By MATT MOLGAARD
MMANEWS.COM Staff Writer

As 2011 comes to a close, we eye a series of intriguing bouts yet to unfold. From pivotal title meetings to duels pitting elite contenders opposite one another, there are a plethora of fights set to unravel in the next month. Check out your guideline to all the upcoming action that no fan of the sport should miss!

Mamed Khalidov vs. Jesse Taylor (KSW 17 – Revenge: November 26):

Mamed Khalidov is still one of the greatest middleweights that North America is yet to discover. The man’s toppled numerous quality foes like Igor Pokrajac, Jorge Santiago, Yuki Sasaki, James Irvin and Matt Lindland. He brings a very well rounded attack to the cage, and it’s become tough for anyone to properly combat such offense. Jesse Taylor however, hasn’t exactly been sitting on the sidelines. In the last few years Taylor’s proven himself one of the better middleweights fighting outside of the UFC, defeating the likes of Drew Fickett, Chris Camozzi, Jason Day, Murilo Bustamante, Tom Watson and Denis Kang. A wrestler by nature, Taylor has been refining his striking and looking the complete package lately. When these two meet, expect fireworks, both vertical and horizontal, as this fight will likely be petal to the metal from the opening bell.

Jason Miller vs. Michael Bisping (UFC - The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale: December 3):

We’ve had a blast watching these pull pranks on each other during the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter. We’ve seen a little tension brewing as well, but what this bout offers will likely outshine all the brouhaha displayed on Spike. Bisping is a fast moving middleweight who’s light on his feet and possesses dangerous ground and pound. Mayhem on the other hand is an intelligent fighter who tends to seal the deal once the fight hits the mat. In effect, this is a striker versus grappler matchup, and I for one can’t wait to see it, as I believe both men are relatively equal in terms of overall skill. Miller always puts on a show, and Bisping can be a loose cannon inside the cage: this one is going to be damn entertaining!

Jon Jones vs. Lyoto Machida (UFC 140 - Jones vs. Machida: December 10):

Jones has already destroyed virtually every top contender the UFC has at 205 pounds. In truth, only Machida and Henderson look worthy of a shot at the champion. That said, Machida is about to get his chance, and the general masses are about to discover how effective Lyoto’s unique Karate techniques will or won’t be. I don’t see a great stylistic matchup for Machida here, as his elusive movements will most likely prove relatively ineffective: it’s tough to overcome an 84 plus inch reach advantage, and Jones knows how to fight tall. Jones is also the superior wrestler, with some of the most feared ground and pound in the division. The last time we saw Machida on his back being pounded on, he was rendered unconscious by “Shogun”. This one is interesting, but should Jones clear this hurdle, not much remains to be proven.

Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 140 - Jones vs. Machida: December 10):

We all know how the first fight between these two unfolded: Mir looked like a new man, and “Big Nog” looked like a zombie in training. The big question is: how much did Nogueira’s long lingering injuries effect his performance? Now that Antonio is healthy, and seems to have put his physical issues behind him, we should get a proper gauge of how these two truly matchup. Is Mir the superior fighter, or will an in-shape, injury free Nogueira prove their first fight was a fluke?

Gilbert Melendez vs. Jorge Masvidal (Strikeforce - Melendez vs. Masvidal: December 17):

Gil Melendez has been a top 10 ranked lightweight for too many years to count at this point. He brings an extremely diversified attack, and he boasts a load of experience that gives him an edge in 99% of his bouts. Masvidal on the other hand won’t be forced to overcome an experience edge, but he’ll need to really sharpen up his defensive wrestling if he hopes to see this fight unfold in his favor. Both men are tenacious as hell, and that ensures one exciting bout here. Should Melendez successfully defend his lightweight title, his move to the UFC seems inevitable.