New M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Viktor Nemkov is crowned
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (December 4, 2015) – In a much anticipated rematch, Viktor Nemkov recaptured the coveted M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title, winning a hard-fought five-round decision over defending champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz, in the M-1 Challenge 63 main event, at the Sports and Concert Complex in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In the co-feature, M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev successfully defended his crown, as American challenger Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti was unable to continue after four rounds.
 M-1 Challenge middleweight champion Ramazan Emeev retained his title
Undefeated in four previous M-1 Global fights to date, Puetz (13-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) captured the M-1 Challenge title 1 ½ years ago with an entertaining five-round split decision over defending champion Nemkov, who was making his first title defense after having defeated Vasily Babich (SUB2 – arm-lock) two years ago for the vacant title.
Puetz came into his rematch with Nemkov off a sensational SuperFight victory this past May against M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin Tybura, whose severely broken nose halted the action in the third round at M-1 Challenge 57.
Kazakhstan-native Nemkov, who fights out of Stary Oskol, Russia, had won two straight fights since he lost to Puetz, of Germany, including an impressive decision in his last action over always tough Maro Perak.
Two-time M-1 Challenge middleweight champion, Emeev (13-3-0, 3 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) is a native of Dagestan who fights out of Makhachkala, Russia. He first won the M-1 Challenge championship in 2012 at M-1 Challenge 35, taking a decision from Mario Miranda, who Emeev defeated four months later by third-round knockout at M-1 Challenge 38. At M-1 Challenge 51, Emeev was stopped in the fourth round by Vyacheslav Vasilevsky, who lost the title back to Emeev by fifth-round submission this past April at M-1 Challenge 56.
Fioravanti (26-14-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), representing American Top Team, is a popular fighter out of Orlando, Florida. He was coming off a second-round win by submission (choke) last July against Sergey Kovalev at M-1 Challenge 59.
Georgian light heavyweight Raul Tutarauli (6-2-0, 5 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) registered a huge upset, knocking out Russian Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (10-4-0, 4 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) in the second round.
Russian light heavyweight prospect Rashid Yusupov (7-0-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) remained undefeated, taking a three-round unanimous decision from German foe Martin “King Kong” Zawada (26-14-1, 16 KO/TKO, 5 SUB)).
Unbeaten featherweights Mikhail Korobkov (9-0-1, 1 KO/TKO, 6 SUB), of Russia, and Brazilian invader Rodrigo Magalhaes (7-0-1, 0 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) fought to a three-round draw.
In preliminary card action, veteran Ukrainian lightweight Alexander Butenko (39-11-2) and Russian featherweight Zalimbek Omarov (6-1-1) won three-round unanimous decision, respectively, over Heydar Mammadaleiv (8-2-0), of Azerbaijan, and Ukrainian Artem “Iron” Lezhnev (7-5-0). Ruslan Shamilov (1-0-0) stopped Bulat Zhumabatov (0-1-0) in the second round (doctor’s stoppage) in a Super Cup St. Petersburg match between Russian middleweights.
Also fighting on the preliminary card, Russian middleweight Vasily Zubkov (9-4-0) won a hard fought three-round split decision from pro-debuting Uzbekistan-native Sarvar Iskhakov, fighting out of Russia, Russian welterweight Damila Prikaza (2-0-1) stopped experienced Ukrainian Artem “Shockwave” Shokalo (13-14-0), and Russian featherweight Mikhail Kuznetsov (5-1-0) defeated Ukrainian opponent Stanislav “White Warrior” Reutsky (8-5-) by way of a rear naked choke for a second-round submission.
Complete results and photo gallery below (all winners listed first):
MAIN CARD
M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Viktor Nemkov (23-5-0), Russia
WDEC5
Stephan Puetz Puetz (13-2-0), Germany
(Nemkov recaptured M-1 Challenge middleweight title)
M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Ramazan Emeev (13-3-0), Russia
Luigi Fioravanti (26-14-0), USA
(Emeev retain M-1 Challenge middleweight title)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Rashid Yusupov (7-0-0), Russia
WDEC3
Martin Zawada (26-13-0), Germany
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Raul Tutarauli (5-2-0), Georgia
WKO/TKO2 (punches – 6:29)
Alexey Makhno, Russia
FEATHERWEIGHTS
Mikhail Korobkov (9-0-1), Russia
DRAW3
Rodrigo Magalhaes (7-0-1), Brazi
PRELIMINARY CARD
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Ruslan Shamilov (1-0-0), Russia
WKO/THO2 (doctor’s stoppage – 2:15)
Bulat Zhumabatov (0-1-0), Russia
Sarvar Iskhakov (4-2-0), Russia
Vasily Zubkov (8-4-0), Russia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Damila Prikaza (2-0-0), Russia
WKO/TKO1 (punches – 2:15)
Artem Shokalo (13-14-0), Ukraine
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Alexander Butenko (39-11-0), Ukraine
WDEC3
Heydar Mammadaliev (8-2-0), Azerbaijan
FEATHERWEIGHT
Zalimbek Omarov (6-1-1), Russia
WDEC3
Andrey Lezhnev (8-5-0), Ukraine
Mikhail Kuzenetsov (4-0-0), Russia
WSUB2 (rear naked choke – 3:00)
Stanislav Reutsky (4-2-0), Ukraine
 (L-R) Puetz vs. Nemkov
 (L-R) Puetz vs. Nemkov (L-R) Nemkov vs. Puetz
 (L-R) Fioravanti vs. Emeev
  Emeev punished Fioravanti
 Alexey Makhno & Raul Tutarauli
 Andrey Lezhnev & Zalimbek Omarov
 Bulat Zhumabatov & Ruslan Shamilov
 Alexander Butenko vs. Heydar Mammadaliev
 M-1 Challenge Medieval Knight Fight between Dmitry Kovrizhin & Evgeniy Bedenko
 Rodrigo Magalhaes & Mikhail Korobkov fought to a draw
Information
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
|
