5 biggest UFC fights to look forward to in November 2023

With a rare weekend without an event coming up, the month of October is now done for the UFC.

It’s time to look forward to November, then, and with three UFC events on tap, it should be a fun month with some great fights.

With that in mind, here are the five biggest UFC fights to look forward to in November 2023.

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#5. UFC lightweight bout: Matt Frevola vs. Benoit Saint-Denis

Matt Frevola has become a man to watch at 155lbs [Image Credit: @steamrollafrevola_mma on Instagram]

Outside of a couple of bouts, November is not the most star-studded month when it comes to UFC fights. Therefore, it’s best to look outside the box to find the fights that could produce the best action.

One such contender could definitely be the lightweight clash between Matt Frevola and Benoit Saint-Denis, which is set to go down in New York on November 11.

Neither man is ranked in the top 15 at 155 pounds right now, but both are on the best runs of their octagon careers.

Frevola has won his last three bouts in a row, extending his overall record in the octagon to 5-3-1. More importantly, ‘The Steamrolla’ dispatched veteran contender Drew Dober via knockout in his last fight, stunning many fans.

Saint-Denis, meanwhile, has gone 4-0 since dropping to lightweight in 2022, and has finished all four of his foes there, most recently taking out tough veteran Thiago Moises.

This bout should not only produce some serious violence, but the winner could well move up into the rankings after it, making it one of November’s can’t-miss fights overall.

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#4. UFC middleweight bout: Brendan Allen vs. Paul Craig

Brendan Allen is hoping to become a true contender at 185lbs [Image Credit: @b_allen185 on Instagram]

The final event of November will see the UFC head back to Las Vegas’ APEX, and while the card isn’t filled with big names, the headliner should be a fascinating middleweight bout.

The bout pits No.10-ranked Brendan Allen against No.13-ranked Paul Craig, and the winner is highly likely to advance into genuine title contention at 185 pounds.

Allen has been largely unstoppable in the last two years. After hiding his stride at the start of 2022, he’s beaten five opponents in a row, finishing four of them in the same fashion, with a rear naked choke.

With a solid striking game and some outstanding grappling skills, ‘All In’ might be the most underrated fighter in the division.

Craig, meanwhile, moved down to 185 pounds from 205 pounds in the summer and immediately dispatched highly rated grappler Andre Muniz via TKO. He holds wins over the likes of Jamahal Hill and Magomed Ankalaev, and his ability to absorb damage and come back to win is almost legendary.

Given that both men deploy similar styles, it’s hard to pick a winner in this fight, but one thing is for certain: it should be a hugely exciting fight that isn’t likely to go five rounds, making it a must-see bout in November.

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#3. UFC heavyweight bout: Jailton Almeida vs. Derrick Lewis

Can Jailton Almeida overcome Derrick Lewis next month? [Image Credit: @malhadinho_ufc on Instagram]

The UFC is set to visit Brazil for its first event of November, and in the main event, a major heavyweight bout featuring a hot prospect and a veteran is on tap.

Initially, the show would’ve seen No.9-ranked Jailton Almeida facing off with Curtis Blaydes in what would surely have been the biggest test of his career. With Blaydes out, though, ‘Malhadinho’ will now face former title challenger Derrick Lewis in a fight that should be no less dangerous for him.

Sure, ‘The Black Beast’ might be pushing 40 now, but he looked to be in the best shape of his career in his last bout - a thrilling knockout of Marcos Rogerio de Lima in July.

More to the point, though, while Lewis is a more limited fighter than Blaydes, for the most part he’s also more exciting to watch. If he beats Almeida, it’s highly likely the finish will come via some kind of nasty knockout.

‘Malhadinho’ should still be favoured to win this one – probably on the ground – to affirm himself as a genuine title threat. But as with any fight involving Lewis, the unexpected could always happen, making this one of November’s true must-see bouts.

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#2. UFC light heavyweight title: Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira

Is Alex Pereira the next light-heavyweight champion? [Image Credit: @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]

UFC 295, which is set for New York City on November 11, is scheduled to feature two title fights. While a lot of the focus will be on the headliner – more on that later – it’s arguable that the first title bout is actually the more intriguing.

That fight will see former light heavyweight champ Jiri Prochazka attempt to reclaim the title he was forced to vacate by beating former middleweight titleholder Alex Pereira.

Sure, there might be an argument that ‘Poatan’ has been rushed into this opportunity after one largely uneventful win over Jan Blachowicz at 205 pounds, but it’s still a truly fantastic piece of matchmaking.

Pereira is not only one of the hardest hitters on the roster, but he’s also a technically gifted kickboxer who has an expert grasp at range, timing and exactly when to open up and attack.

Prochazka, meanwhile, is no less dangerous, but he’s also far wilder than ‘Poatan’. ‘Denisa’ tends to blitz his foes with all kinds of crazy strikes and flurries, he’s remarkably tough, and his finishing instincts are second to none.

Essentially, this fight feels like one of those rare bouts where literally anything could happen, and whether the new champ can hold onto the title for long doesn’t really matter. If nothing else, there’s a definite chance that it’ll give us a genuine classic next month.

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#1. UFC heavyweight title: Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic

Could the legendary Jon Jones retire in November? [Image Credit: @jonnybones on Instagram]

There’s no doubt that the biggest and best fight set to take place in the UFC this November is the heavyweight title clash between current champ Jon Jones and former titleholder Stipe Miocic.

The bout is set to headline the promotion’s visit to the famed Madison Square Garden, and it’s definitely the kind of big fight worthy of that status.

In the eyes of some, the matchmaking could be seen as somewhat questionable, as Miocic hasn’t actually fought since losing his title to Francis Ngannou way back in the early part of 2021.

However, with a total of four successful title defenses to his name, he remains the most decorated heavyweight in UFC history, and a win over him would mean more to ‘Bones’ than any other fighter in the division right now.

Jones, meanwhile, has only fought once in his own right since 2020, but that win was a quick submission of top contender Ciryl Gane, cementing him as the promotion’s latest two-division champion.

More to the point, the fight could well prove to be the end of an era in a number of ways, as there’s a huge chance that it could be the last time we see both men in the octagon. Miocic is now 41 years old, while Jones has openly discussed the idea of retiring if he wins.

Essentially, there’s an argument that this is the biggest heavyweight title fight that the promotion has seen in years, particularly as Jones would have a claim to being the greatest fighter of all time with a victory.

While it may not actually deliver the goods come fight time, there’s no denying that Jones vs. Miocic is the biggest bout of November by far.