Saint Petersburg, Russia (January 31, 2018) – A pair of M-1 Challenge title fights, along with the return of a former champion, are shock-and-awe fights on M-1 Challenge 88, February 22 at Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia.

M-1 Challenge 88 will be live-streamed from Russia in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Ka taea ki te mataara i te whawhai tuatahi, me te kāri matua i te takiuru ki runga ki ki te rēhita i Viewers www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all the action on their computers, me te i runga i te waea atamai, me papa Android me Apple.

M-1 Challenge toa Kōmāmā Damir Ismaguluv (14-2-0, M-1: 8-1-0), the Kazakhstan native fighting out of Russia, defends his title against Georgian challenger Raul Tutarauli (18-3-0, M-1: 6-1-0) i roto i te hui matua.

The 26-year-old Ismagulov is riding a nine-fight win streak, dating back more than 2 ½ tau, including a third-round knockout of Tutarauli on May 27, 2016 i roto i te M-1 Challenge 66 Whawhai o te Po. Ismagulov also won the M-1 Challenge 72 Whawhai o te Tau, by way of a third-round unanimous decision on November 18, 2016.

Tutaraul te, 25, has reeled off eight victories in a row since he lost to Ismagulov, including decisions wins last year over Artur Lemos i M-1 Challenge 77 a Vladimir Kanunnikov i M-1 Challenge 83.

I roto i te hui tahi-matua, undefeated M-1 Challenge bantamweight title holder Movsar Evloev (8-0-0, M-1: 8-0-0) puts his perfect professional MMA record on the line against his Kazakh challenger, Sergey Morozov (10-3-0, M-1: 5-2-0).

Evloev has been unbeatable since his M-1 Global and professional debut on November 25, 2014, when the gifted Russian choked Jianwei Ha into a second-round submission i M-1 Challenge 53. I M-1 Challenge 76, Evloev captured the Interim M-1 Challenge bantamweight title, patoto atu Alexey Nevzorov with a powerful kick last April, followed by an impressive five-round decision over veteran Pavel Vitruk this past July at M-1 Challenge 81 to capture the outright title.

Morozov earned his first title shot with back-to-back victories in 2017 against veteran Brazilian fighters, taking a three-round decision from Fabricio Sarraff i M-1 Challenge 76, and a second-round knockout by punches of Luan Fernandez i M-1 Challenge 83.

Also fighting on the main card is former M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz (15-3-0, M-1: 6-2-0), o Germany, vs. Russian foe Khadis Ibragimov (2-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazilian bantamweight Helton dos Santos Davella(15-5-1, M-1: 0-1-1) vs. Bair Shtepin (5-2-0, M-1: 2-2-0), o Russia, and American middleweight Hohepa “Leonidas” Henle (10-3-1, M-1: 0-1-0) vs. Valery “The Russian Hammer” Myasnikov (11-1-2, M-1: 2-1-2).

The preliminary card is loaded, me, with unbeaten prospects Alexander Osetrov(3-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0) a Sergey Klyuev (5-0-0) in a battle of Russian bantamweights, former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Maxim Divnich (13-4-0, M-1: 7-4-0), of Russia by way of Ukraine, vs. Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (9-2-1, M-1: 1-0-1) , o Kyrgyzstan, German heavyweight Frank Tattoo” Kortz (4-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0) vs. unbeaten Russian Maxim Yakobyuk (7-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Talekh “The Azerbaijan Terminator” Nadzhafadze (6-2-1, M-1: 2-1-1) vs. Whitu Russian Vitaliy Slipenko (9-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0), and Brazilian lightweight Rubenilton “Rubinho” Pear (18-5-0, M-1: 2-2-0) vs. Erlan Ulukbekov (7-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), o Kyrgyzstan.

All fighters and fights are subject to change.

KŌRERO

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@Vadim_finkelchtein

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