Abụrụ. Petersburg, Russia (January 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) na M-1 Ịma Aka 74 co-feature on February 18, na 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), nke Russia, defends his title against former titlist Stephan “T-800” Puetz (15-2-0, M-1: 6-1-0), nke Germany.

M-1 Ịma Aka 74 ga-streamed ndụ si St. Petersburg na elu definition on www.M1Global.TV. Ndị na-ekiri ga-enwe ike na-ekiri ndị mbido ọgụ na isi kaadị egbu osisi na aha na www.M1Global.TV. Fans ike ile niile nke edinam na ha kọmputa, nakwa dị ka na android na Apple smart ntị na mbadamba.

Also announced is a fight between top bantamweights Vitaly Branchuk naMoktar “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.

Na ikpeazụ ya edinam, na M-1 Ịma Aka 71 na October, 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 Ịma Aka 68, Yandiev used an armlock for a first-round submission of Tony Christodoulou, fought at a 177 ½ lbs. 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 (ịkpagbu) 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 Ịma Aka 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 naAlexey Naumov, karị, by knee and punch.

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