November 2009 is one of the most stacked months in this sport's short history, and Saturday night at the Sears Centre, Fedor Emelianenko got it started on the right foot.
Shields is not responsible for the only middleweight movement, though. The darling of the blossoming Polish MMA scene, Mamed Khalidov finally cut down to the middleweight division and made a strong statement in his biggest bout to date by ending Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago's run of nine straight stoppage wins.
That same night in Tokyo, Michihiro Omigawa took another hotly contested and controversial decision over divisional standout Hatsu Hioki. Now 4-1-1 as a featherweight, Omigawa may have the chance to avenge his lone career loss on New Year's Eve, should he get his rematch with Sengoku featherweight champion Masanori Kanehara.
All this just days into the month, with welterweight title implications coming up at UFC 105 and the featherweight division prime to be reshaped at WEC 44. You spoil us, November.