10 May 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 last 11 men who have tried to beat Mamed Khaldov have failed. That run of excellence, no matter where it has taken place, cannot be ignored. Khalidov will put his 11-fight winning streak on the line when he defends the Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki middleweight championship against Aziz Karaoglu in the KSW 35 main event on May 27 at Ergo Arena in Gdansk, Poland. The champion has not lost a fight since he wound up on the wrong side of a unanimous decision against Jorge Santiago more than six years ago. Regarded by some as the top middleweight competing outside the auspices of the UFC, Khalidov last fought at KSW 33 on Nov. 28, when he steamrolled Michal Materla with a flying knee and follow-up punches to claim KSW gold at 185 pounds. It took all of 31 seconds. Khalidov, 35, has delivered 29 of his 31 career victories by knockout, technical knockout or submission, a staggering 24 of them inside one round. His list of victims includes Melvin Manhoef and a slew of UFC veterans: Santiago, Tor Troeng, Igor Pokrajac, Maiquel Falcao, Kendall Grove, Rodney Wallace, Jesse Taylor, Matt Lindland and James Irvin. The little-known Karaoglu will enter easily the most significant bout of his career on the strength of three consecutive victories. The 38-year-old Germany-based Turk last appeared at KSW 33, where he disposed of Falcao a mere 30 seconds into the first round of their showdown. All nine of Karaoglu’s victories have resulted in finishes. The Khalidov-Karaoglu title clash is but one outside-the-major-MMA-bubble matchup worth monitoring during the month of May. Here are nine more:Angela Lee vs. Mei Yamaguchi One Championship “Ascent to Power” May 6 | Kallang, Singapore The undefeated Lee will face the battle-tested Yamaguchi for the vacant One Championship women’s strawweight title. One Championship put Lee on the fast track to stardom, and the 19-year-old Evolve MMA prospect has done nothing to betray the organization’s confidence. She has submitted each of her first five opponents inside two rounds, utilizing two rear-naked chokes, a neck crank, a twister and an armbar. A professional for nearly a decade, Yamaguchi has never been finished in her 24-fight career.Livia Renata Souza vs. Angela Hill Invicta Fighting Championships 17 May 7 | Costa Mesa, California Souza has the look of a runaway freight train at 115 pounds. Out to a 9-0 start …

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