December has been a month to remember for combat sports. Big events in the UFC, Bellator, and Bare Knuckle FC have excited fans around the globe…including Santa Claus. The jolly man from up North sent us his favorite fights from each promotion from the month of December.

Best Fights of December

Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Brandon Moreno (UFC 256)

On December 12th, Deiveson Figueiredo squared off against Brandon Moreno for the UFC men’s flyweight title. Both men were coming off victories over top flyweight contenders Alex Perez and Brandon Royval. The pair of flyweights clashed in a hell-date to remember as they brawled it out for five main event rounds. The Fight of the Night winner ended in a draw as Figueiredo and Moreno set a new record for significant strikes landed in a men’s flyweight contest (269 total).

Shamil Nikaev vs. Kemran Lachinov (Bellator 254)

The featured prelim fight of Bellator’s December 10th card featured undefeated Russian, Shamil Nikaev, and Kemran Lachinov in a welterweight clash. Despite some early pressure from Lachinov, Nikaev was able to work his way inside and engage in the clinch. Nikaev continued to out wrestle and outpace Lachinov throughout. At the sound of the third-round bell, it was clear Lachinov needed a finish. Kris Kringle let us know that the final round wasn’t the best of the month, it was the best of the year. Both fighters slugged it out for the last five minutes in a spectacle to be had. Shamil Nikaev remained undefeated with a unanimous decision victory over Kemran Lachinov.

Dakota Cochrane vs. Tyler Vogel (BKFC 15)

If Dakota Cochrane and Tyler Vogel weren’t big enough names, Shaquille O’Neal was on commentary for the December 11th light heavyweight clash. Cochrane and Vogel slugged it out for four rounds, with Cochrane getting the better half of most of the exchanges. In the fifth, Cochrane turned up the heat and bombarded Vogel with devastating shots. Towards the end of the round, Cochrane blasted Vogel with a viscous uppercut that opened a DISGUSTING cut under Vogel’s left eye. The fight was waived off as a TKO victory for Cochrane.