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

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):

M-1 CHALLENGE LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Viktor Nemkov (23-5-0), Russia

WDEC5

Stephan Puetz Puetz (13-2-0), Germany

M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Ramazan Emeev (13-3-0), Russia

Luigi Fioravanti (26-14-0), USA

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

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

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LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5