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Best of the Best: Awards for November 2011

November 2011 may go down as the most history months in UFC history. Three events -UFC 138, UFC on FOX, UFC 139- all signified monumental moments in there own right. There were limb-snapping submissions, brutal knockouts, the two best fights of the year and the emergence of a new heavyweight champion.

The past month has been unforgettable, but as MMA fans, we are always looking forward to the next event, we rarely take time to appreciate the great moments that have passed us by. Before shutting the door on November for good, take a moment to look back and give credit to the best of the month that was.

Knockout of the Month: Michael McDonald def. Alex Soto via KO (Punches) – R1 (0:56) at UFC 139

The best knockout of the month came as UFC 139 when Michael McDonald brutalized Alex Soto in 56-seconds to cement his place as one of the best young fighters in the sport.

The 20-year-old McDonald put on the most impressive fight of his MMA career, knocking Soto down early with a ducking overhand right and patiently waiting to pick his shots for the brutal knockout finish. For more on McDonald’s knockout, take a look at our “Knockout of the Night” Breakdown: UFC 139 Edition

Honorable Mention: DeMarques Johnson def. Clay Harvison via TKO (Punches) – R1 (1:34) at UFC 138

Submission of the Month: Terry Etim def. Edward Faaloloto via Submission (Guillotine Choke) – R1 (0:17) at UFC 138

In the opening fight of the UFC 138 broadcast, Terry Etim returned to the octagon after a 19-month absence to take on UFC sophomore Edward Faaloloto. The fight was a mismatch from the outset; Etim came out strong, stunning his opponent early and proceeding to lock in a tight guillotine choke, forcing Faaloloto to tap.

Etim’s submission was not the most creative of the month; in fact, the guillotine choke is one of the most common submission finishes in MMA. However, the Brit’s 17-second finish was the sixth fastest submission in UFC history, a finish more than deserving of November’s “Submission of the Month” award.

Honorable Mention: Ronda Rousey def. Julia Budd via Submission (Armbar) – R1 (0:39)

Fighter of the Month: Junior dos Santos

In UFC’s long-awaited debut on network television, Junior dos Santos displayed his renowned punching power to a worldwide audience – and in the process handed Velasquez his first loss as a professional mixed martial artist. Dos Santos landed a vicious overhand right behind the ear of Velasquez and followed up with nine unanswered punches on his fallen foe, forcing the bout to be called just 64-seconds into round one.

Dos Santos improved his record to 7-0 in UFC, 14-1 overall. The new heavyweight champion delivered with a huge finish, handing Velasquez his first career loss in the most highly promoted bout in UFC history. Dos Santos had the biggest win of his career at UFC on FOX, but even more impressive, the champion said he suffered a tear in his meniscus just 11 days before the bout.

What a warrior.

Honorable Mention:
Wanderlei Silva

Fight of the Month: Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 139

Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was not only the clear-cut choice for “Fight of the Month”, but it may go down as the greatest fight in mixed martial arts history. The two warriors embarked in a 25-minutes classic, going back-and-forth, each having high and low points throughout the epic battle.

“Shogun” displayed an absolutely ridiculous chin, taking several massive shots from Henderson in the first three rounds. In a spectacular display of heart and determination, “Shogun” was able to come back and win the last two rounds decisively.

Henderson got the nod on all three judges scorecards, but the result was not free of controversy. Many fans feel the fifth round was a 10-8 for “Shogun”, which would have resulted in a draw. It’s hard to argue with Henderson winning, though, given the damage he inflicted in the first three rounds.

Rematch. Please.

Honorable Mention:
Benson Henderson vs. Clay Guida at UFC on FOX 1

(Images courtesy of UFC.com)



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