Three Fights I'm excited for this September:

Justin Gaethje vs. Luis Palomino 2 (September 18^th, WSOF 23: Gaethje vs. Palomino 2)

I'll be the first to admit that this fight is largely unnecessary. The first fight between these two only happened in March, and while it was a great fight, Gaethje won and won convincingly. He overwhelmed Palomino for a third round TKO, and that should have been that. WSOF decided otherwise, however, so I am just going to enjoy it.

Their first fight was an absolute brawl, reaffirming Gaethje as a must watch fighter and showcasing both fighters toughness to a ridiculous degree. At 14-0 with with 11 knockouts, it seems inevitable that Gatheje will be called up to the UFC or maybe Bellator, sooner rather than later. Due to his lack of defense in exchanges, we might just find out that he does not fare so well against top level competition. Then again, he is a very good fighter and can take a mighty amount of punishment, so who knows. For now all we what we do know is that these two have great chemistry in the cage. And while I don't expect the result to be any different this time around, I hope that the level of action is no different either. Mark your calenders.

Phil Davis vs. Emmanuel Newton (September 19^th, Bellator 142: Dynamite)

Ok, let me explain myself here for a minute. I am not exactly a huge Phil Davis fan. He has had some pretty terrible fights, and found himself being given the Jon Fitch treatment earlier this year, released after a split decision loss to Ryan Bader. Technically his contract ran out and he wasn't offered a new one, but for a top 10 light heavyweight this was pretty unexpected.

Davis only just turned 30, and I think still has plenty of time left to make it to the top. At Bellator 142 he will get the chance, facing former Bellator champion Emmanuel Newton. Newton has had much more exciting fights than Davis the past few years, and with two victories over “King Mo” Muhammed Luwal in this time, he is no stranger to fighting wrestlers.

While there is no guarantee that this fight will be good or even watchable, I will still tune in out of interest in seeing how a top UFC light heavyweight does in Bellator. Some no doubt think that he will climb right to the top, but I think his road there might be a little more difficult than expected.

Josh Barnett vs. Roy Nelson (September 26^th, UFC Fight Night 75)

I know it is strange to look forward to a Roy Nelson fight, but I think this one is interesting just for how these two potentially match up. Both are getting on in years, and at 39 for Nelson vs. 37 for Barnett, both guys best years are definitely behind them. Still, Barnett hasn't fought since being elbowed unconscious by Travis Browne in December last year. He maintains that this was a fluke on the part of Browne, and this is his chance to prove that he can still compete at a UFC level.

Nelson is also desperate for a win, having lost four out of his last five fights. A divisional mainstay since 2009, Nelson could find his job in jeopardy if he loses, and especially if he gets finished. Barnett won't want to take too many bombs from Nelson, so look for him to take the fight against the fence or to the mat. This might mean we get to see the grappling of Nelson after all these years, and whoever winds up on top first might end up the winner. With Nelsons cardio issues in the past it will not bode well for him should he not get the early knockout. 

Some interesting dynamics in this fight.