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https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8oq38byukkzqim/fnushowjune72018.mp3?dl=0

Upcoming M-1 Challenge Events:

June 15 – M-1 Challenge 94, Ismagulov vs. Samkovsky

Bare Knuckle Boxing, boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, PFL, Rich Bergeron, Showtime, Showtime Boxing, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, UFC

FNU Combat Sports Show: Huge Weekend for Boxing, UFC 225 and PFL Debut Night

June 8, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

Tom, Tony and Rich have a ton of ground to cover in this episode. We recap last week’s most significant fights, starting with the first sanctioned bareknuckle boxing event in hundreds of years. We also break down the latest UFC Fight Night card where Jimmie Rivera took the first loss in his last 21 fights. We discuss Dana White’s tirade against fighters who don’t take the fights the company wants them to, and we blast Canelo Alvarez and his team for destroying all chances of another fight with GGG. We take a good chunk of the show to outline and analyze all the various boxing matches taking place this Saturday, from Tyson Fury’s return to the ring against Sefer Seferi to the battle of pound for pound best and undefeated welterweights Jeremy Horn and Terrence Crawford fighting on ESPN+ (which we criticize heavily). We also touch on the debut card for PFL, a fight league where all the prize money comes at the end of the season. Finally, we preview UFC 225 and discuss CM Punk’s chances of proving himself a true cage fighter.

Listen to the full show below:

Combate Americas, mixed martial arts, MMA

COMBATE AMERICAS NAMES MEDIA INDUSTRY VETERAN JACQUELINE HERNANDEZ PRESIDENT

June 6, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

Former NBCUniversal CMO and People en Español Publisher Jacqueline Hernandez (pictured below) has been named Combate Americas President.

Hernandez Previously Served as
Chief Marketing Officer, NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprises;
Chief Operating Officer, Telemundo Enterprises and
Publisher of People En Español

NEW YORK- June 4, 2018 – Combate Americas, the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) sports and multimedia entertainment company targeting Hispanics, announced today the appointment of media industry veteran and former NBC Universal executive, Jacqueline Hernandez, as Combate Americas President. She will be based in New York and will report to Campbell McLaren, CEO and Founder of Combate Americas.

“Jackie is well-positioned to take Combate Americas into a rapidly changing media landscape,” said McLaren. “She is the undisputed champion of Hispanic millennials and Gen- Z marketing. Her leadership skills are world-class. It is a true honor to welcome her into La Jaula.”

Hernandez, working in tandem with McLaren, will oversee the entire business apparatus and P&L of Combate Americas. She will be responsible for driving the company’s continued global expansion, expanding multiplatform distribution channels and geographic regions for the company’s growth plan, negotiating media rights and developing a world-class MMA Sports & Entertainment enterprise and brand name.

“The intersection of cultures and new identities around the world – including the US – has propelled today’s young generations to be rule breakers, culture benders and trendsetters,” said Hernandez. “I’m excited and honored to join Campbell and the Combate Americas team because we are committed to ensuring new generations see themselves reflected in its fandom. Our audiences and the heroes who bring our franchise to life are the spirit of Combate.”

Hernandez has played integral roles at major worldwide corporations, including Chief Marketing Officer of NBC Universal Hispanic Enterprises; Chief Operating Officer of Telemundo Enterprises and Publisher of People en Español and Teen People. Most recently Hernandez was President and Founder of the strategic consulting firm, The M²Z Group where she took on Combate Americas as her first client.

Throughout her career, Hernandez has earned various industry awards, including FORTUNE’s Most Powerful Latinas (2017), The Top CableFAX 100 Players (2016), the PromaxBDA Brand Builder of the Year (2013), The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women in Entertainment (2013 & 2012), Broadcast & Cable’s Wonder Women (2013) award, and was named one of Advertising Age’s 100 Most Influential Women in Advertising.

Hernandez earned an MBA from Baruch College, New York and a BA from Tufts University.

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Bruno Silva shocks Alexander Shlemenko in 1st round

June 3, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

Undefeated Artiom Frolov defeats

Joe Riggs to remain M-1 Challenge middleweight champ

M-1 CHALLENGE 93 RESULTS & PICTURES

CHELYABINSK, Russia (June 1, 2018) – Brazilian middleweight Bruno Silva shocked Alexander Shlemenko with an opening round stoppage to set-up a potential showdown with M-1 Challenge champion Artiom Frolov, who defeated American challenger Joe “Diesel” Riggs earlier this evening (Fri.) at M-1 Challenge 93 in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

To say the least, Silva (18-6-0) was impressive in his M-1 Global debut, knocking out the former Bellator champion Shlemenko (56-11-1), at the 2:54 of the first round. Russian star Shlemenko, who was the M-1 Grand Prix middleweight champion, had been 6-0-0 in M-1 Global competition going into The Rage to take on Silva in the main event.

Silva pounded Shlemenko and finished him off here

Silva trapped Shlemenko on the ropes and unloaded a powerful barrage of punches to the head and body, as well as one well-executed knee to the face, leaving the Russian star out cold on his feet and the stunned crowed silent.

In the co-featured event, Frolov improved his perfect MMA pro record to 11-0-0, 8-0-0 in M-1 fights, when the doctor stopped the fight in the second round due to a knee injury suffered by Riggs, the former UFC fighter.

Frolov (on top) retained his M-1 Challenge middleweight title

Ukrainian flyweight Alexander Pletenko (14-4-0), also fighting for the first time in an M-1 Global event, won a third-round unanimous decision over Chris Kelades (12-4-0), the native of Greece who lives in Canada.

Russian lightweight Alexey Makhno (18-6-0) took a three-round unanimous decision fromRogerio Karranza (13-4-0), of Brazil, while Finnish flyweight Mikael Silander (18-6-0) choked Nureles Aidarov (3-1-0), of Kyrgyzstan, into a first-round submission.

On the preliminary card, Russian heavyweights Yuriy Fedorov (1-0-0) in his pro debut andNikolay Savilov (12-3-0) both used ground-and-pound attacks to defeat, respectively, French heavyweight Charles-Henri Lucien (0-2-0) in round one and Nikolay Rachek (7-6-0), of Russia, in the third frame.

In a battle of Russian middleweights, Vladimir Migovich (1-2-0) won a three-round unanimous decision over Nikita Novikoov (5-3-0), South African middleweight Mark Hulme (6-2-0) submitted his Russian opponent, Vadim Shabadash (7-3-0), via a rear naked choke in the opening round.

Russian lightweight Magomed Magomedov (9-2-0) won a three-round split decision over his countryman, Nikita Podkovalnikov (2-1-0), Russian bantamweight Sergey Klyuev‘s (6-1-0) kimura forced previously undefeated Ilya Karetnikov (4-1-0), of Russia, into first-round submission, and Pierre Ludet (4-0-0), of France, locked a rear naked choke on Russian flyweight Egor Filidov (0-1-0) for a first-round victory by submission.

Complete Results and a picture gallery below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Bruno Silva (18-6-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Brazil

KO1 (punches – 2:54)

Alexander Shlemenko (56-11-1, M-1: 6-1-0), Russia

CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Artiom Frolov (11-0-0, M-1: 8-0-0), Russia

WKO2 (doctor stoppage /knee injury – 0:46)

Joe Riggs (47-18-1, M-1: 2-1-1), USA

FLYWEIGHTS

Alexander Pletenko (14-4-0, M-1: 1-0-0-), Ukraine

WDEC3

Chris Kelades (12-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Canada

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Alexey Makhno (18-6-0, M-1: 5-3-0), Russia

WDEC3

Rogerio Karranca (13-4-0, M-1: 0-2-0), Brazil

FLYWEIGHTS

Mikael Silander (18-6-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Finland

WSUB1 (d’arce choke – 4:26)

Nureles Aidarov (3-1-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Kyrgyzstan

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Yuriy Fedorov (1-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WTKO1 (ground and pound stoppage – 1:31)

Charles-Henri Lucien (0-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), France

Nikolay Savilov (12-3-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Russia

WTKO3 (ground and pound stoppage – 4:26)

Nikolay Rachek (7-6-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Vladimir Migovich (1-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WDEC3

Nikita Novikov (5-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

Mark Hulme (6-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0), South Africa

WSUB1 (rear naked choke – 2:20)

Vadim Shabadash (7-3-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Magomed Magomedov (9-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WDEC3

Nikita Podkovalnikov (1-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Sergey Klyuev (6-1-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Russia

WSUB1 (kimura – 2:25)

Ilya Karetnikov (4-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

FLYWEIGHTS

Pierre Ludet (4-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), France

WSUB1 (rear naked choke – 3:36)

Egor Filidov (0-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1) , Russia

Silva celebrated after his shocking vicrory over Shlemenko

STILL THE CHAMP: Artiom Frolov has his hand raised in victory

(L) Alexander Pletenko won his M-1 Global debut

Alexey Makhno (on top) won a hard fought decision over Rogerio Karranca

Mikael Silander (R) submitted Nureles Aidarovn en route to a first-round victory

INFORMATION:

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

June 1 – M-1 Challenge 93: Shelemnko vs. Silva in Chelyabinsk, Russia

June 15 – M-1 Challenge 94: Ismagulov vs. Damkovsky in Orenburg, Russia

boxing, mixed martial arts, MMA, Rich Bergeron, Tom Padgett, Tony Penecale, wrestling

This Week’s FNU Combat Sports Show: UFC and Bellator UK Show Recaps, Bisping Retires, Cop Boxing Teen Goes Viral

June 1, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

This week on the FNU Combat Sports show, Tom, Tony and Rich discuss a slow week for boxing and recap two huge MMA cards in the United Kingdom last weekend. We also talk about Michael Bisping deciding to retire, weight cutting issues in the UFC, and a cop nicknamed “Blade” getting his 15 seconds of fame in a viral video where he boxes a teen in full uniform and comes out on top. Listen to the whole show below:

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 Challenge 93 Weights & Pictures

June 1, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (May 31, 2018) – The official weight in was held today fortomorrow’s M-1 Challenge 93 at Chelyabinsk, Russia.

American fighter Joe “Diesel” Riggs experienced a long, costly trip from the U.S. to Chelyabinsk to challenge undefeated M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Artiom Frolov in the co-featured event.

“On my way to Russia,” Riggs explained his journey, “we took an Uber to get to the airport. We had an accident. I wanted to take another Uber, but the cops would not let me leave, because they wanted to send me to the hospital to get checked. One of my cornermen had to go to the hospital because he was seated in the part of the car that has been damaged.

“I called the guys in M-1 Global and told them I was not going to make the flight to California. They were freaking out and said there is no way I could miss the flight and come the next day because it would mess everything up. I bought tickets for another flight to California, which would give me around 40 minutes to get in on time for the connection flight to Moscow. I had a choice of either taking my bags and staying overnight in California or leaving my bags and flying right away to Russia. I chose the second option, left my bags, and made it to Moscow. Now, I kind of regret that decision because it cost me around $20,000, which I will lose in sponsorship, but it’s all good, everything happens for a reason.

“Winning the belt would be a great end for my career. M-1 Global is a fantastic organization! This will be my fourth world title and it really means a lot for me. The guy I’m fighting, Artem Frolov, is not well-known, but he will probably be one of the best fighters I’ve ever fought! Anytime you fight for the title, you feel pressure. I was supposed to be the UFC champion when I was 22, but I would not show up for certain fights. I would not fight up to my potential and now I want to enter The Rage, show my best, and get that belt.”

Below find fighters’ weights and main-event pictures:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – MIDDELWEIGHTS — 3 X 5

(R) Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko

(56-10-1, M-1: 6-0-0), Russia 184.4 lbs. (83.65 kg)

vs.

(L) Bruno Silva (17-6-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 186.07 lbs. (84.4 kg)

CO-FEATURE – M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5

(R) Artiom Frolov (10-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0), Champion, Russia 185.18 lbs. (84 kg)

vs.

(L) Joe “Diesel” Riggs (47-17-1, M-1: 2-0-1), Challenger, USA 185.18 lbs. (84 kg)

FLYWEIGHTS — 3 X 5

(L) Chris “The Greek Assassin” Kelades (12-3-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Canada 124.56 lbs. (56.5 kg)

vs.

(R) Alexander Pletenko (13-4-0, M-1: 0-0-0-), Ukraine 125 lbs. (56.7 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(L) Rogerio Karranca (13-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil 154.32 lbs. (70 kg)

vs.

(R) Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (17-6-0, M-1: 4-3-0), Russia lbs. 161.82 lbs. (73.4 kg)

(yellow card) –

FLYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(L) Mikael “Hulk” Silander (17-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Finland 124.78 lbs. (56.6 kg)

vs.

(R) Nureles Aidarov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Kyrgyzstan 124.56 lbs. (56.5 kg)

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Charles-Henri Lucien (0-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), France228.62 lbs. (103.7 kg)

vs.

Yuriy Fedorov (pro debut), Russia 260.15 lbs. (118 kg)

Nikolay Rachek (7-5-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 249.12 lbs. (113 kg)

vs.

Nikolay Savilov (11-3-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 231.82 lbs. (105.15 kg)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Nikita Novikov (5-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 184.42 lbs. (83.65 kg)

vs.

Vladimir Migovich (0-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 182.87 lbs. (82.95 kg)

Mark Hulme (5-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), South Africa 183.76 lbs. (83.35 kg)

vs.

Vadim Shabadash (7-2-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia 184.64 lbs. (83.75 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Magomed Magomedov (8-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 154.98 lbs. (70.3 kg)

vs.

Nikita Podkovalnikov (1-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 154.54 lbs. (70.1 kg)

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Sergey Klyuev (5-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia 135.14 lbs. (61.3 kg)

vs.

Ilya Karetnikov (4-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 128.97 lbs. (58.5 kg)

FLYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Egor Filidov (Pro Debut), Russia 122.8 lbs. (55.7 kg)

vs.

Pierre Ludet (3-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), France, 125 lbs. (56.7 kg)

(all fights & fighters subject to change)

WHEN: Friday, June 1, 2018

WHERE: Chelyabinsk, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE STREAM: www.m1global.tv (9.00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. PT in USA). Also available onFITE.TV (preliminary card is free, $7.99 for the main card)

INFORMATION:

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@Vfinkelchtein

@M1Global

Facebook:

UPCOMING EVENTS:

June 1 – M-1 Challenge 93: Shelemnko vs. Silva in Chelyabinsk, Russia

June 15 – M-1 Challenge 94: Ismagulov vs. Damkovsky in Orenburg, Russia

Amateur MMA, mixed martial arts, MMA, New England Fights

CRESPO OUT, MURPHY IN AGAINST ARNOLD IN NEF TITLE FIGHT

May 31, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

Portland, Maine (May 31, 2018) – Earlier this week, New England Fights (NEF) officials were informed that Mike Crespo had been injured during his fight camp and would be unable to compete at “NEF 34: Home of the Brave” on June 16 in Portland. Crespo had originally been scheduled to face Kam Arnold (3-0) for the vacant NEF MMA Amateur Bantamweight Championship. Killian Murphy (1-0) has stepped up to replace Crespo and take on Arnold at Aura for the 135-pound title in a scheduled five-round affair.

Murphy made his debut at “NEF 33” last month in Portland with an impressive victory over Krishna Scott (0-1) via first-round technical knockout. He is no stranger to the winner’s circle. Murphy is a former Maine state wrestling champion, having captured a class-A title for Marshwood High School in Elliott in 2015. Today, he trains with Nostos MMA in Somersworth, New Hampshire under the guidance of UFC signee, and former NEF Professional Lightweight Champion, Devin Powell (8-3). Murphy was originally scheduled to compete against Gabriel Diaz of Florida at “NEF 34,” but Diaz pulled out of that fight earlier this month.

“It’s an exciting turn of events to end up fighting for the 135-pound belt,” said Murphy. “The goal when I started this journey was to win that belt – and I am thankful for this opportunity. I want to thank NEF, my coaches, my teammates and supporters. June 16th, I’m taking that belt home to Nostos.”

Perhaps no other member of the NEF roster has had the run in the last twelve months that Kam Arnold has had. He has cut through three opponents in the first round like a hot knife through butter including an eleven-second knockout of veteran David Thompson last month at “NEF 33.” Arnold is a member of Central Maine Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu of Lewiston, Maine.

“First off, I just want to say ‘thank you’ to Killian for accepting this fight, and also to Matt Peterson for finding me another opponent,” said Arnold when reached for comment. “Killian’s an up-and-coming, exciting fighter – and I’m excited to clash with him. I know he’s going to come ready and he’s going to be looking to shake up this division and make a statement. I’m going to continue to work hard, make an adjustment to the strategy and go balls-to-the-wall from there. This will be a great fight – and I will be NEF’s next 135-pound champ.”

“Nothing excites me more than when an athlete steps up on short notice and seizes an opportunity to grab glory – and that’s what Killian Murphy has done by agreeing to take this bout against an undefeated animal like Kam Arnold,” declared NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Kam has looked unstoppable since he debuted less than a year ago – and now we get to see him test himself against a decorated wrestler for a chance at NEF gold. As if this card wasn’t already summer fireworks – now we get to see two undefeated studs try to knock each other off over the course of a five-round championship fight. It doesn’t get any better than this!”

NEF’s next mixed-martial-arts event, “NEF 34: Home of the Brave,” will take place at Aura in Portland, Maine on Saturday, June 16, 2018. Tickets are on-sale now online at www.AuraMaine.com.

About New England Fights

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

IN THE RAGE INTERVIEW CHRIS “The Greek Assassin” KELADES

May 31, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

Chris Kaledes (R) is shooting for his second straight M-1 victory this Friday

CHELYABINSK, Russia (May 30, 2018) – Greece-born flyweight Chris “The Greek Kelades” Kelades (12-3-0, M-1: 1-0-0), fighting out of Dartmouth, Canada, takes on Ukrainian fighter Alexander Pletenko (13-4-0, M;1: 0-0-0) this Friday night on the M-1 Challenge 93 main card, in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Kelades made his successful M-1 Global debut last November at M-1 Challenge 86, when he defeated Oleg Lichkovakha by way of a third-round submission (Kimura).

It’s been more than a half- year since your M-1 Global debut. Why did you take such a long break?

CK: “It’s hard to believe it’s been that long. I was supposed to fight back in March, but I had problems getting my travel visa secured, so I was rebooked to fight in April but, unfortunately, the event was canceled. So, I’ve been ready to fight, but circumstances have changed the dates. I’m excited for this fight and looking forward to fighting in Chelyabinsk. Two times my fights have been canceled and it was extremely frustrating, but it gave me more time to work on my game and learn new techniques.”

In your M-1 Global debut, you have been very cautious during the first two rounds, but in the third round you got a submission. Is it your real fighting style or did you just wanted to win the debut fight without taking risks?

CK: Every fight is different. Sometimes in a new environment it takes longer to feel the fight start and you have to read the opponent before you react too aggressively.”

What can you say about your next opponent, Alexander Pletenko? You have similar records. Does it mean you have similar fighting styles?

CK: “I’ve seen some of his fights and I don’t think we have similar styles. I’ve been fighting the best guys in the world and at a certain level it’s more difficult to finish fights.”

Before joining M-1 Global you had never fought anywhere except North America. What does it feel like to fight half a world away from your home?

CH: “I really enjoyed myself the last time in my debut with M-1 Global. The travel is a little bit of a hassle with the distance, but I really enjoy fighting internationally and here in Russia. I like fighting away because I enjoy having to prove myself to other fighters and the fans. It motivates me!”

Russian star Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (56-10-1, 1 NC, M-1: 6-0-0) headlines M-1 Challenge 93 against Brazilian power-puncher Bruno Silva (17-6-0, M-1: 0-0-0).

Undefeated M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Artem Frolov (10-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0) defends his title for the first time against American favorite Joe “Diesel” Riggs (47-17-1, M-1: 2-0-1) in the M-1 Challenge 93 co-featured event.

M-1 Challenge 93 will be live-streamed from Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register atwww.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets. M-1 Challenge 93 will also be available onwww.FITE.TV(preliminary card is free, $7.99 for the main card)

INFORMATION:

www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

Facebook:

Upcoming M-1 Challenge Events:

June 1 – M-1 Challenge 93: Shelemnko vs. Silva in Chelyabinsk, Russia

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

IN THE RAGE INTEVIEW Artem Frolov

May 30, 2018 FNU47 Leave a comment

CHELYABINSK, Russia (May 29, 2018) – Undefeated M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Artem Frolov (10-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0) defends his title for the first time this Friday against American favorite Joe “Diesel” Riggs (47-17-1, M-1: 2-0-1) in the M-1 Challenge 93 co-featured event, in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Frolov has knocked out four of his opponents and submitted four others. Last October, Frolov captured the belt by defeating UFC veteran Caio Magalhaes, of Brazil, by unanimous decision and he needed a break to heal his injuries.

Artem Frolov (L) puts his perfect record and M-1 Challenge middleweight title belt on the line this Friday against Joe “Diesel” Riggs

In 2016 you had three fights and last year you fought only twice. How many fights a year would you like to have in the future?

AF: “I would like to fight three times a year. I think this is the best number because it lets me have enough time for good recovery after fights and enough time for training camps. Of course, there are also some distraction factors, which do not let me fight more often like, for example, some amateur competitions where I fight from time to time.”

Your title fight against Caio Magalhaes was a hard trial for you. How difficult was that 25- minute brawl?

AF: “I knew the fight was going to be a tough confrontation because Caio is a great fighter with excellent striking skills. However, during the fight I found the best way to fight him and saw how I could get the victory. He impressed me with his firmness; he did not quit after I delivered many hard punches, so I must admit he has a big heart.”

When did you learn that you were going to fight Joe Riggs? What can you say about his skills?

AF: “Even before the title fight I knew that, if I won the belt, my first title defense would be against Joe Riggs. He drew my attention with his debut fight in M-1 Global. I checked his record, took a look at the list of the guys he had defeated, and understood that sooner or later we were going to meet in The Rage.

“Of course, in the last few months, I watched many of the Diesel’s fights. His main advantage is his experience, he has five times more fights than me. Riggs is a well-rounded fighter, his wrestling skills together with the excellent control skills on the ground, and powerful ground-and- pound are probably his main strengths. So, he is definitely a fighter of the ‘American school’.”

After capturing the title, you were mentioned among the top 20 best prospects in the world by the famous MMA magazine Fighters Only. What does it feel?

AF: I was flattered to be mentioned in the best prospects list, especially by a respected magazine like Fighters Only. Such recognition proves that you dedicate your life to MMA for a reason and that you have really achieved something. But I know that I have much work to do and a lot of things in my game to improve.”

Two weeks after your fight against Riggs there will be a contender fight between Mikhail Ragozin and Valery Myasnikov. Who do you think will be the winner? Which one of them would you like to fight?

AF: “I am acquainted with both these guys, so I would not like to fight either of them. I can’t say who is going to win this fight because they are both strong athletes and have their advantages. In my opinion the one who will have better cardio will win the fight.

“I would prefer to fight only the strongest foreigners, not fellow countrymen. You travel around the country, have camps in different places, make friends and one day you are told that you are fighting one of them. That is not the best feeling, trust me, so I’d like to fight the best athletes from other countries, so I can fight not only for myself, my gym and my city, but for the country, defending the honor of the national flag.”

You have the same number of wins by knockouts and submissions in your record. How would you like to end the upcoming fight?

AF: “I came to MMA as a wrestler, so it makes me happy that I am getting better at striking. However, it feels great to win via submission as well, especially when it is a beautiful one. As a matter of fact, any finish is awesome, because my family and friends are worried about me during the fight and I don’t like to make them worry too long. So, I prefer to finish the fights early.

Russian star Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko (56-10-1, 1 NC, M-1: 6-0-0) headlines M-1 Challenge 93 against Brazilian power-puncher Bruno Silva (17-6-0, M-1: 0-0-0).

M-1 Challenge 93 will be live-streamed from Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets. M-1 Challenge 93 will also be available onwww.FITE.TV(preliminary card is free, $7.99 for the main card)

INFORMATION:

www.wmmaa.org

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

Facebook: