10 December Tussles Worth Watching

In an effort to bring more attention to the global stage of mixed martial arts, this list does not focus on major North American-based promotions such as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Bellator MMA and the World Series of Fighting.*** The mere mention of their iconic nicknames evokes images of yesteryear and turns even the heartiest of men nostalgic: “Cro Cop” and “The Axe Murderer.”Mirko Filipovic and Wanderlei Silva will meet for a third time when they lock horns in the 2016 Rizin Fighting Federation open weight grand prix quarterfinals at Rizin 3 on Dec. 29 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. The two MMA legends fought twice before under the Pride Fighting Championships banner, their April 2002 encounter ending in a draw before Filipovic knocked out Silva with a head kick in their September 2006 rematch. One of the most decorated heavyweights in MMA history, Filipovic has the wind of four-fight winning streak at his back. Now 42, the 2006 Pride open weight grand prix and 2012 K-1 World Grand Prix winner last competed on Sept. 25, when he submitted Hyun Man Myung with an arm-triangle choke in the first round of the Rizin tournament. Victories against Igor Vovchanchyn, Kevin Randleman, Mark Coleman and Hidehiko Yoshida highlight the stellar Filipovic resume, along with three wins over Josh Barnett and two others over Satoshi Ishii. “Cro Cop” has 29 finishes to his credit, 23 of them knockouts. Silva has not fought since he knocked out former World Extreme Cagefighting champion Brian Stann at UFC on Fuel TV 8 in March 2013. How the rust from such a long layoff impacts the 40-year-old Brazilian juggernaut remains to be seen. Silva was a dominant force in Pride’s heyday, capturing the promotion’s middleweight title and holding it for more than five years. He boasts 27 knockouts among his 35 career wins. Kazushi Sakuraba (three times), Quinton Jackson (twice), Keith Jardine and Cung Le are among his victims. The Filipovic-Silva trilogy bout is but one under-the-radar matchup worth monitoring during the month of December. Here are nine more:Bibiano Fernandes vs. Reece McLaren One Championship “Age of Domination” Dec. 2 | Manila, Philippines Fernandes will defend the One Championship bantamweight crown against McLaren in the “Age of Domination” co-main event at the Mall of Asia Arena. The 36-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has pieced together an 11-fight winning streak since 2010. Fernandes last appeared on Jan. 23, when he submitted Kevin Belingon with a first-round kimura to retain his title. McLaren, 25, has made an immediate impression in One Championship, as the Australian prospect has bested the once-beaten Mark Striegl and the undefeated Muin Gafurov in back-to-back bouts.Borys Mankowski vs. John Maguire KSW 37 “Circus of Pain” Dec. 3 | Krakow, …

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