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Pereira vs Prochazka | Top MMA Fights in November 2023
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After a month where the fighting credentials of UFC athletes went up in the estimation of boxing fans worldwide, it seems fitting to put together a preview of the best MMA fights in November.
The talk of the combat sports town is how Francis Ngannou came so close to walking the walk against Tyson Fury in a heavyweight Battle of the Baddest. It has thrown a firelighter under the age-old debate - is a UFC fighter more likely to win in a boxing ring than a boxer is in the Octagon?
In terms of noteworthy UFC results in October, we saw Islam Makhachev knock out Alexander Volkanovski to retain his lightweight title and bring to an end a controversial rivalry, which many believe should read 1-1 rather than Makhachev 2-0 Volkanovski. In February, Makhachev was awarded a controversial win on the scorecards, with lots of observers feeling the latter should have been declared the winner. The Australian only had 12 days to prepare for this bout, stepping in at short notice. His lack of preparation could have been a deciding factor in what ended in a dominant performance by Makhachev.
Elsewhere, the exciting and imposing Khamzat Chimaev gave his fans another reason to smile, with a majority decision win over Kamaru Usman in a compelling fight. He is now tipped to challenge middleweight champion Sean Strickland for the title.
What of November?
We've consulted our own fighting expert Jevgenijs "The Hurricane" Aleksejevs - MightyTips ambassador and undefeated boxer with a 14-0 record - to get his lowdown on all the best action taking place over the coming months, provide predictions and odds available at the best UFC sportsbooks, and more in our monthly preview below.
Here's our top three UFC fights of November.
November 12, 2023: Alex Pereira vs Ji?í Procházka
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York
Pereira record: 8-2-0 (6 KOs)
Procházka record: 29-3-1 (24 KOs)
Odds: Pereira (1.73 fav) Prochazka (2.25)
The vacant light heavyweight championship is on the line, and it just needs a fighter to avoid ligament ruptures and shoulder surgeries to hold onto it this time. Both Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill have held the belt in the previous 18 months, but both suffered severe injuries, which resulted in them relinquishing the championships.
This could be a proper, old-school dust-up. Prochazka fights with his heart on his sleeve. He fronts up and likes to take hits, but he gives them back just as well.
Meanwhile, Pereira is a finishing artist, with 21 of his 33 wins coming through knockout. He likes to fight within the pockets, and we can expect some sickening blows in what will be an up close and personal battle.
The Hurricane's Verdict
This fight will be especially interesting for fans of mixed martial arts, as two strong stand-up fighters are meeting. It will be a very dynamic and unpredictable fight.
Personally, I will be rooting for Alex Pereira, as he comes from a professional kickboxing background (as I did before), and, already being the UFC middleweight champion, he will move up to the light heavyweights to fight for the title in a heavier category.
To me, Pereira is fascinating not only as a fighter but also as a person - he has the most engaging backstory.
He fought Israel Adesanya as a kickboxer - beating him twice in that discipline before also conquering him in the Octagon. He's the only man ever to secure a knockout win against the New Zealand phenomenon. One came in Adesanya's last Kickboxing fight and the other in the Octagon as a result of Pereira's punching power.
What makes this fight even more intriguing is that Pereira's trainer, Glover Texeira, is a former opponent of Jiri Prochazka, to whom he lost the fight to a choke. Pereira's headquarters will probably have a special plan for this fight. Sit back and enjoy the show.
Prediction: Pereira by knockout. Back him via one of our recommended MMA betting apps.
November 17, 2023: Yaroslav Amosov vs. Jason Jackson
Venue: Wintrust Arena, Chicago
Amosov record: 27-0-0 (9 KOs)
Jackson record: 16-4-0 (4 KOs)
Odds: To be confirmed
The undefeated Amosov takes on the dangerous Jackson with his Bellator Welterweight World Championship on the line.
Since joining the Bellator stable in 2018, Amosov has registered eight victories over some tough opponents, including Logan Storley (x2), Douglas Lima, and Ed Ruth. Indeed, in 27 professional fights, the Ukrainian has never lost. He likes to win via submission, with ten of his victories coming this way, but he has not secured a tap-out victory since 2019 and has failed to secure a stoppage in his last three fights.
John Jackson has won six straight, looking very impressive in each performance. He has a background in wrestling, with it being the first art he learned, and he uses it to great effect, with three of his 16 victories coming by way of submission. However, he's also a potent striker and poses a serious threat to Amosov with heavy hands and impressive speed.
Prediction: Amosov by decision. Back him via one of our recommended MMA bookmakers.
Saturday November 11: Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tom Aspinall
Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York
Pavlovich record: 18-1-0 (15 KOs)
Aspinall record: 13-3-0 (10 KOs)
Odds: Pavlovich (2.0) Aspinall (1.87 fav)
It's as close as it gets in the betting markets - you won't find high betting odds on either - and every UFC super fan expects a classic in the city that never sleeps, with both men going for the interim heavyweight title.
Originally, this fight was meant to be between Stipe Miocic and Jon Jones, but a severe pectoral injury to Jones meant surgery and a postponement of the clash.
It presents an incredible opportunity for two fighters champing at the bit to get their time in the sun.
Why is Aspinall a marginal favourite?
Both are evenly matched, but Aspinall edges it on a more well-rounded fighting style. He is highly effective on his feet and when grappling, while one could argue Pavlovich depends too much on his power.
That being said, the Russian possesses power in abundance. He averages 6.31 knockdowns per 15 minutes - the highest of all time in the division. He has never seen a second round while fighting in the UFC, winning each early with an average fight time of 2:23 seconds.
It's a tough one to call.
Prediction: Aspinall by KO
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