(R) Antun Racic fires “Interfectorem” strike

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (January 28, 2016) – M-1 Global’s first event of 2016 is shaping up as a potential blockbuster with the announcement of the second M-1 Challenge bantamweight elimination fight for M-I provocare 64 on February 19 at Olympic Stadium in Moscow.

Antun “Interfectorem” Racic, Croatiae, will face Ukrainian Vitaly Branchuk for right to fight for the vacant M-1 Challenge bantamweight championship. The survivor will advance to the championship round against the winner of the previously announced M-1 Challenge bantamweight semifinal eliminator, also part of the M-I provocare 64card, inter Pavel Vitruk (12-2-0, M, I: 6-2-0) and undefeated Kazakhstan-native Sergey Morozov (6-0-0, M, I: 2-0-0). Vitruk is a Ukrainian-born fighter who lives and trains out of St. Petersburg, Russia.

The main event pits three-time Bellator champion Alexander “Tempestatem” Shlemenko(51-9-0, M, I: 2-0-0) and former M-1 Challenge middleweight and light heavyweight titlist Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (27-3-0, M, I: 10-1-0) in the semifinals of the M-1 Global Grand Prix Middleweight Tournament.

In pluma co-, newly signed Alexander “Draco” Volkov (24-6-0, M, I: 8-3-0), of Russia, takes on Estonian challenger Denis Smoldaraev (11-1-0, M, I: 7-1-0) for the vacant M-1 Challenge heavyweight championship.

Racic (18-6-1, M, I: 6-2-0) is coming off of an impressive win by decision versus Alexei Nevzorov last September at M-I provocare 61. The powerful Croatian, who is a standout grappler, is dropping down to fight as a bantamweight.

Branchuk (20-5-0, M, I: 0-1-0) will be fighting in his second M-1 Global event, the first two years ago at M-1 Provocatio 45, in which he lost a decision to Yunus Evloev. The 24-year-old Branchuk is riding a seven-fight win streak. Known as a strong striker, he has knocked out 10 aduersariis.