5 Upcoming UFC Fights We Hope Don't Get Plagued by Injuries

With one of the most injury-plagued years of MMA soon behind us, the final month of 2011 and beginning of 2012 is set to feature some of the most anticipated matchups, including numerous title fights and No. 1 contender bouts.

Fighter injuries have been one of the main stories of mixed martial arts in 2011, and major fights featuring Brock Lesnar, Alistair Overeem, Rashad Evans and Georges St-Pierre all led to main event matchups being cancelled in their entirety.

The following five fights are ones every fan should hope don't get plagued by injuries.

No. 5: Vitor Belfort vs. Yoshihiro Akiyama: UFC 142

The UFC returns to Brazil on Jan. 14, and former welterweight contender Anthony Johnson is moving up to middleweight to challenge former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort.

Johnson returned to the cage in October after suffering an injury before a scheduled bout with Nate Marquardt in June. The 27-year-old was able to get his seventh knockout victory when he knocked out Charlie Brenneman with a head kick in the first round.

Belfort will enter the bout having come off his victory over Yoshihiro Akiyama. He was able to stop his iron-chinned opponent by KO two minutes into the fight.

No. 4: Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis: UFC on Fox 2

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans has had a title shot sitting in front of him for almost two years, and he has been unable to seize the opportunity after numerous injuries suffered by him and his opponents.

He will face Phil Davis on the second UFC on Fox card in Chicago. They were originally supposed to fight at UFC 133, but a knee injury forced Davis out of the bout.

For what should determine the next challenger for the UFC light heavyweight championship, this is a must-win fight for both. It's also important that the Fox cards don't get any last-minute replacement bouts.

No. 3: Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz: UFC 143

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre hasn't had to pull out of many fights in his career, but a knee injury forced him to pull out of an October bout with Carlos Condit. He will now face former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz in February at UFC 143.

St-Pierre is more motivated than ever to beat Diaz, who has called him out on numerous occasions and even was scheduled to fight him not too long ago.

After missing two pre-fight press conferences, Diaz was removed from the main event, leaving GSP to do the conferences alone.

No. 2: Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson: UFC 144

The UFC goes to Japan on Feb. 26, and they are bringing a stacked card headlined by UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and former WEC lightweight champion Ben Henderson.

After a year that saw Edgar dealing with his biggest rival in Gray Maynard and emerging victorious in their third matchup, he is beginning to get the credit he deserves.

Henderson also had a successful year, beating Clay Guida, Jim Miller and Mark Bocek. Many of his fights have been candidates for fight of the year, including those with Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.

No. 1: Brock Lesnar vs. Alistair Overeem: UFC 141

Brock Lesnar returns to the cage for the first time since losing his title in October 2010, to take on former Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem on Dec. 30.

Both have had to pull out of bouts in 2011. Lesnar was forced out of his bout with Junior dos Santos after battling diverticulitis for the second time.

Overeem dropped out of his fight with Antonio Silva and the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix due to a toe injury. He then signed with the UFC soon after to set up the mega-matchup with Lesnar.

The Friday pay-per-view might produce one of the biggest buy rates of 2011, and it's a high note on which to end the year.