Sherdog's Top Ten Fights of January 2024

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Sherdog's Brian Knapp breaks down some excellent fights this month.​

Sherdog’s Top 10: Can’t-Miss Fights of January​

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BRIAN KNAPP JAN 2, 2024

Sean Strickland vs. Dricus Du Plessis UFC 297 Jan. 20 Toronto The process of validation now begins in earnest for Sean Strickland. “Tarzan” will defend his undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight crown for the first time when he meets Dricus Du Plessis in the UFC 297 headliner on Jan. 20 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. Strickland, 32, enters the Octagon on the strength of a three-fight winning streak. The Xtreme Couture rep last appeared at UFC 293, where he dethroned Israel Adesanya in a stunning five-round unanimous decision on Sept. 9. Du Plessis, meanwhile, has rattled off eight consecutive victories. The 29-year-old Team CIT export last fought on July 8, when he put away Robert Whittaker with second-round punches and stamped his claim as the No. 1 contender at 185 pounds in a featured UFC 290 attraction. The Strickland-Du Plessis showdown is but one can’t-miss fight in January. Here are nine more:

Kwon Won Il vs. Shinechagtga Zoltsetseg ONE on Prime Video 18 Jan. 12 | Bangkok, Thailand

Jacobi Jones vs. Kegan Gennrich LFA 174 Jan. 12 | Prior Lake, Minnesota

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Johnny Walker UFC Fight Night 234 Jan. 13 | Las Vegas

Farid Basharat vs. Taylor Lapilus UFC Fight Night 234 Jan. 13 | Las Vegas

Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev UFC 297 Jan. 20 | Toronto

Arkadiusz Wrzosek vs. Ivan Vitasovic KSW 90 Jan. 20 | Warsaw, Poland

Oleg Borisov vs. Magomed Bibulatov ACA 169 Jan. 26 | Grozny, Russia

Bruno Lopes vs. Marcos Brigagao LFA 175 Jan. 27 | Cajamar, Brazil

Garry Tonon vs. Martin Nguyen ONE 165 Jan. 28 | Tokyo


Full breakdowns and more here: https://www.sherdog.com/news/articles/Sherdogs-Top-10-CantMiss-Fights-of-January-192163