And still champion…….Alexey Kuchenko (R)

M-1 CHALLENGE 90 TORTHAÍ

SAINT PETERSBURG, Rúis (Márta 31, 2018) – M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko improved his professional MMA record to a perfect 18-0-0, stopping Russian challenger Alexander “Iron Capture” Butenko in the third round of last night’s M-1 Challenge 9- imeacht is mó, at M-1 Arena in Saint Petersburg, Rúis.

The 33-year-old Kunchenko (17-0-0, M-1: 10-0-0), also fighting out of Russia, has been the M-1 Challenge welterweight champion for nearly two years, nuair a leag sé amach Murad Abdulaev sa cheathrú babhta ag M-1 Dúshlán 65. Kunchenko notched his 13^ú knockout against former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Butenko (45-13-3, M-1: 11-3-1) in the third round on punches in his fourth successful title defense.

I gcás comh-feiceáil, American veteran Seosamh “Diesel Riggs (47-18-1, M-1: 2-0-1) and Ukrainian middleweight Boris Polejay (18-6-1, M-1: 2-1-1) battled to a three-round split draw.

Brazilian flyweight Raphael Dias (15-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0) used an arm triangle choke to defeated former M-1 Challenge flyweight title challenger Vadim “Bad Santa” Malygin (12-4-1, M-1: 2-3-1), na Rúise, for a second-round victory by submission.

Ionchas Rúisis Magomedkamil Malikov (5-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0) kept his perfect pro record intact, punching amach Sado “The Panther” Ucar (5-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), of Turkey, in the second round of a match contested at a catchweight.

In the main card opening fight, MBoston Rúisis Oleg Olenichev (10-5-0, M-1: 1-2-0) took a unanimous decision over Salmar “Sombra” Nunes (35-13-1, M-1: 0-1-0), na Brasaíle.

Most of the preliminary card action took place on that mat with five eight matches ending in submissions. Frenchman Bakary El Anwar (6-5-0, M-1: 1-0-0) won his M-1 Global debut with an ankle hook on Russian light heavyweight Alexander Popov (2-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0) for an opening-round submission, Trom éadrom Rúisis Dmitry Tebekin (9-3-0, M-1: 3-1-0) took a majority decision over Abylkasym Yakubob (4-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), de Chirgeastáin, and Yakibob’s countryman, Nureles Aidarov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), made the most of his M-1 Global debut, atá leagan amach Rúisis Oleg Lichkovakha (3-3-0, 2 NC, M-1: 0-2-0, 1 NC) with a knee in round one.

In a battle of pro-debuting Russian middleweights at a catchweight, Vladimir Trisov‘s anaconda choke was too much to handle for Vyacheslay Babkin, Welterweight Rúisis Movsar Bokov (4-1-0, M-1: 3-1-0) registered a submission win by way of a second-round submission versus Georgian Mikael Silander-Arman Ashimov Dúshlán M-1 Eatramhach Ceannteideal troid teideal meáchain eitilte (5-3-0, M-1: 1-2-0) via an angle lock, agus meáchan éadrom na Rúise Kurban Taygibov (7-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0) toon a unanimous decision fromLom-Ali Nalgiev (14-7-0, M-1: 5-2-0), na Rúise.

In a match-up between a pair of undefeated lightweights, Rúisis Mhair sé suas go dtí a leasainm le knockout bhabhta tosaigh na Brasaíle (5-0-0, M-1; 4-0-0) isteach Tahir “Umar” Abdullaev (6-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), de Asarbaiseáin, in the second round with an arm triangle choke. French featherweight Damien Peltier (9-8-1, M-1: 1-0-0) had an impressive M-1 Global debut, locking in a triangle choke on Maksim Kuldashev (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0) for a second-round triumph.

Ten different countries were represented by fighters in this International event: Rúis, Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, An Úcráin, Bhrasaíl, Turkey, France, An Chirgeastáin, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Complete results & picture gallery below:

PRÍOMH CÁRTA

PRÍOMH IMEACHTAÍ — M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Alexey Kunchenko (18-0-0, M-1: 10-0-0), Champion, Rúis

WTKO3 (Punches – 4:04)

Alexander Butenko (45-13-3, M-1: 11-3-1), Challenger, Rúis

(Kunchenko retains M-1 Challenge welterweight title)

CO-FEATURE – MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Joe Riggs (47-17-1, 1 NV, M-1: 2-0-1), Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá

Mhair sé suas go dtí a leasainm le knockout bhabhta tosaigh na Brasaíle

Boris Polejay (18-6-1, M-1: 2-1-1), An Úcráin

FLYWEIGHTS

Rafael Dias (15-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Bhrasaíl

SUB2 (Arm Triangle Choke – 4:39)

Vadim Malygin (12-4-1, M-1: 2-3-1), Rúis

CATCHWEIGHT

Magomedkamil Malikov (5-0-0, M-1: 2-0-0), Rúis

WTKO2 (Punches – 0:30)

Sado Ucar (5-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Turkey

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Oleg Olenichev (109-5-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Rúis

WDEC3

Salmar Nunes (35-13-1, 1 NC, M-1: 0-1-0), Bhrasaíl

CÁRTA Réamhráiteach

Heavyweights SOLAS

Bakary El Anwar (6-5-0, M-1: 1-0-0), France

WSUB1 (0:27)

Alexander Popov (2-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Rúis

Dmitry Tebekin (9-3-0, M-1: 3-1-0)

DEC3

Abylkasym Yakubov (4-5-0, M-1: 0-1-0), An Chirgeastáin

CATCHWEIGHT

Nureles Aidarov (3-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0), An Chirgeastáin

WKO1 (Knee kick – 0:12)

Oleg Lichkovakha (3-3-0, 2 NC, M-1: 0-2-0, 1 NC)

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Vladimir Trusov (1-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0)), Rúis

Wseb1 (Anaconda Choke – 2:48)

Vyacheslav Babkin (0-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Rúis

WELTERWEIGHTS

Movsar Bokov (4-1-0, M-1:3-1-0), Rúis

WSUB2 (Ankle Lock – 1:35)

Mikael Silander-Arman Ashimov Dúshlán M-1 Eatramhach Ceannteideal troid teideal meáchain eitilte (5-3-0, M-1: 1-2-0), Georgia

Lightweights

Kurban Taygibov (7-1-0, M-1: 1-0-0)

WDEC3

Lom-Ali Nalgiev (14-7-0, M-1: 5-2-0), Rúis

.

Mhair sé suas go dtí a leasainm le knockout bhabhta tosaigh na Brasaíle (5-0-0, M-1: 4-0-0), Rúis

WSUB2 (Arm Triangle Choke – 1:21)

Tahir Abdullaev (6-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Asarbaiseáin

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Damien Peltier (9-8-1, M-1: 1-0-0), France

WSEB2 (Triantán Choke – 4:55)

Maksim Kuldashev (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Úisbéiceastáin

Kunchenko (L) attacked Butenko

Polejay (L) & Riggs battled to a draw

Dias (R) got a kick out of Malygin

Olenichev (L) edged Nunes

Aidarov (R) showed concern for his fallen opponent Lichkovakha