are wickedly-dangerous strikers, and I’m expecting nothing but a standup war when these two collide in the cage. Although Palomino is the more technical striker of the pair, especially in regards to his boxing, Gaethje is younger, more diverse in his attack, has better kicks, is more dangerous in the clinch, and has the better chin. Palomino has a puncher’s chance, but if Gaethje can keep this fight up against the fence and wear on Palomino, he should be able to get yet another stoppage win, and at that point it will be hard for the UFC not to figure out a way to get him from WSOF.
• Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino (LW Championship)
Click the stars to rate your anticipation for this fight.
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UFC 185: Pettis vs. dos Anjos is due to take place on March 14, 2015 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC 185 will be.
UFC Fight Night 62: Maia vs. LaFlare (formerly UFC Fight Night 62: Faber vs. Assuncao) takes place on March 21, 2015 at Maracanazinho Gymnasium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Click the stars to rate how good you think UFC Fight Night 62 will be.
Bellator 135: Warren vs. Galvao 2 takes place on March 27, 2015 at WinStar World Casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
Click the stars to rate how good you think Bellator 135 will be.
WSOF 19: Gaethje vs. Palomino takes place on March 28, 2015 at Comerica Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona.
Click the stars to rate how good you think WSOF 19 will be.
