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UPCOMING EVENTS:

Feb. 9 – M-1 Challenge 87: Silander vs. Ashimov, M-1 Arena, Saint Petersburg, Russia

Feb. 22 – M-1 Challenge 88: Ismagulov vs. Tutarauli, Olympic Stadium, Moscow, Russia

M-1, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 Global’s 20th anniversary a smashing success in 2017

December 27, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (December 27, 2017) — M-1 Global celebrated its 20^thanniversary in style this past year, reestablishing itself as the preeminent mixed-martial-arts organization in Europe and Russia.

M-1 promoted 13 Challenges in 2017, 11 across Russia, as well as one each in China and Finland. Fighters from around the world competed including MMA superstars such as Sergey Kharitonov and Alexander Shlemenko, as well as rising stars Alexey Kunchenko and Artem Frolov.

M-1 Global founder and president Vadim Finkelchtein reviewed the 2017 season, answering a series of questions below:

Overall, how do you evaluate the 2017 M-1 Challenge season in terms of achievements and accomplishments as a promotional company?

VF: “First of all, we increased the number of events. Some were even rated among top 5 monthly sporting events on television, which is really an incredible achievement. We’ve almost finished building our new M-1 Arena and produced our own M-1 Be Strong Protein milkshake.”

You promoted events in different countries this past year like Finland. Was M-1 embraced by those fans and, if so, why do you think so?

VF: “We held our first event in Finland and it was really successful. M-1 Challenge 82took place in Hartwall Arena, one of the largest venues in Finland, located in the capital of Helsinki. Many fans came to watch our promotion’s debut in that country and it became one of the biggest MMA events in Finland history. Scandinavia is a very interesting region for us. We have many fighters from Finland and next year we are going to hold another event there.

“We also had a big event in Harbin, China, which was a part of cultural program of Economic Forum. Many VIP visitors and thousands of fans gathered to watch the fights and it was a superb event. China is a prospective MMA market and we are going to work further, featuring more fighters from this country, and promote one or two event a year there.

“Next year, we are going to promote even more events in other countries, planning to hold M-1 Challenge shows in Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkey, China, Finland, Germany and the USA.”

What was the M-1 highlight of the year?

VF: “This past year we had a lot of remarkable events and fights, so it’s very difficult to choose just one highlight. If I had to choose, the rematch between Alexander Shlemenko and Brandon Halsey was the highlight of the year. Thousands of people in Saint Petersburg on June 1^st came to see the rematch and that liver-kick Alexander delivered made the crowd go crazy. In the first fight, Brandon won in 35 seconds, so Alexander wanted to revenge fast and it took him just 25 seconds. That was unbelievable and unforgettable!”

Compared to past years in what areas did M-1 improve in 2017?

VF: “Each year we have more high-level fighters and that is the main difference. MMA has been developing around the world and the competition is always getting tougher. Only the best fighters receive an opportunity to sign a contract with M-1 Global. We have an opportunity to choose the best fighters, increasing the level of fights, to make it impossible to predict the winners in advance. Furthermore, we increased the number of events and TV coverage with some new TV contracts worldwide.”

This was your 20th year. When you started 20 years ago did you envision the success M-1 has had in MMA?

VF: “I could not imagine MMA would become so popular. I went through the entire MMA evolution and the past 20 years I’ve been working on the promotion to make it better each year. The path was not easy because many years ago this kind of sport was considered criminal. Many called it fights without rules and I had to work hard to make people think about it as a legitimate sport.”

M-1 added the flyweight division this past year. Why and was it successful in the eyes of fans?

VF: “Flyweight fighters can produce incredible performances. It was necessary for us to create this division because we knew that there were lot of good flyweight fighters. They wanted to fight in M-1 and we made it happen. We already have the first champion and a several tough contenders. In 2018, the flyweight division will be very interesting.”

M-1 CHALLENGE CHAMPIONS

HEAVYWEIGHT (265 lbs., 120,2 kg)

VACANT

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (205 lbs., 93,0 kg)

VACANT

MIDDLEWEIGHT (185 lbs., 83,9 kg)

Artem Frolov (10-0-0 (M-1: 7-0-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHT (170 lbs., 77,1 kg)

Alexey Kunchenko (17-0-0 (M-1: 9-0-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHT (155 lbs., 70,3 kg)

Damir Ismagulov (14-2-0 (M-1: 9-1-0), Russia by way of Kazakhstan

FEATHERWEIGHT (145 lbs., 65,8 kg)

Khamzat Dalgiev (10-1-0 (M-1: 7-1-0), Russia

BANTAMWEIGHT (135 lbs., 61,2 kg)

Movsar Evloev (8-0-0 (M-1: 8-0-0), Russia

FLYWEIGHT (125 lbs., 56,7 kg)

Aleksander Doskalchuk (8-1-0 (M-1: 3-4-1), Ukraine

INFORMATION:

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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko Official Results & Photos

October 22, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

Gegard Mousasi (43-6-2) defeated Alexander Shlemenko (56-10, 1 NC) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iaobj6dqfk4jq1y/AADPZmjhtmreJ-7mNCkqEKvua?dl=0

Neiman Gracie (7-0) defeated Zak Bucia (18-9) via submission (neck crank) at 2:27 of round two

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/kvl101uwhi2zi3p/AABH7yRjFJHzNnRgDcEeGI23a?dl=0

Kristina Williams (1-0) defeated Heather Hardy (1-1) via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) at 2:00 of round two

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/09r32tj0p0lfrlh/AAA2wiI3m1-pTHGaePuJeR5Ta?dl=0

Ryan Quinn (14-7) defeated Marcus Surin (4-1) via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uzsfhmp09sbgh7r/AADZyyNKyuqDKiWfZW1F1MkAa?dl=0

Lisa Blaine (2-0) defeated Ana Julaton (2-3) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/meae709iunpv7rt/AAAvcWOCHh0R5N0K9UT8o-Jna?dl=0

Preliminary Card Results:

John Lopez (6-4) defeated Billy Giovanella (9-5) via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26)

Kevin Carrier (1-0) defeated Jose Antonio Perez (0-1) (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Vovka Clay (4-2) defeated Frank Sforza (6-1) via submission (guillotine) at 1:17 of round two

Don Shainis (4-1) defeated Matthew Denning (5-7) via TKO (strikes) at 4:50 of round one

Jordan Young (7-0) defeated Alec Hooben (5-4) via submission (triangle choke) at 2:44 of round one

Costello van Steenis (9-1) defeated Steve Skrzat (8-10) via submission (strikes) at 2:52 of round one

Joaquin Buckley (8-1) defeated Vinicius de Jesus (5-2) via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Pete Rogers (3-4) defeated Timothy Wheeler (1-5) via submission (guillotine) at :37 of round one

Dean Hancock (3-1) defeated John Beneduce (2-2) via TKO (strikes) at 3:38 of round one

boxing, M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Brandon Halsey defeats Mikhail Ragozin by Decision in light heavyweight Super Fight

September 25, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

Aleksander Doskalchuk captures inaugural

M-1 Challenge flyweight championship

M-1 CHALLENGE 83 RESULTS

Brandon Halsey recorded his first M-1 Global victory

KAZAN, Russia (September 23, 2017) – American MMA fighter Brandon “Bull” Halsey, fighting as a light heavyweight for the first time, won a hard-fought, three-round unanimous decision over his Russian opponent, Mikhail Ragozin, in yesterday’s (Saturday) M-1 Challenge 83: TATFIGHT 5 main event, marking the first international MMA event ever held in Kazan, Russia.

In the co-feature, Aleksander Doskalchuk became the first M-1 Challenge flyweight champion.

Eight different countries – Russia, USA, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, and Netherlands – were represented by fighters in this international event.

The 30-year-old Halsey (10-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), fighting out of Huntington Beach, California, was a standout wrestler at the California State University in Bakersfield. He is a former two-time Bellator whose decision to move up to light heavyweight from middleweight, after him being stopped in the opening round ofM-1 Challenge 79 this past June to Russian MMA star Alexander Shlemenko, proved correct as he won a three-round decision over Ragozin for his initi al M-1 Global victory, establishing himself as a leading contender for the coveted M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title.

Doskalchuk (8-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), of Ukraine, used a choke hold to force Russian flyweight Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (11-3-1, M-1: 2-2-1) to tap out in the second round. Doskalchuk became the first M-1 Challenge flyweight champion.

In other main event action, Georgian lightweight Raul Tutarauli (18-3-0, M-1: 6-1-0) took a three-round unanimous decision over previously undefeatedVladimir Kanunnikov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0, of Russia; American featherweightNate “The Train” Landwehr (9-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) stopped his Russian foe,Mikhail Korobkov (13-3-1, M-1: 1-3-1), on punches in the second round; Kazakh bantamweight Sergey Morozov (10-3-0, M-1: 5-2-0) punched out Luan Fernandes (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0) in the second fame.

Nate “The Train” Landwehr celebrated his first M-1 win

The judges were very busy working the undercard as only two fights ended before the full distance with Russian featherweight knocking out his countryman, pro-debuting Rinat Shakirov in the third round, and Russian lightweight Viktor Kolesnik (11-3-1, M-1: 2-0-1) doing the same to Netherlands kickboxing specialist Brian Hooi (14-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0), only in the opening round.

Ukrainian light heavyweight Vadim Shabadash (5-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0) and Russian bantamweight Alexander Osetrov won unanimous decisions over, respectively, Russian Kirill Kusmin (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) and pro-debuting Lenar Suleymanov, of Russia.

Russian light weight Alik Albagachiev (4-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) took a majority decision win from Russian Ruslan Khisamutdinov (4-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0) and Russian welterweight Vadim Sinitsyn (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) had the exact same outcome versus Timur Gilimzyanov (4-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0). Brazilian lightweightDiego Davela (18-6-1, M-1: 1-1-1) and Busurmankul Abdibait Uulu (8-2-1, M-1: 0-0-1), of Kyrgyzstan, fought to a three-round split draw.

Complete results and photo gallery below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Brandon Halsey (10-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), USA

WUDEC3

Mikhail Ragozin (8-3-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia

INAUGURAL M-1 CHALLENGE FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Aleksander Doskalchuk (8-1-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Ukraine

WSUB2 (CHOKE – 1:26)

Vadim Malygin (11-3-1, M-1: 2-2-1), Russia

(Doskalchuk Won M-1 Challenge flyweight title)

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Raul Tutarauli (18-3-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Georgia

WUDEC

Vladimir Kanunnikov (8-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia)

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Nate Landwehr (9-2-0 (M-1: 1-0-0), USA

WKO/TKO (punches – 1:31)

Mikhail Korobkov (13-3-1, M-1: 1-3-1), Russia

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Sergey Morozov (10-3-0, M-1: 5-2-0), Kazakhstan

WKO/TKO2 (punches – 4:48)

Luan Fernandes (8-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Brazil

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Vadim Shabadash (5-2-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Ukraine

WUDEC

Kirill Kuzmin (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS

Vadim Sinitsyn (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WMDEC

Timur Gilimzyanov (4-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Diego Davella (18-6-1, M-1: 1-1-1), Brazil

Busurmankul Abditbait Uulu (8-2-1, M-1: 0-0-1), Kyrgyzstan

Viktor Kolesnik (11-2-1, M-1: 2-0-1), Russia

WKO/TKO1 (punches – 3:36)

Brian Hooi (14-7-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Netherlands

Alik Albagachiev (4-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WMDEC

Ruslan Khisamutdinov (4-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Nidzhat Imanov (2-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0)

WKO/TKO3 (punches)

Rinat Shakirov (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Alexander Osetrov (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), Russia

WUDEC

Lenar Suleymanov (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

INFORMATION:

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:

M-1 Challenge 84: October 27, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia

M-1 Challenge 85: November 10, 2017 in Moscow, Russia

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

M-1 CHALLENGE 83 WEIGHTS

September 24, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

KAZAN, Russia (September 22, 2017) – The official weigh in was held today for tomorrow’s M-1 Challenge 83 in Kazan, Russia. See weights and pictures below.

M-1 Challenge 83 will be streamed live from Kazan 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 the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(R) Mikhail Ragozin(8-2-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia 205 lbs. (93 kg)

(L) Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA 204 lbs. (92,8 kg)

INAUGURAL M-1 CHALLENGE FLYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP — 5 X 5

(L) Aleksander Doskalchuk (7-1-00, M-1: 1-0-0), Ukraine 125 lbs. (56,7 kg)

(R) Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (11-2-1, M-1: 2-1-1), Russia 125 lbs. (56,7 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(R) Vladimir Kanunnikov (8-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 153 ½ lbs. (69,6 kg)

(L) Raul Tutarauli (17-3-0, M-1: 5-1-0), Georgia 153 ½ lbs. (69,8 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(L) Nate “The Train” Landwehr (8-2-0 (M-1: 0-0-0), USA 144 lbs. (65,5 kg)

(R) Mikhail Korobkov (13-2-1, M-1: 1-2-1), Russia 143 OBS. (65,2 KG)

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

(R) Sergey Morozov (9-3-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Kazakhstan 135 LBS. (61,3 kg)

(L) Luan Fernandes (8-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Brazil 133 lbs. (60,5 kg)

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Kirill Kuzmin (2-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 200 lbs. (91 kg)

Vadim Shabadash (4-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Ukraine 202 lbs. (91,7 kg)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Timur Gilimzyanov (4-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 168 ½ lbs. (76,6 kg)

Vadim Sinitsyn (1-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 168 lbs. (76,3 kg)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Diego Davella (18-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Brazil 149 lbs. (67,8 kg)

Busurmankul Abditbait Uulu (8-2-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Kyrgyzstan 149 lbs. (67,8 kg)

Brian Hooi (14-6-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Netherlands 153 lbs. (69,6 kg)

Viktor Kolesnik (10-2-1, M-1: 1-0-1), Russia 154 ½ lbs. (70,3 kg)

Ruslan Khisamutdinov (4-3-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 154 lbs. (69,9 kg)

Alik Albagachiev (3-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 154 lbs. (70 kg)

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Rinat Shakirov (pro debut), Russia 138 lbs. (62,7 kg)

Nidzhat Imanov (1-1-0, M-1: 0-0-0) 138 ½ lbs. (63 kg)

BANTAMWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

Lenar Suleymanov (pro debut), Russia 133 lbs. (60,6 kg)

Alexander Osetrov (1-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0), Russia 134 lbs. (61,1 kg)

(all fights & fighters subject to change)

WHEN: Saturday, September 23, 2017

WHERE: Kazan, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE STREAM: www.m1global.tv (9.00 a.m. ET / 6:00 a.m. in USA)

INFORMATION:

Twitter & Instagram:

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@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:

M-1 Challenge 83: Sept. 23, 2017 in Kazan, Russia

M-1 Challenge 84: October 27, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia

M-1 Challenge 85: November 10, 2017 in Moscow, Russia

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Super Fight: Mikhail Ragozin vs. Brandon Halsey plus Doskalchuk vs. Malygin Inaugural M-1 Challenge Flyweight title fight

September 14, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (September 13, 2017) – The M-1 Challenge 83 main card is set for the first international mixed-martial-arts event ever held in the Republic of Tatarstan, September 23, in Kazan, Russia,

M-1 Challenge 83 will be streamed live from Kazan in high definition onwww.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 the action on their computers, as well as on Android and Apple smart phones and tablets.

World-class light heavyweight contenders Mikhail Ragozin (8-2-0, M-1: 3-0-0), representing New Stream Team, Storm School and Club Boets, and Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0) are matched against each other in the main event, while Aleksander Doskalchuk (7-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0) takes on Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (11-2-1, M-1: 2-1-1).

Last May in his most recent action, 25-year-old Ragozin (pictured below) stopped Alan Bispo,of Brazil, in the third round at M-1 Challenge 78. The Russian fighter hadn’t fought in M-1 Global competition since 2015.

Halsey, 30, is from Huntington Beach, California. A wrestler from the California State University in Bakersfield, Halsey captured the Bellator middleweight title three years ago by way of an opening-round submission (choke) of Russian MMA star Alexander Shlemenko, who avenged that loss with a knockout of Halsey in the first round this past June at M-1 Challenge 79. Halsey had difficulty dropping weight for his rematch with Shlemnenko and he immediately decided to move up in weight to light heavyweight.

Ukraine-born Doskalchuk (pictured below on left) rides a four-fight win streak, including a three-round unanimous decision last May at M-1 Challenge 78 over Son Le Binh.

The winner of his last three fights, Malygin (pictured below on right) is a Russian flyweight on a three-fight win streak, including a win by three-round unanimous decision over Fabricio “Bill” Sarraff at M-1 Challenge 78.

Also scheduled to fight on the M-1 Challenge 83 card is undefeated Russian lightweight prospect Vladimir Kanunnikov (8-0-0), who will be making his M-1 Global debut against Georgian Raul Tutalrauli (17-3-0, M-1: 5-1-0). American featherweight Nate “The Train” Landwehr (8-2-0) will also be making his M-1 Global debut versus veteran Russian fighter Mikhail Korobkov (13-2-1, M-1: 1-2-1), while Brazilian lightweight Diego (D’Avila) Davella (18-6-0, M-1: 1-1-0) takes on former Interim M-1 Challenge lightweight title challenger Alexey Nevzorov (12-3-0, M-1: 6-2-0), of Russia.

The M-1 Challenge 83 preliminary card will showcase local pro fighters such asRuslan Khisamutdinov, Kirill Kuzmen and Lenar Suleymanov.

INFORMATION:

Twitter & Instagram:

@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

Facebook:

M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:

M-1 Challenge 83: Sept. 23, 2017 in Kazan, Russia

M-1 Challenge 84: October 27, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Russia

M-1 Challenge 85: November 10, 2017 in Moscow, Russia

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Ragozin vs. Halsey to headline M-1 Challenge 83: Tatfight 5 Sept. 23 in Kazan, Russia

August 23, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (August 22, 2017) – M-1 Global will promote the first international mixed-martial-arts event in Republic of Tatarstan history, September 23, as Kazan, Russia hosts M-1 Challenge 83: Tatfight 5.

The main event of the evening will be a light heavyweight bout between American invader Brandon “Bull” Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), the two-time Bellator champion, and Mikhail Ragozin (8-2-0, M-1: 3-0-0), a National Pankration champion of Russia who is also a pupil of legendary Russian MMA fighter Alexander Shlemenko.

The inaugural M-1 Challenge Flyweight Championship will be contested as the two Grand Prix finalists, Ukrainian MMA National Champion Alexander Doskalchuk (7-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0) takes on Russian Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (11-2-1, M-1: 2-1-1), who is a multiple regional champion in hand-to-hand combat and kickboxing.

Also scheduled to fight on the growing M-1 Challenge 83 card is Georgian champion Raul Tutarauli (17-3-0, M-1: 5-1-0) against multiple Russian Army hand-to-hand combat champion Vladimir Kanunnikov (8-0-0, M-1: 0-0-0) in an M-1 Challenge lightweight eliminator to determine the No. 1 contender.

The Republic of Tatarstan will be represented at this event by the best fighters from Kazan City, including 2015 & 2016 Republic of Tatarstan MMA champion Ruslan Khisamutdinov, representing the “Divizion” Fight Club, two-time Republic of Tatarstan and Volga Federal District MMA champion Kirill Kuzmin, representing the “Bars Profi” Fight Club, Kyokushin Karate prize-winning Russian champion and winner of the TATFIGHT tournament in Kyokushin Karate, Lenar Suleymanov.

Viewing fans of the event will watch more than a dozen spectacular battles featuring many of the best MMA fighters from Russia, USA, Brazil, Germany, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Georgia.

M-1 Global invites true connoisseurs of this courageous and spectacular sport, as well as those who are joining the amazing world of one of the fastest growing sports to the planet, to watch M-1 Challenge 83: Tatfight 5 on September 23 via M-1 Global.tv or in Canada on Fight Network.

INFORMATION:

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@M1GlobalNews

@VFinkelchtein

@M1Global

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Bellator, mixed martial arts, MMA, Spike TV

GEGARD MOUSASI TO DEBUT AT BELLATOR 185 AGAINST ALEXANDER SHLEMENKO ON OCTOBER 20

July 19, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

‘KING MO’ MEETS LIAM MCGEARY IN LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CO-MAIN EVENT AT MOHEGAN SUN ARENA

LOS ANGELES – On the heels of his recent Bellator signing, Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) will make his promotional debut against former champ Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC) on Friday, October 20 at Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko, an event that takes place at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.

In addition, the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko will feature a light heavyweight contest pitting “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) against former titleholder Liam McGeary (12-2). Additional main and preliminary card bouts will be announcing in the coming weeks.

The event will be broadcast live and free on SPIKE at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT, while preliminary action will stream on Bellator.com and the Bellator Mobile App. Tickets for this massive event start at $30, with an exclusive Bellator Nation Presale offer on Wednesday, July 19 at 10 a.m. ET through Thursday, July at 10 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 21 at 10 a.m. ET and are available at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office, as well as Ticketmaster and Bellator.com.

Long-considered to be one of the elite two-division threats in MMA, Mousasi is set for his Bellator debut and is currently riding a five-fight win streak that includes recent knockout victories over two former world champions in Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort. Prior to his UFC tenure, Mousasi captured the STRIKEFORCE light heavyweight title, as well as the DREAM light heavyweight and middleweight titles in Japan. “The Dreamcatcher,” who currently trains out of The Netherlands, has earned victories over some of the sports’ biggest names, including Dan Henderson, “Jacare” Souza, Mark Hunt, Ovince Saint-Preux, Melvin Manhoef, Hector Lombard and “Babalu” Sobral.

Shlemenko, a former middleweight champion, has competed under the Viacom-owned promotion’s umbrella since Bellator 16 in 2010. Known for his vicious finishing ability, “Storm” ruled with an iron fist over Bellator’s 185-pound division, defending his belt on three occasions. One of the most dominant champions in Bellator history and currently riding a five-fight win streak, which includes a TKO victory over Kendall Grove at Bellator 162, Shlemenko has his sights set on earning a shot at once again becoming world champion.

It was only a matter of time before “King Mo” Lawal and Liam McGeary squared off inside the Bellator cage. On the heels of a unanimous decision victory over “Rampage” Jackson at Bellator 175, the king of Bellator’s “money-weight” division returns to meet Britain’s McGeary. Never one to shy away from a fight, the former STRIKEFORCE champion, has stepped inside the Bellator cage on 14 separate occasions and was also victorious during RIZIN’s first open-weight tournament in 2015.

Widely regarded as one of the top light heavyweights in the world, McGeary will enter his bout with Lawal looking to once again stake his claim on the division he once sat atop of. A member of Team Renzo Gracie in New York, McGeary brings his renowned jiu-jitsu skills to the table against an opponent who has yet to be submitted in 27-fights as a professional. Of the 34-year-old’s 12 wins, 11 have come before reaching the judges’ scorecards, a feat McGeary hopes to continue in the co-main event of Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko.

Updated Bellator 185: Mousasi vs. Shlemenko Fight Card:

Middleweight Main Event: Gegard Mousasi (42-6-2) vs. Alexander Shlemenko (56-9, 1 NC)

Light Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal (21-6, 1 NC) vs. Liam McGeary (12-2)

****

About Bellator:

Bellator is a leading mixed martial arts and kickboxing organization featuring many of the best fighters in the world. Under the direction of veteran fight promoter Scott Coker, Bellator is available to nearly 1 billion people worldwide in over 160 countries. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on SPIKE, the combat sports television leader. Bellator is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Hollywood, Calif. and owned by entertainment giant Viacom, home to the world’s premier entertainment brands that connect with audiences through compelling content across television, motion picture, online and mobile platforms.

About Spike:

Spike  is available in 98.7 million  homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks.  A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.  Spike’s internet address is  www.spike.com  and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press.  Follow us on Twitter  @spiketvpr  for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

Alexander Shlemenko vs. Brandon Halsey 3? Only if it’s a light heavyweight fight

June 10, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia (June 9, 2017) — World-class MMA middleweights Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko and Brandon “Bull” Halsey have fought twice with each opponent imposing their wills from the opening bell to secure a quick victory.

Will they complete a rare MMA trilogy? Only if it’s a light heavyweight fight, according to Halsey.

“I’d take the fight in an instant at 205 (lbs); I can’t make it down to 185,” Halsey said. “I think the fans would really love to see this fight. I’d be healthy, he’d be healthy. It would last more than 30 seconds. It would be a war!”

The two-fight split outcomes, which totaled only 56 seconds, calls for a “rubber match” to determine which one is the better fighter.

Shlemenko-Halsey 1 was held September 26, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona (USA) as the Bellator 126 main event, in which Shlemenko defended his Bellator middleweight title. Halsey, a former Division I, All-American wrestler at California State University at Bakersfield, started strong and used his wrestling skills to win only 35 seconds into the match, by way of a technical submission via a rare-naked choke. The gifted American become the new Bellator middleweight champion.

Last Thursday night at M-1 Challenge 79 in Saint Petersburg, Shlemenko-Halsey 2 was the main event. Shlemenko stormed out of his corner, blasting powerful kicks and punches on Halsey;s body, until the referee halted the action at the 21-second mark for a stunning technical knockout triumph for the rugged Russian.

“We have to see how confident he is about himself,” Halsey continued. “He has to feel really good right now, breaking my rib on his first kick, and punching me out on the ground. He must feel great about it. I don’t see why he wouldn’t want to do it again. I felt great about our first fight after I choked him unconscious in 30 seconds. I thought I could do it again, even with significant health problems. He must think he can do it again, even if we move up one weight class. Otherwise, what kind of champion is he, right?

“I believe that this trilogy fight could be a war, maybe something that will go down in the M-1 history books. The ball is in Shlemenko’s court. I’ll do the travelling. I’d come back to Russia and fight in front of his fans. The question is will he come up one weight class and fight me (at a weight) where I’m healthy? If he says no, well, then that’s on him. I know fight fans will be disappointed if he doesn’t take the fight just because he’s a little small, but that’s something he’s going to have to think about.

“Look, if Fedor (Emelianenko) can walk around at 230 and fight guys that have 50-70 pounds on him, I don’t know why Shlemenko can’t win a fight at just 20 pounds heavier. Right? M-1 Global is a great outfit and I’m very glad to be fighting for them. They’ve got some studs at 205 that I’d love to a fight. And I know I’ve got a lot to prove after that embarrassing loss, so I’ll take whoever they want to give me. If I get my head smashed in again, well, at least it will be more entertaining, but if I smash some guy’s head in, well, that’s what I expect and I can’t imagine anything less.

“I’ll take the next couple of weeks to get my health back, then start training. I’ll be ready to fight whoever they put in front of me this time. No more getting my ass kicked by the weight cut. That’s all behind me now. Let’s see what happens.”

According to Halsey, he never should have agreed to fight Shelemnko in their rematch.

“For the last two years,” Halsey explained, “I’ve been struggling and I think it’s time to let people know what’s been going on. My stubbornness and pride got the better of me. Against the advice of my coaches, many of my trainers, my mentors and friends, I’ve tried to stay down at 185, while my body long outgrew that weight class. I believed I knew better than everyone else. I thought that I would simply will myself to the weight and believed that, because I was the champion at 185 and that I had won nine straight fights at 185, going up to 205 would be cowardice, laziness and weakness. And I was wrong.

“I was recently finally released from the hospital. I had several things wrong with me: renal failure from my kidneys shutting down from the weight cut, blood clot threatening my heart, broken rib causing internal bleeding, extreme hypotension (low blood pressure). The broken rib was from the fight, but the rest is from the weight cut. My doctors have told me that 185 is not a weight that I can safely make anymore. I hate to admit it but that’s the truth.

“Shlemenko is a good fighter and right now we are one and one. I got him in 30 seconds, he got me in 25. Neither was a very good fight for the loser. And while he did break my rib with that very well-placed kick, I don’t feel like he beat me. The scale beat me before I ever got into the ring.

“I do believe we should finish this trilogy and find out who is the best, once and for all, but it’s going to have to be at 205. I understand if Shlemenko is nervous about fighting me at 205; he is small. In that case, I welcome a fight with whoever M-1 Global wants me to fight. If Shlemenko accepts the fight, as he did with Tito Ortiz, I hope we can finally have a war that lasts more than 30 seconds. If he doesn’t, I’m sure fans will be disappointed to know he refused the fight just because of his size.”

M-1 Global TV announcer Sean Wheelock not only called the original Shlemenko-Halsey fight, he also worked their rematch last week in Russia.

“In the first fight,” Wheelock offered his unique, first-hand perspective, “Halsey came out and implemented his wrestling skills, hitting a takedown, took the back, and locked in a power rear-naked choke. Shlemenko is not one to tap-out, so he went to sleep (technical submission), which is what Halsey does best. Their last fight was the opposite, though, as Alexander Shlemenko came out right away with a body kick to the liver, then he went to work, eliminating Halsey’s grappling and takedowns.

“They’re two of the best fighters in the world. Both did what they do best to win, taking away what their opponent does best. I think a third fight would be great. I love doing commentary for both fighters; I’d happily call 50 Shlemenko-Halsey fights. A third fight would be very interesting.”

Shlemenko’s (56-9-0, 1 NC, M-1: 6-0-0) ground-and-pound vs. Halsey’s (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0) wrestling-and-grappling in their trilogy fight. Who do you like in Shlemenko-Halsey 3? Keep in mind, though, the only chance of their trilogy fight is if Shlemenko agrees to fight Halsey at 205 pounds. Stay tuned!

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M-1 CHALLENGE EVENT CALENDAR:

M-1 Challenge 80 – June 15, 2017 in Habin, China

M-1, M-1 Challenge, mixed martial arts, MMA, Russia

“Storm” Rising Alexander Shlemenko avenges 2 ½-year-old loss Stops Brandon Halsey in 25 seconds

June 3, 2017 FNU47 Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

M-1 CHALLENGE 79 RESULTS

Alexander Shlemenko’s sensation stoppage of Brandon Halsey sets up a possible trilogy match

Go here for more pictures: https://yadi.sk/d/4xHtiukp3JjhgV

SAINT PETERSBURG; Russia (June 2, 2017) — MMA star Alexander “Storm” Shlemenko needed only 25 seconds to avenge a loss to middleweight Brandon “Bull” Halsey in last night’s M-1 Challenge 79 headliner at Saint Petersburg, Russia.

M-1 Challenge 79 was a part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum’s Cultural Program. Nine different countries were represented in this International event: Russia, USA, UK, Israel, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, South Korea, Ukraine.

Shlemenko (56-7-0, M-1: 6-0-0) came out for the opening bell with force, unloading a series of powerful kicks and punches to the body of an overwhelmed Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), who made his M-1 Global debut, and he was unable to make it past the 25-seconds mark of the opening round.

In this battle of former Bellator champions, Shlemenko gained revenge for his Bellator loss to Halsey, by way of a rear-naked-choke in 35-seconds, on September 26, 2014.

Shlemenko, fighting out of Russia, noted after the fight that his electrifying start wasn’t a coincidence. “I’m just happy,” he said. “I mean, if I’d just won, everyone would say, ‘Well, I got it done.’ But, I won in 25 seconds; it’s just real happiness. I think everyone’s happy. It was wonderful and beautiful and no left no questions,”

Halsey later said he’s ready for a third match against Shlemenko to complete their trilogy. “I’m ready to go against Russian again,” Halsey commented. “You all saw that Alexander came out aggressively. He had a good start and everything was pre-decided. I lost and it hurts, but I’m ready to go back to battle. I will not excuse myself. There’s nothing less to worry about than anyone else’s opinion in the forums. Today, Shlemenko was stronger. I am prepared learn from my mistakes. I got a quick win last time. Now, Shlemenko won quickly. The score is 1-to-1 and I am ready to meet him again to finally determine who is the better fighter.

Russian welterweight Sergey Romanov (11-0, M-1: 5-1-0) defeated M-1 pro-debutingArda “Boma Ye” Adas (7-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of Germany, by first-round technical knockout due to an arm injury.

Russian lightweight Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (14-5-0, M-1: 4-2-0) took a majority decision over Brazilian Michel “Sassarito” Silva (18-6-1, M-1: 0-1-0), while Russian middleweight Oleg Oleniochev (9-4-0, M-1: 2-0-0) won a unanimous decision overEnoc Solves Torres (19-10-1, M-1: 5-7-1).

In the main card opener, Russian bantamweight Dalgiev Khamzat (9-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0) used a heel hook to submit Brit Dragan “Little Wonder” Pesic (13-8-0, M-1: 0-1-0).

American bantamweight “The Finisher” Josh Rettinghouse (15-4-0, M-1: 3-0-0) remained unbeaten in M-1 Global competition, submitting previously undefeatedBakhtiyar “Baha” Toychubaev (6-1-1, M-1: 0-1-0) in the second round with a rear-naked choke.

Also fighting on the preliminary card were winners by unanimous decision: Ukrainian light heavyweight Dmitriy Mikutsa (7-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russian heavyweight Anton Vyazigin (8-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0) and Russian bantamweight Alexander Osetrov (2-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), respectively, against Russian Dmitry Tebekin (5-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukrainian Yuri Protsenko (8-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0) and Israeli Almog Shay (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0).

Russian bantamweight Bair Shtepin (4-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0) punched out “Hellboy” Won Jun Jang (4-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of South Korea, in the first round. Russian lightweightsNikolay Goncjarpv (0-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1) and Maxim Pugachev (7-1-1, M-1: 3-0-1) fought to a three-round draw.

Complete results below:

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Alexander Shlemenko (56-7-0, M-1: 6-0-0), Russia

WTKO1 (0:25 – punches)

Brandon Halsey (9-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0), USA

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Sergey Romanov (11-1-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia

WTKO1 (4:19 – arm injury)

Arda Adas (7-3-0, M-1: 0-010), Germany

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Alexey Makhno (14-5-0, M-1: 4-2-0), Russia

WDEC3

Michael Silva (18-6-1, M-1: 0-1-0) Brazil

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Oleg Olenichev (9-4-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Russia

WDEC3

Enoc Solves Torres (19-10-1, M-1: 5-7-1), Spain

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Dalgiev Khamzat (9-1-0, M-1: 6-1-0), Russia

WSUB1 (heel hook)

Dragan Pesic (13-8-0, M-1: 0-1-0), UK

PRELIMINARY CARD

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Anton Vyazigin (8-1-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia

DEC3

Yuri Protsenko (8-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukraine

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Dmitry Mikutsa (7-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Ukraine

WDEC3

Dmitry Tebekin (5-3-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Nikolay Goncharov (0-0-1, M-1: 0-0-1), Russia

Draw3

Maxim Pugachev(7-1-1, M-1: 3-0-1), Russia

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Josh Rettinghose (15-4-0, M-1: 3-0-0), USA

WSUB2 (4:31 – rear-naked choke)

Bakhtiyar Toychubaev (6-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Kyrgzstan

Bair Shtepin (4-2-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Russia

WKO3 (2:31 – punches)

Won Jun Jang (4-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0), South Korea

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