MOSCOW (November 19, 2016) – In his first title defense, M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kuchenko(15-0-0, M-1: 7-0-0) won a five-round decision over challenger Murad “Hunter” Abdulaev (15-5-0, M-1: 3-3-0) last night in a rematch to headline M-1 Challenge 72 in Mowcow.

Kunchenko, fighting out of Tyumen, Russia, defeated defending champion Abdulaev, of Russia, last April at M-1 Challenge 65 when he was unable to continue in round four.

Rising Russian middleweight star Artem Frolov (8-0-0, M-1: 5-0-0) also remained unbeaten, stopping veteran American fighter Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (26-15-0, M-1: 4-4-0), a former M-1 Challenge middleweight title challenger, on punches in the opening round.

Former M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Artiom Damkovsky (22-10-0, M-1: 12-7-0), of Belarus, may have positioned himself for another title shot by defeating Russian Alexey “Ataman” Makhno (13-5-0, 3-2-0), whose corner stopped the fight in the third round.

Kazak lightweight Damir Ismagulov (9-2-0, M-1: 5-1-0), fighting out of Russia, won a three-round unanimous decision over Brazilian Rubenilton “Rubinho” Pereira (16-4-0, M-1: 0-2-0), while Croatian middleweight Kristijan “Pacman” Perak (9-3-2 (M-1: 0-2-2) and Talekh “The Azerbaijan Terminator” Nadzhafzade (4-1-1, M-1: 2-0-1) fought to a three-round draw.

In preliminary card action, Russian featherweight Timor Nagibin (8-2-0, M-1: 3-2-0) knocked out Russian Kurbanali Abdusalamov (6-3-0), M-1: 4-1-1) ibn the third round, French bantamweight Moktar “Le Kabyle” Benkaci (12-6-0, M-1: 2-1-0) punched out Ukrainian Alexey Naumov (13-4-0, M-1: 1-3-0) in three rounds, Russian welterweight Danila Prikaza (5-1-1, M-1: 3-1-0) won a hard fought three-round decision over Croatian veteran Ivica “Terror” Truscek (31-28-0, M-1: 0-4-0), Ukrainian bantamweight Alexsandr Lunga (9-8-0, M-1: 1-0-0) took a three-round split decision from Russian Bair Shtepin (3-2-0, M-1: 0-2-0), Russian light heavyweight Artur Tyulparov (1-0-0, M-1: 1-0-0) won his pro debut by way of an opening round submission by way of a guillotine choke over Czech Michal Kotalik (2-1-1, M-1: 0-1-0), and Russian welterweight Adam Bakaev (1-1-0, M-1: 1-0–0) submitted Maksim “Mad Max” Melnik (2-3-0, M-1: 0-1-0).

NEXT SHOW: Dec. 17, M-1 Challenge 73, Igushetia, Russia