СТ. ПЕТЕРСБУРГ, Русија (Јануар 16, 2017) – M-1 Global has announced that M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Александар “Iron Capture” Butenko will take on challenger Абукар Иандиев (8-1-0, М-1: 2-1-0) ин М-1 Цхалленге 74 co-feature on Фебруар 18, у Ст. Петербург, Русија.

The previously announced main event pits undefeated M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Рашид Иусупов (6-0-0, М-1: 4-0-0), Русије, defends his title against former titlist Степхан “Т-800” Пуетз (15-2-0, М-1: 6-1-0), Немачке.

М-1 Цхалленге 74 ће бити стримовано од Ст. Петерсбург у високој дефиницији на ввв.М1Глобал.ТВ. Гледаоци ће моћи да прате прелиминарне борбе и главну картицу пријавом на региструју на ввв.М1Глобал.ТВ. Фанови могу гледати све акције на својим рачунарима, као и на Андроид и Аппле паметних телефона и таблета.

Also announced is a fight between top bantamweights Виталиј Бранчук иМоктар “Le Kabyle” Бенкаци will also be in action with the winner positioning himself for a potential title shot with M-1 Challenge bantamweight championПавел Витрук in the not-too-distant future.

A strong Ukrainian with superior wrestling skills, Butenko (42-11-2, М-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 Артиом Дамковски.

У свом последњем акцији, на М-1 Цхалленге 71 у октобру, 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 М-1 Цхалленге 68, Yandiev used an armlock for a first-round submission of Tony Christodoulou, fought at a 177 ½ кг. catchweight.

Like Butenko, Бранчук (21-6-0, М-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 (чок) to the aforementioned Vitruk (see accompanying picture to left). In M-1 Challenge competition, Branchuk defeated Антун Рацицone year ago, by way of a three-round split decision at М-1 Цхалленге 64.

Бенкаци (13-7-0, (М-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 Никита Чистаков 1-½ years ago, but the talented Frenchman bounced back to knockout his last two opponents, Vadim Malygin иAlexey Naumov, односно, by knee and punch.

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