Category Archives: mixed martial arts

BOYINGTON GOES HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH RAIO DAYS BEFORE FIGHT: “I’M GONNA GO IN THERE AND DESTROY HIM”

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Lewiston, Maine (June 10, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA,” this Saturday night, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.   Recently, headliners Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (10-8), the NEF MMA Professional Lightweight Champion, and John “First Class” Raio(2-7) joined NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson on a special “Head-to-Head” edition of the  NEF Podcast.  Boyington and Raio discussed the upcoming rematch and the controversy surrounding their first meeting in February 2014, among other topics.

 

The interview quickly turned to the top of the first fight.  Raio appeared to apply a rear-naked choke to Boyington on the mat late in the first round.  Boyington began waving his hand in the air and referee Jimmy Bickford quickly stepped in to stop the fight.  Much has been made of the infamous “hand wave.”  While Bickford saw it as a sign of Boyington’s submission, Boyington has contended that he was merely signaling to his fans in the crowd that the hold was not doing any damage.

 

“I can tell you how that night ended,” recalled Raio of the first bout. “Basically, Bruce had given me his back.  When I took his back, I had the hooks in and I had the rear-naked choke across his jaw line.  I was trying to pressure it under his throat, and as I grabbed my left bicep and my left hand was going behind his head, the ref stopped the fight… I was amazed that he had tapped because, honestly, I knew that I had a lot of pressure on his jaw… If in fact he was waving, that sucks for him.”

 

“In that situation, I specifically remember Bickford looking at me, I’m face up, he’s going for my neck and I’m waving,” said Boyington.  “Everybody starts roaring real loud and I remember Bickford saying, ‘No Bruce, you can’t say that’… If you think that I’m submitting or I’m in trouble or can’t breathe,  you don’t tell the fighter, “You can’t say that,” you just jump in and you stop the fight. I feel like he made a mistake.  I feel like he realizes that… I see a lot of different things that John has said online, and a lot of things other people have said, and that’s when I really started to get bothered by what had happened.  I felt like he could’ve handled it better.”

 

Prior to Boyington giving up his back, many felt he had been winning that first round.  Indeed, Boyington’s striking seemed to be on point that evening.  Peterson asked both competitors to speculate on what would have happened had the referee not stopped the bout at that point.

 

“Inevitably, I think John would’ve been knocked out,” stated Boyington emphatically.  “I don’t think I’m gonna submit him, because that would be his best chance with me.  He’s strong enough to defend a submission.”

 

“I think if the ref didn’t stop at the time, when I was on his jaw with my forearm and I was reaching behind his neck,” Raio speculated, “I believe my arm would’ve slid under his throat and it would’ve ended sometime soon before the round.  So, I don’t think it would’ve gone to a second round.”

 

In the days, weeks and months following the fight, both Boyington’s and Raio’s massive fan-followings have been very vocal on social media regarding the outcome of the bout.  The heated debate has raged between both sides for well over a year now.  With so much at stake for each side at “NEF XVIII,” both athletes touched on what the rematch means to them, and what they need to prove this coming weekend.

 

“I just can’t go in there and beat John,” said Boyington.  “Even his own fans are expecting that… I can’t just go in there on June 13thand beat John Raio.  I gotta go in there and destroy him.  Or I still lose out on this fight.  I know that, and I’m gonna go in there and make that statement.  And I’m gonna do it with one arm, because the other arm isn’t even working right now… I haven’t worried about this date from day one.  It’s nothing to do with John Raio.  I don’t disrespect the guy.  I don’t not like the guy.  He’s a good man. I’m just at another level.  I need to show up and prove that.  That’s what it is to me.  It’s not about me beating John.  It’s about me showing everybody where I belong.”

 

“In regard to Bruce finishing me quickly, and making it easy, and not really worrying about the fight too much, I just find it disrespectful like a lot of things he’s said to me, my family and my friends,” replied Raio.  “There were times after the last fight when people were congratulating me (on Facebook) and he’d go on like a one or two paragraph rant on every single comment everyone had put on my page for like three days straight.  So, after that I said ‘Bruce and I aren’t really friends anymore,’ so I deleted him.  I liked him before that fight… but when people disrespect me like he has it’s hard to like the guy.”

 

To listen to the NEF Podcast in its entirety, please visitwww.NewEnglandFights.com/Podcasts/.

 

To learn more about John Raio’s gym, please visit “First Class Fitness and MMA” on Facebook.  Likewise, to learn more about Boyington’s Taekwondo Academy, please visit their websitewww.BoyingtonsTKDA.com.

 

Tickets for “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

FIGHT NETWORK MMA, JUDO & KICKBOXING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE (June 8-14, 2015)

Fight Network is a 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports. It airs programs focused on the entire scope of the combat sports genre, including live fights and up-to-the-minute news and analysis for mixed martial arts, kickboxing, professional wrestling, traditional martial arts, boxing, fight news, as well as fight-themed drama series, documentaries and feature films.

 

Below find highlights of this week’s programming:

Monday, June 8

7:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

7:30 p.m. ET – Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ETFinal Fight Championship 8 MMA: Rodriguez vs. Galesic – Featuring Rico Rodriguez vs. Zelg Galesic from Oct. 25, 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia.

10:00 p.m. ETFinal Fight Championship 8 Kickboxing: Brestivac vs. Cenik – Featuring Mladen Brestovac vs. Ali Cenik and Tomas Hron vs. Jahfarr Wilnis from Oct. 25, 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia.

Tuesday, June 9

1:30 & 6:30 a.m. ETHip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

2:30 am. ET – XPTV – Coverage of regional U.S pro and amateur MMA.

7:00 & 7:30 p.m. ETXtreme Fighting Championship – Florida-based professional MMA featuring top American prospects, international stars and UFC veterans.

8:00 p.m. ET – 5 Rounds – Hosts John Ramdeen and Robin Black invite special guests to break down the weekend of MMA action.

8:30 p.m. ET — Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

10:00 p.m. ETHard Knocks Fighting 43 – Featuring Jason Zentgraf vs. Nick Ring, Misha Cirkunov vs. Shaun Asher and Sergej Juskevicvs. LT Nelson from May 22, 2015 in Calgary, Canada.

Wednesday, June 10

3:00 a.m. ETTexas Fight Night – MMA action from Texas featuring the Lone Star State’s top prospects in the cage.

6:00 p.m. ETBest of Cage Rage – Featuring classic fights from the UK-based Cage Rage organization with Anderson Silva, Antonio Silva, Victor Belfort, Paul Daley and others.

7:00 p.m. ETFight News Now Extra: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ETFight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ETCage Warriors Fighting Championship 44 -Featuring Chris Fields vs. Jack Mason from Oct. 1, 2011 in London.

11:00 p.m. ETMMA Meltdown with Gabriel Morency – Gabriel Morency breaks down all the happenings in MMA, discussing odds, predictions, plus special weekly guests and exclusive interviews.

11:30 p.m. ETTakeDown Wrestling – Extensive coverage of amateur wrestling events, including the latest news, behind-the-scenes coverage from events and exclusive interviews.

Thursday, June 11

1:30 a.m. ETUltimate Challenge MMA 11: Adrenaline Rush – Featuring Mark Weir vs. Jack Mason from Mar. 27, 2010 in London.

6:00 p.m. ETChampionship Fightling Alliance – Pro MMA from Florida featuring the likes of Josh Sampo, Mike Kyle, John Howard, Sean McCorkie, Luis Palomino and others.

7:00 p.m. ETFighting Rookies – Aspiring kickboxers climb the ladder of success in the sport as rookies compete for a chance to become professionals and get experience needed to succeed at a higher level.

8:00 p.m. ETFight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

8:30 p.m. ET Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

9:00 p.m. ETM-1 Challenge 33: Emelianenko vs. Magomedov 2 – Featuring Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Ibragim Magomedov and Mukhamed Aushev vs. Ivica Truscek fro,m June 6, 2012 in Dzheirakh, Russia.

Friday, June 12

2:00 a.m. ETPancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

4:00 a.m. ETBest of DEEP – Featuring class fights from the historic Japanese DEEP promotion including Shinya Aoki, Hayato Sakurai and Gegard Mousasi.

5:00 a.m. ETBest of Jewels – Classic fights from the all-female Japanese MMA league, Jewels.

12:00 p.m. ETBookie Beatdown – Preview of betting lines and top picks for major UFC events.

5:00 p.m. ETUFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum Weigh-Ins – LIVE coverage of the official weigh-in for UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum from Mexico City, Mexico.

6:00 p.m. ETM-1 Challenge – Pro MMA from Europe featuring top rising prospects and international stars.

7:00 p.m. ETFight News Now: MMA Edition – Covering all the happenings in the MMA world with exclusive analysis and features.

7:30 p.m. ET Fight News Now Extra – The latest news, recaps, features and inside analysis of the fight game.

8:00 p.m. ETToe 2 Toe with Cain Velasquez – In-depth sit-down interview with UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

8:30 p.m. ETHip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

9:00 p.m. ET — KSW 21 – Khalidov vs. Grove – Featuring Mamed Khalidov vs. Kendall Grove and Michal Materia vs. Rodney Wallace from Dec. 1, 2012 in Warsaw, Poland.

Saturday, June 13

1:00 a.m. ETSuperKombat Grand Prix Ploiesti 2015 – Featuring Benjamin Adegbuyi vs, Daniel Lentie, Andrei Stoica vs. Marcello Adriaansz and the New Heroes middleweight championshoip from Mar. 7, 2015 in Ploiesti, Romania.

6:00 a.m. ETBest of TKO – FeaturingJonathan Goulet vs. Shonie Carter from TKO 23.

7:00 a.m. ET – Best of Gladiator Challenge – Featuring Joe Stevenson vs. Casey Balkenbush from Gladiator Challenge 14.

8:00 a.m. ETBest of SportFight – Top quality MMA from the Pacific Northwest, histed by UFC veterans Matt Lindland and Chael Sonnen.

7:00 p.m. ETUFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum Pre-Show – LIVE pre-fight coverage and previews of UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum from Mexico City.

8:00 p.m. ETM-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4 – Featuring Marcello Brito vs. Murad Abdulaev for the vacant M-1 Challenge welterweight title, plus Lee Morrison vs. Pavel Vitruk from June 6, 2015 in Russia.

11:00 p.m. ET – King of Kings: World Grand Prix Vilnius 2015 – Featuring a one-night, single-elimination light heavyeight tournament from Mar. 14, 2015 in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Sunday, June 14

1:00 a.m. ETUFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum Post-Show – LIVE post-fight coverage and post-fight press conference for UFC 188: Velasquez vs. Werdum from Mexico City.

6:00 a.m. ETPancrase Classics – Classic pioneering MMA battles featuring Ken Shamrock, Frank Shamrock, Bas Rutten, Name Marquardt, Chael Sonnen and others.

10:00 a.m. ETBest of ADCC – Featuring compilations of the greatest grappling matches ever held, featuring Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Eddie Bravo, Fabricio Werdum, Marcelo Garcia, Ronaldo Souza and Royler Gracie.

11:00 a.m. ET – Elite Muay Thai: Thailand vs. Challenger – The biggest Muay Thai series in the world featuring premium international stand-up fighters taking on the renowned Thai National Team

5:00 p.m. ETUSA Wrestling Weekly – Host Scott Casber gives weekly news and analysis centering around USA Wrestling, the sport’s national governing body, including interviews, features and look back at the past.

5:30 p.m. ETJudo Dusseldorf Grand Prix 2015 – Highlights from the Judo Dusseldorf Grand Prix from Feb. 20-22, 2015 in Germany.

6:30 p.m. ET – Hip Show: Arena Combat – Tag-team MMA inside a 12m by 12m arena with three-level obstacle structures.

7:00 p.m. ET – Fighting Spirit MMA Season 4 – Compilation of International fights from SFL, Legend, FFC, M-1 and more.

INFORMATION:

www.FightNetwork.com

 

Twitter & Instagram @fightnet

 

www.Facebook.com/FightNetwork

 

ABOUT FIGHT NETWORK:  Fight Network is the world’s premier combat sports network dedicated to 24/7 coverage, including fights, fighters, fight news and fight lifestyle. The channel is available in the U.S. on Cablevision in parts of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, Texas-based Grande Communications, Armstrong Cable in Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio, as well as on Shentel Cable in Virginia, West Virginia and portions of western Maryland. Fight Network is also on Roku set top boxes in the U.S. and Canada, streamed live on website KlowdTV.com, and available on all major carriers in Canada and more than 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Emmanuel Sanchez Replaces Injured Goiti Yamauchi; Plus Four Additional Preliminary Bouts Complete 13-Fight “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” Card On June 26

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 8, 2015) – With an unfortunate injury forcing the withdrawal of Goiti Yamauchi, Emmanuel “El Matador” Sanchez (10-1) receives the call to step in against former featherweight champion Pat “Paddy Mike” Curran (20-7). With this change of opponent, and four newly announced matchups, “Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” on June 26 is now complete with 13 total scraps to sink your teeth into.

 

The additional fights include heavyweight bouts between Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3) and Derek Bohi (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1) as well as featherweights Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0) and lightweights Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11).

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov” is headlined by a heavyweight clash between French striking specialist Cheick “The Darkness” Kongo (22-10-2) and former Bellator MMA Heavyweight World Champion Alexander “Drago” Volkov (24-5). The event takes place June 26 at Kansas Star Event Center Arena in Mulvane, Kan.

 

The night’s main card airs live and free on Spike at 9 p.m. ET/ 8 p.m. CT, while preliminary bouts stream on Spike.com at 7 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. CT. Tickets for “Bellator: Kongo vs. Volkov” start at just $17 and are currently available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

Additional announced pairings on the SPIKE-televised card include lightweights Dave “The Caveman” Rickels (16-3) vs.John “The Natural” Alessio (35-17) and a contest between middleweight sluggers with Joe “Stitch ‘Em Up” Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1).

 

The 24-year-old Sanchez is an explosive featherweight, fighting with Duke Roufus out of the famed Roufusport gym in Milwaukee. The two-time Bellator veteran has shined throughout his current six-fight winning streak, most recently scoring a first-round rear naked choke over Stephen Banaszak at Bellator 128 followed by a dominant unanimous decision over Costa Rican standout Alejandro Villalobos at Bellator 135 this past March.  Sanchez faces stiff competition in former featherweight kingpin Curran, who has been involved in some of the most memorable Bellator fights of all time.

 

Huddleston, 28, is a key training has won four consecutive tilts since dropping the first fight of his professional career in 2011. Most recently, “The Shaved Gorilla” stopped Derek Bohl at Bellator 130. Standing opposite Huddleston inside the cage will be the 26-year-old Ayala, who is on a three-fight promotional winning streak of his own. The California native has stopped his last three foes before reaching the judges’ discretion.

 

In the second added heavyweight feature, Bohl will seek his first win for the Southern California-based promotion. “Marshmallow” has won his first two bouts in 2015 on the regional circuit. Brown will have his second opportunity at success for Bellator against Bohl. The hometown fighter was finished by Daniel Gallemore at Bellator 113, which was his last time in action.

 

Undefeated at 3-0, Reyno will bring the tenacity he has shown on the independent MMA scene to the Bellator cage. “Tonga” has finished every fight he has been involved in and will look to make a mark on the featherweight division with his debut. Scott, a Whichita native, made his Bellator MMA debut in 2011 and has had a mixed bag of success.

 

Lastly, a pair of experienced lightweights will round out the preliminary portion of the card when Navarro and Carrillo tangle inside the steel mesh. With 43 professional bouts between them, both veterans will attempt to string together some wins under the Bellator banner.

 

“Bellator MMA: Kongo vs. Volkov”Friday, June 26, Kanas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, Kansas

 

Main Card (9 p.m. ET)

 

Bellator Heavyweight Main Event: Cheick Kongo (22-10-2) vs. Alexander Volkov (24-5)

Bellator Lightweight Feature Fight: Dave Rickels (16-3) vs. John Alessio (35-17)

Bellator Featherweight Feature Fight: Pat Curran (20-7) vs. Emmanuel Sanchez (10-1)

Bellator Middleweight Feature Fight: Joe Schilling (2-4) vs. Hisaki Kato (4-1)

 

Preliminary Card 

 

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Bubba Jenkins (8-2) vs. Joe Wilk (18-10)

Bellator Bantamweight Prelim Fight: Jeimeson Saudino (8-4) vs. Aaron Ely (4-2)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Bobby Cooper (12-5) vs. Pablo Villaseca (9-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Daniel Gallemore (4-2) vs. Augusto Sakai (7-0)

Bellator Female Featherweight Prelim Fight: Iony Razafiarison (2-0) vs. Bryanna Fissori (1-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Alex Huddleston (5-1) vs. Javy Ayala (8-3)

Bellator Featherweight Prelim Fight: Greg Scott (3-3) vs. Gaston Reyno (3-0)

Bellator Heavyweight Prelim Fight: Derek Bohi (5-4) vs. Frederick Brown (2-1)

Bellator Lightweight Prelim Fight: Marcio Navarro (13-11) vs. Cody Carrillo (8-11)

LAST-MINUTE REPLACEMENT IN FEATHERWEIGHT FIGHT AT NEF XVIII

Lewiston, Maine (June 8, 2015) – New England Fights (NEF), America’s number-one regional fight promotion, will hold its eighteenth mixed-martial-arts (MMA) event, “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA,” this Saturday night, June 13, 2015 at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine.   Earlier today, the promotion announced the addition of an amateur featherweight bout to the fight card.  Carl Langston (4-8) is scheduled to meet Alex Johnson (2-1) at the featherweight limit of 145-pounds.

 

A fixture of NEF MMA amateur cards, Langston, of Young’s MMA in Bangor, Maine, replaces Johnson’s original opponent, and Langston teammate, Aaron Lacey (5-1), who was injured last week.  The Lacey-Johnson fight was scheduled to determine the first-ever NEF MMA Amateur Featherweight Champion.  The bout between Langston and Johnson, however, will be a non-title affair.

 

Langston is riding high off a victory over Sheldon Bang (2-2) last February.  It was Langston’s first victory in the NEF MMA cage. Likewise, Johnson is looking to extend his own streak of two wins in a row to three in NEF action.  A member of Ruthless MMA & Boxing of Benton, Maine, Johnson submitted Dustin Shorey (0-1) at “NEF XVII” this past April.

 

NEF officials further announced today that the Langston-Johnson contest is currently scheduled to open the show at “NEF XVIII” this Saturday.

 

Tickets for “NEF XVIII: MADE IN AMERICA” start at just $25 and are on sale now at www.TheColisee.com or by calling the Colisee box office at 207.783.2009 x 525.  For more information on the event and fight card updates, please visit the promotion’s website at www.NewEnglandFights.com.  In addition, you can watch NEF videos at www.youtube.com/NEFMMA, follow them on Twitter @nefights and join the official Facebook group “New England Fights.”

 

About New England Fights

 

New England Fights (“NEF”) is a fight events promotions company. NEF’s mission is to create the highest quality events for Maine’s fighters and fans alike. NEF’s executive team has extensive experience in combat sports management, events production, media relations, marketing, legal and advertising.

M-1 Challenge 58 Official Results

Presents

M-1 CHALLENGE 58: BATTLE IN THE MOUNTAINS 4

Marcelo Brito vs. Murad Abdulaev

Vacant M-1 Challenge Welterweight Championship

June 6, 2015   ● Ingushetia, Russia

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

 

Mural Abdulaev decisions Marcello Brito

To capture M-1 Challenge welterweight title

New M- Challenge welterweight champion Mural Abdulaev is crowned by

M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein

 

INGUSHETIA, Russia (June 7, 2015) – Last night at M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4,Mural “Hunter” Abdulaev won a unanimous 5-round decision over Marcelo Brito to capture the vacant M-1 Challenge welterweight title, outdoors in Ingushetia, Russia.

 

Abdulaev (13-10, 6 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), fighting out of Russia, remained unbeaten in M-1 Global competition with his third victory. Brito (13-6-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), who replaced his injured Brazilian countryman Igor Fernandes, made his M-1 Global debut.

 

In main card action, Russian by way of Azerbaijan featherweight Tural Ragimov (10-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) defeated Antun “Killer” Racic (17-6-0, 0 KO/TKO, 13 SUB), of Croatia, by way of a late third-round submission via an arm-bar.

 

Heavyweight Alexi “Brick” Kudin (20-8-0, 16 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), of Belarus, kicked his way to a second-round knockout of Russian Baga Agaev (27-17-0, 5 KO/TKO, 2 SUB).

 

American featherweight Lee “American Bulldog” Morrison (13-5-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) won a three-round majority decision from Pavel Vitruk (12-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), a native of Ukraine who fights out of St. Petersburg, Russia.

 

Brazilian veteran Charles “Gracie” Andrade (28-23-1, 6 KO/TKO, 22 SUB) needed only 34 seconds to force previously undefeated Russian middleweight Abukar Yandiev (4-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) into submission with a heel hook.

 

Russian middleweight Magomed Mutaev (6-2-0, 4 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) won by technical knockout when Spaniard Enoc Solves Torres‘ (16-9-0, 5 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) corner-men halted the fight after the first round.

 

Fighting on the preliminary card, hometown favorite Adam Tsurov (2-1-0) stopped pro-debuting Tajikistan lightweight Bakhitoyor Ibragimov (0-1-0) on punches in the opening round, Russian lightweight Khamzat Dalziev (3-1-0) won a second round split decision from Russian Akhied Nazarov (0-1-0), Russian featherweight Movsar Evloev (2-0-0) took a two-round decision from Lu Zhenhong (6-3-0), of China, Russian light heavyweight Adam “Beast” Yandiev (8-0-0) remained undefeated with an early first-round submission of Lithuanian Valdas Pocevicius (33-32-0), and Russian lightweight Djambulat Kurbanov (7-1-`) won as previously undefeated UkrainianAlexander Panasyuk (5-1-0) submitted due to an arm-bar in the first round.

 

Russian featherweight Kurbanali Abdusalamov (5-2-0) upset previously unbeaten Pierre Sauvage (6-1-0), punching out the Frenchman late in the final round, Ingushetia favoriteKhamzat Aushev (6-3-0) needed only 26-seconds to submit Spanish lightweight Javier Fuentas(6-2-0) with a heel lock, Arkamat Evkurov (3-1-0) punched his way to a first-round stoppage ofVladimir Bury (1-2-0) in a battle of Russian heavyweights, and featherweight Ruslan Esmurziev(2-1-0) ruined the pro debut of fellow Russian Marat Kishaev (0-1-0), who was a KO victim of punches.

 

In M- Medieval knight fights heavyweight Evgeniy Gladkov (3-0-0) remained unbeaten with  victory over Maxim Plaksin (0-2-0), while welterweight Rustam Kuhurkhev (1-0-0) won hi pro debut against Boris Dzhelilov (0-2-0).

 

 

Complete results and picture gallery below:

 

 

M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

 

Mural Abdulaev (13-1-0)                      

WDEC5                         

Marcelo Brito (13-7-0), Brazil

(Abdulaev won vacant M-1 Challenge welterweight title)

 

MAIN CARD

 

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Alexi Kudin (20-8-0), Belarus                       

WKO/TKO2 (Leg Kicks – 1:40)

Baga Agaev (27-17-0), Russia

 

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Charles Andrade (28-23-1), Brazil

WSUB1 (Heel Hook – 0:34)

Abukar Yandiev (4-1-0), Russia

 

Magomed Mutaev (6-2-0), Russia

WTKO1 (Corner Stoppage – 5:00)

Enoc Solves Torres (16-9-0), Spain

 

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Tural Ragimov (10-2-0), Russia                        

WSUB3 (Armbar – 4:27)

Antun Racic (17-6-0), Croatia                       

 

Lee Morrison (14-5-0), USA                           

WDEC3                         

Pavel Vitruk (12-2-0), Russia

                              

PRELIMINARY CARD

 

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Akramat Evkurov (4-1-0), Russia

WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 1:43)

Vladimir Bury (1-2-0), Russia

 

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Adam Yandiev (8-0-0), Russia                        

WSUB1 (RNC — 0:34)

Valdas Pocevisius (33-32-0), Lithuania

 

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Adam Tsurov (3-1-0), Russia

WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 4:16)

Bakhitier Ibragimov (0-1-0), Tajikistan

 

Khamzat Dalgiev (3-1-0), Russia                        

WDEC2                         

Akhred Nazarov (0-1-0), Russia

 

Dzambulat Kurbanov (7-1-0), Russia

WSUB1 (Armbar – 3:18)

Alexander Panasyuk (5-1-1), Ukraine

 

Khamzat Aushev (6-3-0), Russia

WSUB1 (Heel Hook – 0:26)

Javier Fuentas (6-3-0), Spain

 

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Movsar Evloev (2-0-0), Russia                        

WDEC2                         

Lu Zhenhong (6-3-0), China

 

Kurbanali Abdisalamov (4-2-0), Russia

WKO3 (Punches – 4:25)

Pierre Sauvage (6-0-0), France

 

Ruslan Esmurziev (2-1-0), Russia

WKO1 (Punches — 4:35)

Marat Kishaev (0-0-0) Russia

 

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT FIGHTS

 

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Evgeniy Gladov (3-0-0), Russia

Won

Maxim Plaksin (0-2-0), Russia

 
WELTERWEIGHTS

Rustam Kuhurkhoev (1-0-0), Russia

Won

Boris Dzhelilov (0-2-0), Russia

 

Mural Abdulaev has position on Marcelo Brito

New M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Mural Abdulaev

 

Tural Ragimov strikes Antun Racic

 

Charles Andrade shows his respect for Abukar Yandiev

Pavel Vitruk & Lee Morrison mix it up in the mountains

Alexi Kudin toses Baga Agaev

 

Magomd Mutaev & Enoc Solves Torres

Khamzat Dagev& Akhred Nazarov

Rustam Kuhukhoev & Boris Dzhelilov

Djammbulat Kurbanov finishes off Alexander Panasyuk

Khmzat Aushev forces Javier Fuentas into submission

Movsar Eloev nails Lu Zhenhong right on the chin

Evgeniy Glakov attacks Maxim Plaksin

Ruslan Esmurziv & Marat Kishaev

Adam Yandiev defeated Valdas Pocevicius

Pierre Sauvage & Kurbanali Abdusalamov

Vladimir Bury & Akromat Evkurov

 

 

Upcoming Event: M-1 Challenge 59: Kharitonov-Garner II in Astana, Kazakhstan

 

Information

www.M1Global.tv

 

www.mixfight.ru

 

www.wmmaa.org

 

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein

 

@M1Global

 

Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/M1GlobalNews

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

 

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you byM-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

M-1 CHALLENGE 58: BATTLE IN THE MOUNTAINS 4

Marcelo Brito vs. Murad Abdulaev

Vacant M-1 Challenge Welterweight Championship

June 6, 2015   ● Ingushetia, Russia

WATCH LIVE ON WWW.M1GLOBAL.TV

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS & PICTURES

M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4

Brito vs. Abdulaev headlines June 6 in Ingushetia, Russia

OFFICIAL WEIGHTS

 

MAIN CARD

 

L-R: Marcelo Brito & Mural Abdunaev

L-R: Marcel Brito & Mural Abdulaev

 

VACANT M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5

MARCELO BRITO (13-6-0), Brazil 169 ½ lbs. (77.1 kg)

MURAL ABDULAEV (12-1-0), Russia 169 ½ lbs. (77.0 kg)

 

Baga Agaev

HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ALEXI “Brick” KUDIN (19-8-0), Belarus WEIGH IN LATER

BAGA AGAEV (10-1-0), Estonia 249 ½ lbs. (113.3 kg)

 

L-R: Charles Andrade & Abukar Yandiev

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

CHARLES “Gracie” ANDRADE (28-22-0), Brazil 189 lbs. (86.0 kg)

ABUKAR YANDIEV (4-0-0), Russia 184 lbs. (83.5 kg)

 

L-R: Antun Racic & Tural Ragimoiv

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ANTUN “Killer” RACIC (17-5-0), Croatia 144 ½ lbs. (65.7 kg)                                    

TURAL RAGIMOV (9-2-0), Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)

 

L-R: Lee Morrison & Pavel Vitruk

LEE “American Bulldog” MORRISON (13-5-0), USA 144 lbs. (65.4 kg)

PAVEL VITRUK (12-1-0), Russia 145 lbs. (65.8 kg)

 

 

PRELIMINARY CARD

 

 

HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

VLADIMIR BURY (1-1-0), Russia 233 lbs. (105.9 kg)

AKROMAT EVJUROV (3-1-0), Russia 221 lbs. (100.4 kg)

 

L-R: Adam Yandiev & Valdas Pocevicius

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ADAM “Beard” YANDIEV (6-0-0), Russia 201 ½ lbs. (91.5 kg)
VALDAS POCEVISIUS (33-31-0), Lithuania 204 lbs. (92.6 kg)

 

L-R: Enoc Solves Torres & Magomed Mutaev

MIDDLEWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ENOC SOLVES TORRES (16-8-0), Spain 184 ½ lbs. (83.9 kg)

MAGOMED MUTAEV (5-2-0), Russia 184 lbs. (83.7 kg)

 

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

BAKHITOYOR IBRAGIMOV (Pro Debut), Tajikistan154 ½lbs. (70.3 kg)

ADAM TSUROV (1-1-0), Russia 154 lbs. (70.0 kg)

 

AKHRED NAZAROV (Pro Debut), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)

KHAMZAT DALGIEV (2-1-0), Russia 154 lbs. (70.0 kg)

 

L-R: Djambulat Kurbanov & Alexander Panasyuk

ALEXANDER PANASYUK (5-0-0), Ukraine 154 lbs. (154 kg)

DJAMBULAT KURBANOV (6-1-0), Russia 155 lbs. (70.6 kg)

 

L-R: Javier Fuentas & Kzamzat Aushev

JAVIER FUENTAS (6-1-0), Spain 154 ½ lbs. (70.3 kg)

KHAMZAT AUSHEV (5-3-0), Russia 154 lbs. (70.0 kg)

 

L-R: Movsar Eloev & Lu Zhenhong

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

LU ZHENHONG (6-2-0), China 144 ½ lbs. (65.7 kg)

MOYSAR ELOEV (1-0-0), Russia 141 lbs. (64.0 kg)

 

L-R: Kurbanali Abdusalamov & Pierre Sauvage


PIERRE SAUVAGE (6-0-0), France 144 ½ lbs. (65.7 kg)

KURBANALI ABDUSALAMOV (4-2-0), Russia 147 lbs. (66.8 kg)

 

MARAT KISHAEV (Pro Debut), Russia 144 lbs. (65.6 kg)

RUSLAN ESMURZIEV (1-1-0), Russia 144 lbs. (65.5 kg)

 

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT FIGHTS

Evgeniy Gladkov & Maxim Plaksin

MAXIM PLAKSIN (0-1-0), Russia 220 lbs. (99.8 kg)

EVGENIY GLADKOV (2-0-0), Russia 216 lbs. (98.2 kg)

 

BORIS DZHELILOV (0-1-0), Russia 172 lbs. (78.2 kg)

RUSTAM KUHURKHOEV (Pro Debut), Russia 176 lbs. (80 kg)

 

Abukar Yaneiev

 

L-R: Lee Morrison & Pavel Vitruk

 

WHAT:             M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4

 

WHEN:            Saturday, June 6, 2015

                         8:00 a.m. (New York City), 4:00 p.m. (Moscow)

 

WHERE:           Ingushetia, Russia 1:30

 

PROMOTER:    M-1 Global

 

LIVE STREAM: WWW.M1GLOBAL.TV

 

M-1 Challenge 58 will be streamed live worldwide in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.

 

Fight Network will also air M-1 Challenge 58 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

 

 

Upcoming Event: M-1 Challenge 59: Kharitonov-Garner II in Astana, Kazakhstan

 

Information

www.M1Global.tv

 

www.mixfight.ru

 

www.wmmaa.org

 

Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein

 

@M1Global

 

Facebook:

 

https://www.facebook.com/M1GlobalNews

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.

 

ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!

Fight Network Presents M-1 Challenge 58 LIVE from Russia Saturday, June 6 at 9 a.m. ET

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 5, 2015) — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, continues to deliver the best international fights with more live action this Saturday, June 6 at 9 a.m. ET when M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4emanates from Ingushetia, Russia.

 

Fight Network’s live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 58 will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

In the main event, Brazil’s Marcelo Brito (13-6) battles Murad Abdulaev (14-3) for the M-1 welterweight title, plus Lee Morrison (12-5) faces Pavel Vitruk (12-1) in featherweight action, heavyweights Alexei Kudin (19-8) and Denis Smoldarev (10-1) will throw down, Brazilian Charles Andrade (28-23) looks to hand Abukar Yandiev (4-0) his first professional loss when they clash at 185 pounds, and Antun Racic (17-5) meets Tural Ragimov (9-2) in a featherweight tussle.

 

Later, Fight Network will televise the live prelims for UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Hendersonexclusively in Canada from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET.

 

The prelims will feature an explosive heavyweight clash between heavy-handed Texan Shawn Jordan(17-6) and New Orleans’ own knockout artist Derrick Lewis (12-3, 1NC), a welterweight matchup pitting 69-fight veteran Brian Ebersole (51-16-1, 1NC) against Dagestani prospect Omari Akhmedov(14-2), a lightweight bout between New Yorker Chris Wade (9-1) and Californian Christos Giagos(11-3), plus Massachusetts native Joe Proctor (10-3) faces Ohio native Justin Edwards (9-4) in a lightweight showcase of Ultimate Fighter veterans.

 

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday evening with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

Fight Network Presents RFA 26 LIVE, WSOF 21  Friday, June 5 Starting at 10 p.m. ET

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 4, 2015 — Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, presents back-to-back world-class championship mixed martial arts broadcasts this Friday, June 5, beginning at 10 p.m. with a live presentation of RFA 26: Smith vs. Smith from 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colorado.

 

Immediately following the live broadcast, Fight Network will present WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki in its entirety from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

 

Fight Network will televise both cards exclusively in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Airing live at 10 p.m. ET, RFA 26 will be headlined by a welterweight title bout as RFA welterweight champion Benjamin Smith (14-2) puts his title on the line against No. 1 contender Gilbert Smith(10-4). In the co-main event, Brazilian submission ace Thiago “Monstinho” Alves (8-2) battles Colorado’s own Marcus “Bad Intentions” Edwards (9-3). The main card will also feature a pair of bantamweights bouts, as NCAA Division I wrestler Jarred “Shutout” Mercado (12-2) will lock horns with jiu-jitsu black belt Bruno Frazatto (6-2), while Hawaiian knockout artist Boston “Boom Boom” Salmon (3-0) will clash with collegiate wrestler Danny Mainus (3-3). Also on the main card, former RFA middleweight title challenger Andrew “El Dirte” Sanchez (5-2) squares off with Respect FC and SFFN champion Clinton Williams (5-1) and undefeated heavyweight prospect Brandon Griffin(4-0) battles The MMA Lab destroyer Ashley Gooch (7-4).

 

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki features a championship doubleheader. In the main event, reigning WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer (9-1) will put his title on the line for the first time against Canadian challenger and battle-tested veteran Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (21-5-1), while the co-feature pits WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho “The Prince” Ram aagainst Bulgarian standout Blagoi Ivanov (11-1). Two featherweight rising stars will put their unblemished records on the line when Hakeem Dawodu (4-0) meets Chuka “The Lion King” Willis(4-0), plus Mark “Sweet Dreams” Drummond (7-2) battles Michael “The Messenger” Hill in an all-Canadian welterweight clash.

 

The live action continues on Saturday, June 6, beginning at 9 a.m. ET with M-1 Challenge 58: Battle in the Mountains 4 from Ingushetia, Russia, featuring Marcelo Brito (13-6) vs. Murad Abdulaev(14-3) for the M-1 welterweight title, plus Lee Morrison (12-5) faces Pavel Vitruk (12-1) in featherweight action, and heavyweights Alexei Kudin (19-8) and Denis Smoldarev (10-1) will throw down. Fight Network’s live broadcast of M-1 Challenge 58 will air on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

Later, Fight Network will televise the live prelims for UFC Fight Night: Boetsch vs. Henderson exclusively in Canada from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET. The prelims will feature an explosive heavyweight clash between heavy-handed Texan Shawn Jordan (17-6) and New Orleans’ own knockout artist Derrick Lewis (12-3, 1NC), a welterweight matchup pitting 69-fight veteran Brian Ebersole (51-16-1, 1NC) against Dagestani prospect Omari Akhmedov (14-2), a lightweight bout between New Yorker Chris Wade (9-1) and Californian Christos Giagos (11-3), plus Massachusetts native Joe Proctor(10-3) faces Ohio native Justin Edwards (9-4) in a lightweight showcase of Ultimate Fighter veterans.

 

Live pre-fight coverage will lead into the prelims on Saturday evening with Fight Network’s UFC Pre-Show Live at 7 p.m. ET, featuring previews, predictions and analysis.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.

Fight Network Signs Exclusive Multi-Year Programming Deal with World Series of Fighting 

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

TORONTO (June 3, 2015) – Fight Network, the world’s premier 24/7 television channel dedicated to complete coverage of combat sports, today announced an exclusive multi-year programming agreement with Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts organization World Series of Fighting(WSOF.com) to broadcast live events and the existing archive in Canada, and globally in over 30 countries across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

 

The deal kicks off this weekend with a short tape delay broadcast of WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki from Edmonton Expo Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Airing June 6 at Midnight ET, the event is headlined by WSOF featherweight champion Lance Palmer defending against Canada’s own Chris Horodecki, while WSOF heavyweight champion Smealinho Rama, another Canadian, defends the coveted title against Bulgarian powerhouse Blagoi Ivanov.

 

WSOF 21: Palmer vs. Horodecki will repeat on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. ET.

 

WSOF is led by president Ray Sefo, a six-time world kickboxing champion and two-time Hall of Famer. The promotion has staged 20 events to date, featuring internationally renowned superstars such as Andrei Arlovski, Anthony Johnson, David Branch, Rousimar Palhares, Jake Shields, Yushin Okami and Jon Fitch. .

 

WSOF has also spawned the careers of the next generation of MMA superstars, including reigning bantamweight champion Marlon Moraes, featherweight champion Palmer, undefeated lightweight champion Justin Gaethjeand undefeated light heavyweight Tyrone Spong.

 

The first event scheduled to air live on Fight Network is the blockbuster WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields world championship card on Aug. 1, 2015 in Las Vegas, headlined by a showcase of elite grapplers as WSOF welterweight champion Palhares defends against former Strikeforce champion and UFC title challenger Shields.

 

Also featured at WSOF 22: Palhares vs. Shields is a bantamweight title bout pitting the champion Moraes against undefeated Brazilian Sheymon Moraes, and a light heavyweight special attraction featuring Spong in the toughest test of his MMA career against heavy-handed veteran Mike Kyle, who makes his third appearance in the WSOF cage.

 

“WSOF has rapidly become one of the top promotions in North America and we’re thrilled to bring these world-class live events to our viewers,” said Chad Midgley, VP of Content at Fight Network. “Shows feature a great assortment of established names and highly touted prospects, providing a perfect balance of nostalgia for longtime fans while exposing viewers to fresh talent. With regularly scheduled events in Canada, homegrown stars can now be seen nationally across the country.”

 

“We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic and robust television platform like Fight Network, and bring our live event programming to the highly passionate combat sports fan base in Canada where we have made a concerted effort to establish WSOF’s footprint,” said WSOF president, six-time world champion and two-time Hall of Famer, Ray Sefo.

 

For a full listing of Fight Network’s broadcast schedule, please visit tv.fightnetwork.com, follow us on Twitter @fightnet, become a fan on Facebook and visit us on Instagram @fightnet.