Fresh off a pair of highly entertaining UFC events to close out May, we open June with a look at the best of the best taking place beyond the eight chain-linked sides of the UFC cage in the latest edition of Outside the Octagon.
This month brings the usual assortment of goodness to the table, with several quality veterans lined up for fights, as well as a couple of the top prospects in the sport looking to make a statement and potentially earn their place on the biggest stage in the sport.
And then there are fights like the heavyweight match-up between Mariusz Pudzianowski and Sean McCorkle that have no real impact but earn high marks in the “curiosity has us captivated” category.
On to the action!
Best Fight: Sergio Pettis (7-0) vs. Jeff Curran (34-15-1) – RFA 8, June 21
This flyweight title fight is the ideal match-up for both participants.
In one corner, up-and-coming prospect Sergio Pettis, the younger brother of UFC title contender Anthony Pettis, looking to earn the biggest victory of his career and take another step towards joining his successful fighting sibling in the big show. In the other corner, a pioneer of the lighter weight classes, Jeff Curran, who is looking to make one last run at the big show, and eager to start things off by halting Pettis’ climb.
Pettis has looked very good thus far, but Curran represents a big step up in competition. He’s been there, done that, and gotten the t-shirt – twice – and isn’t likely to be fazed by anything the young Roufusport product brings to the cage. For Curran, a victory over a heralded prospect in a relatively high-profile show could put him on the fast track to one last chance to compete in the Octagon.
Best Card: World Series of Fighting 3: Fitch vs. Burkman – June 14
Bellator may have the bigger names overall (more on them shortly), but in terms of competitive fights and promising talents, this month’s WSOF event at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino earns top honours.
The main event features Jon Fitch taking on resurgent welterweight veteran Josh Burkman.
This is the first appearance for Fitch since he was unexpectedly dropped by the UFC earlier this year, and you can be sure the American Kickboxing Academy representative will be looking to make a statement. Burkman enters off a dominant victory over Aaron Simpson, has won seven of eight overall, and can boost his stock tremendously by defeating the top-ranked WSOF newcomer.
In the co-main event, Canadian Tyson Steele looks to build on his first-round stoppage win over Gregor Gracie when he takes on Bellator veteran Steve Carl, who has earned five consecutive first-round stoppage wins since losing to Douglas Lima in September 2011.
Veteran lightweight grapplers Jacob Volkmann and Lyle Beerbohm square off in a battle of two of the most non-fighter looking fighters in the sport today, while heavyweights Dave Huckaba and Rolles Gracie share the cage as well. In terms of prospects, young lightweight Justin Gaethje aims to remain unbeaten when he takes on veteran Brian Cobb, while 11-1 featherweights Jerrod Sanders and Chris Gruetzemacher, a training partner of UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson, lock horns.
Other action of note
Cathal Pendred (12-2-1) vs. Che Mills (15-5) – CWFC 55, June 1
Welterweight champion Cathal (The Punisher) Pendred defends his title against recent UFC washout Che Mills. For the champion, a win could punch his ticket to join teammate Conor McGregor in the UFC, while a victory for Mills would bring championship gold and a very strong first step back towards the biggest stage in the sport.
KSW 23 – June 8
Middleweight standout Mamed Khalidov (26-4-2) squares off with veteran powerhouse Melvin Manhoef (27-10-1) in the main event, while heavyweights Pudzianowski (5-2) and McCorkle (16-5) tangle in the aforementioned co-main event of the evening. Perhaps the most interesting bout of the night, however, pits former Ultimate Fighter winner Kendall Grove (17-12) against Michal Materla, who has won six straight and 10 of his last 11 fight, and surely is someone on the UFC radar.
Bellator 96 – June 19
It’s weird because while Bellator’s return card features one of the two best fighters currently competing outside of the UFC, unbeaten Michael Chandler (11-0), defending his lightweight title against Dave Jansen (19-2), the rest of the card is comprised of recognizable names coming off tough outings – or in War Machine’s case, jail time.
Muhammed (King Mo) Lawal (9-2) is coming off his upset loss to Emanuel Newton, and faces veteran name Seth Petruzelli (14-7), while Renato (Babalu) Sobral (37-10) looks to rebound after losing his promotional debut when he takes on Jacob Noe (11-2). The heavyweight mini-tournament also begins with holdovers Vinicius Spartan (6-3) taking on Richard Hale (21-5-1) in one semi-final, while Vitaly Minakov looks to remain undefeated when he takes on Ron Sparks (8-1) in the other eliminator bout.
And then there is War Machine, who makes his return to action after an injury scuttled his post-jail return last season. The fighter formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver will take on veteran Blas Avena.
RFA 8 – June 21
The Pettis-Curran main event that earned top billing this month isn’t the only fight worth watching on the latest Resurrection Fighting Alliance event.
As always, the organization continues to showcase some intriguing prospects, as Team Alpha Male standout Lance (The Party) Palmer (6-0) faces his stiffest test to date, squaring off with Jared Downing (9-1). Additionally, RFA 8 features two fighters whose siblings compete on the big stage returning to action, as Chinzo Machida and Keoni Koch, the brother of UFC featherweight contender Erik Koch, take to the cage.
