ST. Petersburg, Russia (Lub ib hlis ntuj 16, 2017) – M-1 Global has announced that M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko will take on challenger Abukar Yandiev (8-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0) nyob rau hauv lub M-1 sib tw 74 co-feature on Lub ob hlis ntuj 18, nyob rau hauv St. Petersburg, Russia.

The previously announced main event pits undefeated M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Rashid Yusupov (6-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), ntawm Russia, defends his title against former titlist Stephan “T-800” Puetz (15-2-0, M-1: 6-1-0), ntawm lub teb chaws Yelemees.

M-1 sib tw 74 yuav tsum tshwm nyob ntawm St. Petersburg nyob rau hauv siab cov lus txhais nyob www.M1Global.TV. Cas rau cov neeg yuav tsum tau mus saib qhov ua nteg fights thiab cov ntsiab card los txiav rau sau npe rau hauv www.M1Global.TV. Kiv cua yuav saib tag nrho cov ntawm qhov kev txiav txim nyob rau hauv lawv cov computers, raws li tau zoo raws li nyob rau hauv thiab kua ntse xov tooj thiab cov ntsiav tshuaj.

Also announced is a fight between top bantamweights Vitaly Branchuk thiabMoktar “Le Kabyle” Benkaci will also be in action with the winner positioning himself for a potential title shot with M-1 Challenge bantamweight championPavel Vitruk in the not-too-distant future.

A strong Ukrainian with superior wrestling skills, Butenko (42-11-2, M-1: 9-1-0) is an eight-year MMA veteran who has found a welcomed home in M-1 Challenge competition and he has taken advantage of the opportunity. Riding a six-fight win streak, the 29-year-old Butenko captured the vacant M-1 Challenge lightweight title belt last June at M-1 Challenge 67, when he took a five-round unanimous decision over Artiom Damkovsky.

Nyob rau hauv nws cov nag txiav txim, ntawm M-1 sib tw 71 nyob rau hauv Lub kaum hli ntuj, Butenko won a unanimous three-round decision against Rubenilton Pereira in a non-title fight.

Butenko’s first title defense will be against one of the most popular MMA fighters in Russia, the fighting powerhouse Yandiev, who also is a strong wrestler, plus a solid Judo background. The rising lightweight star will be a certain fan favor because of his nationality as well as his style of fighting, resulting in first-round endings in all his pro fights to date.

Last June at M-1 sib tw 68, Yandiev used an armlock for a first-round submission of Tony Christodoulou, fought at a 177 ½ phaus. catchweight.

Like Butenko, Branchuk (21-6-0, M-1: 1-2-0) also fights out of Ukraine. The 25-year-old fighter is a former M-1 Challenge bantamweight title challenger, who was riding an eight-fight into his last fight, in which he lost by fourth-round submission (zawm caj pas yog) to the aforementioned Vitruk (see accompanying picture to left). In M-1 Challenge competition, Branchuk defeated Antun Racicone year ago, by way of a three-round split decision at M-1 sib tw 64.

Benkaci (13-7-0, (M-1: 2-1-0) is a grappling specialist from France. Known and highly respected for his great conditioning and endurance, he lost a disputed three-round decision in his M-1 Challenge debut to Nikita Chistyakov 1-½ years ago, but the talented Frenchman bounced back to knockout his last two opponents, Vadim Malygin thiabAlexey Naumov, feem, by knee and punch.

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