Novembrawl: Major Brazilians Fighting this Month


November is an exciting month for some of the highest-profile Brazilian fighters in the world. Be sure to check out some of these events—you know and I both know that these are going to be real brawls.


Brad Pickett versus Renan Barao: November 5th


Fighters in MMA’s bantamweight division cut down their weight to 135lbs. before every fight. Though these competitors may seem light, do not let their size fool you—with less muscle mass to carry around, bantamweight fighters are able to keep up a blistering pace during their bouts without getting tired. Renan Barao is a young, undefeated Brazilian fighter with 26 names in his win column, fighting an Englishman in his own country. Will Barao be able to land on Pickett’s stiff upper lip?


Thiago Alves versus Papy Abedi: November 5th


Thiago Alves has wins over Matt Hughes, Karo Parisyan, Chris Lytle, and Josh Koscheck, and once fought Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title. Alves uses his powerful Muay Thai to pick apart his opponents on the feet; however, his next challenge is a judo player with heavy hands who will test Alves’s takedown defense and ability to deal with fighters even larger than himself. Fireworks are guaranteed.


Junior Dos Santos versus Cain Velasquez: November 12


There has always been a certain gravitas around the heavyweight title in combat sports. Next week, Junior Dos Santos and current titleholder Cain Velasquez will square off for a spot in the pantheon of champions like Ali, Tyson, Foreman, and Marciano. There’s a lot of hype behind this matchup, but both guys are exciting fighters that like to put on a show. Dos Santos could bring a lot of attention to Brazilian MMA if he takes the belt home next week.


Wanderlei Silva versus Cung Le: November 19


Some competitors in the sport of MMA call themselves “athletes” or “martial artists,” but Wanderlei Silva is by everyone’s definition a fighter. The man known as “The Axe Murderer” for his vicious style has wins over Rampage Jackson, Sakuraba, Dan Henderson, Ricardo Arona, and Michael Bisping. Silva is the prototypical Chute Boxe fighter, with a mean clinch and wild but effective striking. He looks to score a win over the former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, Cung Le.


Mauricio Rua versus Dan Henderson: November 19


Mauricio “Shogun” Rua is everything I like about Wanderlei Silva, but six years younger and with flashier kicks. He is the former PRIDE Grand Prix winner and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. His opponent, Dan Henderson, is a 41 year old former Olympic wrestler whose last win was a first-round knockout of the greatest heavyweight fighter in the history of the sport, Fedor Emelianenko. This non-title bout between two living legends looks to be nothing short of spectacular.