When boxers are given their launch (or choose to sign elsewhere) out of a significant North American MMA promotion like the UFC or Bellator — unless they’re a significant star — they often fall into obscurity about the regional/overseas circuit unless they stand up a few wins and end up signing with one of the above promotions. In this regular feature for MMAOddsBreaker.com, I take a look at some regional/overseas MMA matchups for the month of March and instead of listing off the best fights outside these major organizations, I emphasize some familiar names which you might recognize on upcoming struggle cards.
Unified MMA 36: Mayhem (Enoch, Alberta) — Mar. 1
Dominique Steele (18-11) vs. Teddy Ash (12-4) — Middleweight Title
UFC veteran Steele seems to close the chapter on his rivalry with Ash as the pair face off in a rematch. Steele is coming off a first-round TKO win over Ash in Unified 35 in December. Ash meanwhile looks to prevent back-to-back losses for the first time since May 2014.
Jake Lindsay (13-8) vs. Pat Pytlik (7-0) — Welterweight Title
Former UFC lightweight Lindsay seems to create it two-straight wins for the first time since Feb. 2014 when he faces undefeated Canadian Pytlik. Lindsay is coming from a submission win over Dawond Pickney in EFC 10, while Pytlik has won all seven of his struggles by stoppage.
Shane Campbell (14-7) vs. Menad Abella (5-1) — Lightweight Title
UFC veteran Campbell looks to get back on the winning track when he battles prospect Abella for the lightweight title. Campbell is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Magomedsaygid Alibekov in RCC 5 which snapped his four-fight win streak. Abella meanwhile is coming off a unanimous decision loss to UFC veteran Jonathan Meunier in TKO 43.
Cage Warriors 102 — (London, England) — Mar. 2
Craig White (14-9) vs. Jolton Santos (28-7)
Former UFC welterweight White looks to snap a two-fight losing streak if he meets Brazil’s Santos on the main card. White won four-straight struggles before signing with the UFC last year, then lost back-to-back fights against Neil Magny and Diego Sanchez. Santos meanwhile heads right into this matchup onto a four-fight win streak.
John Maguire (26-11) vs. Brad Wheeler (17-13)
UFC veteran Maguire has alternated between losses and wins in his last five fights while Wheeler has lost three of his last four fights.
Destiny MMA: Throwdown (Waipahu, Hawaii) — Mar 2
Russell Doane (15-8) vs. Diego Silva (11-4)
Doane competes outside the UFC for the first time since Nov. 2013 when he faces Silva at a bantamweight bout. The 32-year-old has dropped five of his last six fights. Silva meanwhile is 2-2 in his last four fights and will be creating his promotional introduction.
CFFC 73: (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — Mar. 2
Azunna Anyanwu (14-5) vs. Christopher Daukaus (7-2) — Heavyweight Title
Former UFC heavyweight Anyanwu competes for the first time since Sept. 2017 when he faces Daukaus for its promotions heavyweight title. “Zu” is coming off a spit decision loss to Justin Ledit at UFC Fight Night 116 which snapped his five-fight win streak. Daukaus meanwhile heads into this matchup on a five-fight win streak.
RCC Intro 3 (Ekaterinburg, Russia) — Mar. 9
Godofredo Pepey (14-6) vs. Pavel Gordeev (13-1)
UFC veteran Pepey looks to make it two-straight wins when he strikes Gordeev who is riding a six-fight win streak.
Cage Warriors 103 (Copenhagen, Denmark) — Mar. 9
Nicolas Dalby (16-3-1) vs. Alex Lohore (17-3)
Former UFC welterweight Dalby appears to push his winning streak to three-straight if he faces Lohore who’s finished his last two competitions.
Mads Burnell (10-3) vs. Ahmed Vila (7-1)
UFC veteran Burnell looks for back-t0-back wins when he faces Vila in a featherweight competition.
Total Warrior Combat (Lansing, Michigan) — Mar. 9
Jarred Books (14-2) vs. Josh Robinson (12-12) — Flyweight Title
Former UFC flyweight Brooks looks for his second straight when when he faces Robinson who has dropped three in a row.
Fight Hard MMA (St Louis, Missouri) — Mar. 9
Charles Bennett (30-40-2) vs. Chuka Willis (9-5)
PRIDE veteran Bennett seems to snap a 10-fight losing streak if he faces Willis that is seeking to bounce back from a two-fight slide himself.
BRAVE CF 22 (Pasay, Philippines) — Mar. 15
Jose Torres (8-1) vs. Amir Albazi (11-0)
Former UFC flyweight Torres looks to bounce straight back from the sole loss of his livelihood as he faces Albazi who’s won back fights under the Bellator MMA banner. Rolando Dy (10-7) vs. Mehmosh Raza (9-3)
UFC veteran Dy looks for back-to-back wins for the first time since Nov. 2016 while Raza looks for his third straight victory.
ACA 93 (St. Petersburg, Russia) — Mar. 16
Rob Emerson (20-13) vs. Mikhail Malyutin (36-15)
Former UFC/Bellator fighter Emerson looks to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since Sept. 2009 while Malyutin seems to bounce back from his reduction in Apr. 2018 which snapped his nine-fight win series.
Hacran Dias (24-6-1) vs. U. Gadzhidaudov (10-4)
UFC veteran Dias aims to make it two wins in a row while Gadzhidadov looks to avoid backend losses for the second time in his career Chris Camozzi (24-13) vs. Muslim Magomedov (4-0)
UFC veteran Camozzi seems to snap a 3 fight skid and await the first time in MMA since May. 2015. Magomedov made his pro-debut in Mar. 2017 and has finished two of his four career competitions.
Dominate FC 3 (Tacoma, Washington) — Mar. 23
Anthony Hamilton (18-9) vs. Kyle Keenay (19-24)
Former UFC heavyweight Hamilton looks for his fourth win in a row when he faces 36-year-old Keeney who has lost three-fights in a row.
Eternal MMA 42 (Southport, Queensland, Australia) — Mar. 23
Ben Wall (9-7-1) vs. Mike Wilkinson (9-4)
A set of UFC veterans struggle as Wall looks for back-to-back wins for the first time since Mar. 2013 when he faces Wilkinson who has lost three-straight.
KSW 47 (Lodz, Poland) — Mar. 23
Phil De Fries (16-6) vs. Tomasz Narkun (16-2) — Heavyweight Title
UFC veteran De Fries intends to make it five-wins in row when he faces Narkun who’s riding a seven-fight win series.
Caged Aggression 24 (Davenport, Iowa) — Mar 23
Mike Santiago (21-12) vs. Eric Wisely (32-9-1)
Contender Series winner Santiago looks to snap a three-fight skid when he faces Bellator/UFC vet Wisley. Santiago went 0-3 at the UFC dropping to Zabit Magomedsharipov, Mads Burnell and most recently Dan Ige at UFC 225. Wisley meanwhile heads into this battle on a eight-fight win series.
Dan Hornbuckle (24-9) vs. Jason Louck (19-13)
Former Bellator name challenger Hornbuckle fights for the first time since Aug. 2014 when he faces Louck in a welterweight bout. The 38-year-old has dropped four-straight fights and will be searching for his first win since Apr. 2013.
ACA 94 (Krasnodar, Russia) — Mar. 30
Albert Tumenov (18-5) vs. Murad Abdulaev (18-6) — Welterweight Title
UFC veteran Tumenov looks for his fourth consecutive win when he faces Abdulaev, who heads into this name battle on a three-fight win series.
ONE Championship: A New Era (Tokyo, Japan) — Mar. 31
Demetrious Johnson (27-3-1) vs. Yuya Wakamatsu (10-3)
Former UFC flyweight champion Johnson looks to prevent back-to-back losses for the first time in his career when he faces Wakamatsu, who has dropped two of his last three fights.
Eddie Alvarez (29-6) vs. Timofey Nastyukhin (12-4)
Former UFC and Bellator lightweight winner Alvarez makes his promotional introduction from Nastyukin who is 2-2 in his past four fights.
Can there be a noteworthy MMA veteran competing this month that I missed? Or is there a matchup that’s been altered? Hit me up on Twitter @LynchOnSports, and I will add it in or fix this up. Thanks.
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