M-1 Challenge XXVI - Card Updates

[Keithlewis]

M-1 Challenge XXVI Returns Stateside Friday, July 8th: Heavyweight and Lightweight Title Fights Headline a Knockout Card, Featuring Top European Talent


Vancouver, Canada (May 5, 2011) – Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, M-1 Global, returns stateside Friday July 8th for its second U.S. based event in 2011. Headlining the evening’s bout sheet, undefeated, Georgian powerhouse, Guram Gugenishvili (11-0) puts his heavyweight (205+ Lbs) belt on the line against decorated American wrestler, Pat Bennett (4-2) while newly crowned Lightweight Champion (155 Lbs), Jose ‘The People’s Champ’ Figueroa (10-4) makes his first title defense against the versatile German fighter, Daniel Weichel (26-7).

“M-1 Global is fully engaged in preparations for this year’s second US-based Challenge event,” said M-1 Global Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan. “The European fighters who participated in the March card enjoyed great success in their North American debuts, setting the bar extremely high for those who coming from overseas in July. This group of fighters are eager to put on exciting performances for the fans.”

The heavyweight title clash sets the stage for a battle between a pair of Goliath’s intent to impose their will. MMA site Bloody Elbow recently ranked Guram Gugenishvili as the #1heavyweight prospect in the world and the giant has been putting his opponents to sleep faster than a licensed anaesthesiologist. With 10 impressive submission victories to his name, Guram has the size, strength and power to evolve into one of the most dominant heavyweight fighters in the sport.

Known for his wrestling skills, Bennett has proven to be a multidimensional mixed martial artist able to transition into a touted striker at will; doubters are quickly silenced by his combined amateur and professional record which is heavily weighted in the ‘win’ column with five first-round TKO’s. Capable of managing larger opponents thanks to his versatile background and heavy-handed striking, this New Jersey native is primed to bring a tough fight to the current heavyweight champ.

In the lightweight championship showdown, monstrous 155-pound Champion, Jose Figueroa seized his opportunity headlining M-1 Global’s debut event on SHOWTIME against Artiom Damkovsky and came away with a statement-making victory that captured the card’s Fight of the Night top honour. Effective in leveraging his reach advantage in all facets of the game, Figueroa shows overwhelming control on the ground; fighting from guard, this imposing fighter is capable of posting up and dropping down heavy strikes at will and has conditioning that can go the distance should the judges need to decide the outcome.

Feared submission specialist, Daniel Weichel will stand in the opposing corner eager to make the Champ’s reign short lived. Successful in eight of his last nine trips to the canvass, Weichel’s vault of experience has been hard-fought and earned through international passage with organizations including Shooto, King of the Cage, Cage Warriors and the UFC; he possesses incredible athleticism and dexterity with the ability to scoop the single or double leg takedown effortlessly as a precursor to a submission or a devastating ground-and-pound.

With M-1 Challenge champions established in all five weight classes, a true contenders system will fuel events throughout 2011, driving M-1 Global’s growth as a leading brand in the US and international markets.

2011’s full slate of M-1 Challenge events held in the United States and Europe are primed to be mega-event spectaculars where Champions defend their titles and contenders jockey for position for a coveted shot at the gold. Feeding the contention system will be two Selection tournaments held throughout Europe and North America in 2011.

[Keithlewis]

#1 Heavyweight Prospect, Guram Gugenishvili, Makes Stateside Debut - Headlines M-1 Challenge XXVI


Top-ranked prospect, Guram Gugenishvili has been putting the competition to sleep faster than a licensed anaesthesiologist since coming on the scene in July of 2009. Sporting a perfect 11-0 record and the M-1 Global heavyweight strap, the Georgian powerhouse is making his debut inside the United States on July 8th at M-1 Challenge XXVI; he’ll face decorated American wrestler, Pat Bennett in the card’s headline bout.

Fighting out of Makariv, Kiev Oblast in the Ukraine, Gugenishvili had been the cornerstone of the Makfight team since beginning his professional career; as with all fighters aiming to evolve, Guram made the tough decision to move to the Aris Sport Club earlier this year, where a modern facility is set to provide him the tools to become an even more dominant force. Although in a new team, Guram remains under the instruction of Coach Ioseb Koberidze, who is dedicated to improving his pupil’s striking and jiu Jitsu.

As the winner of the inaugural 2010 M-1 Selection Eastern European tournament and Europe’s leading MMA promotion’s reigning heavyweight champion, what’s most notable about Guram is his agility; at 6’4” and 250lbs, he moves around the ring lightly, maintaining precise ring positioning. He’s methodical, calm and systematic in his movements; in his mind, he’s won the fight before the sound of the bell and the course of action within the ropes is only a formality.

No one has been able to expose holes in his abilities to date. All but two of his victories have ended early in the first round and seven of these come by way of suffocating, anaconda-like rear naked chokes. Aspiring fighters often rely on one or two bases early in their career and Guram is no different; he has a sound freestyle wrestling base that he leverages to set up submissions but there is room to improve. Guram and his coach are actively improving his sambo and striking techniques while also working in boxing and Muay Thai sessions.

He has the confidence, work ethic and determination to elevate his proficiency in all fighting styles and evolve into an even more fearsome, versatile fighter. Simply put: Gugenishvili is proving himself as the top-ranked heavyweight prospect in MMA and the global fan base has no choice other than to take notice.

Guram captured the inaugural M-1 Global heavyweight belt at M-1 Challenge XXI where he fought American Top Team’s Kenny ‘Deuce’ Garner. After some momentary trouble handling Garner’s submission game, the Georgian powerhouse disposed on his foe early in the second round, capturing the card’s Submission of the Night honour thanks to a standing guillotine choke that put Garner on the mat, out unconscious.

His first title defense was M-1 Challenge XXIII this past March where he collided with Red Devil prospect, Maxim Grishin, who nearly shocked the world in the early seconds of the battle when he floored the champ with a left hook. With the dangerous situation short-lived, Guram got back to his feet and engaged Grishin quickly; after a brief exchange, the pair hit the mat with Guram working from his foe’s guard, firing effective blows through Grishin’s defence. As Guram postured up and stepped over into full mount, Grishin made the fatal mistake of rolling over in an attempt to escape, giving up his back and exposing his neck; it took Guram a split second to recognize the position and quickly wrenched in his patented, text-book RNC, forcing the tap at 3:38 of the opening round.

As the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Guram is now climbing the next steps of his professional career where the level and calibre of competition gets tougher.

Although extremely successful to date and able to manhandle his opponents at will, it’s inevitable to envision the type of fighter that Guram will evolve into with exposure to elite-level coaching and training in striking and jiu jitsu; incorporating these elements into his already powerful arsenal will make Guram a force to be reckoned with anywhere on the planet; his first foray outside of Europe lands him in the United States on July 8th when Pat Bennett will aim to stop the Guram hype-train short of stardom.

With M-1 Challenge champions established in all five weight classes, a true contenders system will fuel events throughout 2011, driving M-1 Global’s growth as a leading brand in the US and international markets.

2011’s full slate of M-1 Challenge events held in the United States and Europe are primed to be mega-event spectaculars where Champions defend their titles and contenders jockey for position for a coveted shot at the gold. Feeding the contention system will be two Selection tournaments in 2011 with details being announced shortly.

[Keithlewis]

Pat Bennett Aiming to Halt Guram’s Hype-Train at M-1 Challenge XXVI


Standing on the brink of greatness, ready to cement himself as a crowd-shocking phenomenon at M-1 Challenge XXVI, decorated American wrestler, Pat Bennett will stand opposite monster Georgian powerhouse and reigning Heavyweight Champion, Guram Gugenishvili on July 8th; dethroning Guram in the evening’s main event would catapult Bennett on to the radar of MMA fans around the world.

But there is a reason why Guram stands as the sports #1-ranked heavyweight prospect and the New Jersey native and Team Bombsquad fighter needs to deliver a career performance to make his championship dream a reality. Any mistakes and Bennett will be put to sleep and thrown into the deep list of those who have previously fallen in Guram’s devastating wake

Bennett sports an established 7-2 combined amateur and professional mixed martial arts record heavily weighted in the ‘win’ column with five first-round TKO’s. Although known for his proud wrestling pedigree, Bennett has thus proven he is a multidimensional fighter able to transition his skills to whatever is set in front of him; he’ll need his full arsenal in the face of Guram and isn’t shying away from the champ in any respect. “It’s no surprise that Guram is rated as high as he is. On one side he hasn’t gone more than 10 minutes, on the other side there is a reason for that. However my camp and I are very dedicated to bringing home the belt and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish this task. As far as Guram is concerned, I hope he packs a lunch because July 8th is going to be a long day.”

As a key member of the Team Bombsquad contingent, Bennett’s manager, Ryan Ciotoli, has nothing but praise for the heavyweight’s performances to date. “Pat’s a three time All-American wrestler, so he possesses a great base and he’s an electrifying striker; hence the reason for his five first round wins. I definitely consider Bennett to be the top contender in the heavyweight division.”

Bennett had recently set his wrestling on the back burner in favour of striking throughout his 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament run, displaying a wide array of talents. Opening up the brackets against Nick Smiley, the mild-mannered monster needed a total of 37 seconds to destroy Smiley by TKO and leave him in the ring busted and bloodied. His semi-final bout was a marathon war with Mehdi Hassan where he earned a unanimous decision victory. The run was halted in the finals however as Bennett fell victim to Kenny ‘Deuce’ Garner’s lead left hook; unable to answer Garner’s striking, Bennett notched the second loss of his career via TKO at the midway point of the opening frame.

Bennett’s first trip to M-1’s larger, international stage was in December at M-1 Challenge XXII where he faced Alexander Volkov; the staunch American went back to his decorated base with a game plan to exploit the stylistic mismatch; defend the striking, set-up takedowns and demolish Volkov on the ground. Bennett did exactly this for four full rounds with precision execution. Although the initial decision was shrouded in controversy, an independent panel of judges rightfully scored the bout in Bennett’s favour.

The heavyweight title fight against Guram will likely send Bennett back to his fundamental and highly decorated base. “I’m a dominant wrestler and seemed to have gotten away from what I do best,” says Bennett. “I’ve watched Guram’s videos. I know a lot about him and his weaknesses. Stylistically this is a great match-up and I know what I have to do to be successful.”

At 6’ 3”, 240 pounds, Bennett has heavy hands that deliver unforgiving power; if he connects with his overhand right, there is a real possibility to see Guram fall. But Bennett will have to successfully defend takedown attempts and push the pace as he sees fit while being cautiously aware of Guram’s strength. These monsters matchup extremely well: both possesses strong wrestling bases, are incredibly strong and are mirror images physically, the only difference in their builds is a two-inch height advantage and 10 pounds in favour of the champ.

With the American crowd in his corner on July 8th, Bennett controls his own destiny as the underdog in the biggest fight of his career, intent to dethrone the world’s #1 ranked heavyweight prospect and build some much deserved clout of his own. “First and foremost it is always a pleasure to fight under the M-1 banner and I can’t wait for this fight. This opportunity means the world to me and my family on so many levels and I take my career very seriously.”

[Keithlewis]

An Inside Look at Guram vs. Bennett: Stylistic Similarities Make This a Closer Fight Than Originally Thought


There is a reason why Guram Gugenishvili stands as the sports #1-ranked heavyweight prospect; since making his debut in July of 2009, the Georgian powerhouse has built up an impressive undefeated 11-0 record leaving a long list of opponents busted, bloodied or unconscious in his devastating wake. When this emotionless giant makes his first venture overseas on July 8th, standing opposite him under the championship spotlights at M-1 Challenge XXVI will be decorated American wrestler, Pat Bennett; the New Jersey native and Team Bombsquad fighter will need to deliver a career performance that shocks the crowd in order to stop the freight train headed directly in his path.

Fighting out of Makariv, Kiev Oblast in the Ukraine, Gugenishvili transitioned to the Aris Sport Club earlier this year, where a modern facility is set to provide him the tools to become an even more dominant force. Although in a new team, Guram remains under the instruction of Coach Ioseb Koberidze, who is dedicated to improving his pupil’s striking and jiu Jitsu.

As a key member of the Team Bombsquad contingent, Bennett’s manager, Ryan Ciotoli, has nothing but praise for the heavyweight’s performances to date. “Pat’s a three time All-American wrestler, so he possesses a great base and he’s an electrifying striker; hence the reason for his five first round wins. I definitely consider Bennett to be the top contender in the heavyweight division.”

It’s a given both coaches back up their fighters’ abilities but how do these men actually stack up against each other?

No one has been able to expose holes in Guram’s abilities to date. All but two of his victories have ended early in the first round and seven of these come by way of suffocating, anaconda-like rear naked chokes. Aspiring fighters often rely on one or two bases early in their career and Guram is no different; he has a sound freestyle wrestling base that he leverages to set up submissions but there is room to improve. Guram and his coach are actively improving his sambo and striking techniques while also working in boxing and Muay Thai sessions. He has the confidence, work ethic and determination to elevate his proficiency in all fighting styles and evolve into an even more fearsome, versatile fighter. Simply put: Gugenishvili is proving himself as the top-ranked heavyweight prospect in MMA and the global fan base has no choice other than to take notice.

As the winner of the inaugural 2010 M-1 Selection Eastern European tournament and Europe’s leading MMA promotion’s reigning heavyweight champion, what’s most notable about Guram is his agility; at 6’4” and 250lbs, he moves around the ring lightly, maintaining precise ring positioning. He’s methodical, calm and systematic in his movements.

Bennett sports an established 7-2 combined amateur and professional mixed martial arts record heavily weighted in the ‘win’ column with five first-round TKO’s. Although known for his proud wrestling pedigree, Bennett has thus proven he is a multidimensional fighter able to transition his skills to whatever is set in front of him; he’ll need his full arsenal in the face of Guram and isn’t shying away from the champ in any respect.

Bennett had recently set his wrestling on the back burner in favour of striking throughout his 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament run, displaying a wide array of talents. Opening up the brackets against Nick Smiley, the mild-mannered monster needed a total of 37 seconds to destroy Smiley by TKO and leave him in the ring busted and bloodied. His semi-final bout was a marathon war with Mehdi Hassan where he earned a unanimous decision victory. The run was halted in the finals however as Bennett fell victim to Kenny ‘Deuce’ Garner’s lead left hook; unable to answer Garner’s striking, Bennett notched the second loss of his career via TKO at the midway point of the opening frame.

At 6’ 3”, 240 pounds, Bennett has heavy hands that deliver unforgiving power; if he connects with his overhand right, there is a real possibility to see Guram fall. But Bennett will have to successfully defend takedown attempts and push the pace as he sees fit while being cautiously aware of Guram’s strength. These monsters matchup extremely well: both possesses strong wrestling bases, are incredibly strong and are mirror images physically, the only difference in their builds is a two-inch height advantage and 10 pounds in favour of the champ. The heavyweight title fight against Guram will likely send Bennett back to his fundamental and highly decorated base, which presents a perfect stylistic matchup; Bennett’s slightly more compact frame should enable him to defend the takedown attempts and maintain centered, balanced ring positioning.

With the American crowd in his corner on July 8th, Bennett controls his own destiny as the underdog in the biggest fight of his career, intent to dethrone the world’s #1 ranked heavyweight prospect and build some much deserved clout of his own.

As the reigning Heavyweight Champion, Guram is now climbing the next steps of his professional career where the level and calibre of competition gets tougher. Extremely successful to date and able to manhandle his opponents at will, try to envision the type of fighter that Guram will evolve into with exposure to elite-level coaching and training in striking and jiu jitsu; incorporating these elements into his already powerful arsenal will make Guram a force to be reckoned with anywhere on the planet; his first foray outside of Europe already has the hype-train rolling into the United States with Pat Bennett eagerly awaiting his arrival.

[Keithlewis]

Jose “The People’s Champ” Figueroa – Ready to Reign


As the headliner on M-1 Global’s stateside debut on Showtime, ‘The People’s Champ’ usurped his newly adorned belt with a dominating destruction of Artiom Damkovsky. With fans tuning in from around the world, Figueroa issued a statement-making performance showing why he deserves to be the crowning jewel of Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion’s lightweight division. Ready to make his first defense, the American Top Team standout is diligently preparing for his upcoming bout on July 8th against feared German submission specialist, Daniel Weichel; the pair meet as the co-main event at M-1 Challenge XXVI: Guram vs. Bennett.

Hailing from Orlando, Florida ‘The People’s Champ’ is a role model to the sport and to his son. As a professional fighter, he fuels the growth of mixed martial arts to the younger generation of students and prospects though instruction to groups and individuals seeking to develop their own skill set. “Mixed martial arts is my college, my job and my profession,” says a modest Figueroa. “I teach and train everyday to further the sport and to take care of my family. I’m a father and having my little boy look up to me and want to do all the things I do is awesome.”

Standing at 6’3”, Figueroa is a monstrous lightweight who made his professional debut in 2006 with a decisive TKO Victory over Chandler Belaston. From here, he went on to win another three consecutive bouts before tasting his first defeat by way of submission thanks to a suffocating guillotine choke sunk in by notable Jonathan Brookins. The loss was shaken off and Figueroa went on a three-fight tear before falling off the horse and losing three straight. Some may see the string of losses as a fighter losing his game and ability – until you look deeper into the story. These three losses came against top-tier competition: Eric Reynolds, Edson Barboza and Luis Palomino, who have a combined record of 36-11. Figueroa has been fighting high level competition from day one and is one tough competitor himself holding a respectable 10-4 record as a professional fighter currently hailed as M-1 Global’s Lightweight Champion.

In his performances throughout the 2010 M-1 Selection tournament, Figueroa effectively utilized his reach advantage and showed overwhelming control on the ground; fighting from guard, the imposing fighter is capable of posting up and dropping down heavy strikes at will and has solid conditioning that go the distance should the three wise men sitting ringside need to decide the outcome.

Coming out of his tournament bouts against Josh Thorpe and George ‘Light’s Out’ Sheppard relatively unscathed, “The People’s Champ” waited patiently for his title shot after winning the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas lightweight brackets and seized an unprecedented victory that shot him on to the radar of MMA fans throughout North America.

Considered the favourite heading into his title fight against Damkovsky, Figueroa wasted no time after touching gloves to open the contest and immediately went to work, effectively utilizing his reach advantage with crisp jabs as Damkovsky countered with high kicks that couldn’t land. Early inside the first round, it was clearly evident that Figueroa was the much bigger and stronger fighter as he powered around the canvass while Damkovsky struggled to stay out the American’s massive reach. With relentless follow up, Figueroa rocked Damkovsky with a shot that spit up his nose and then drove a text-book takedown where he worked from guard and rained down heavy strikes which left Damkovsky battered and bloodied at the end of an explosive first round.

With blood spewing from his nose, Damkovsky delayed as long as he could to start the second but Figueroa continued where he left off, countering Damkovsky’s leg kicks and setting up a phenomenal slam into top position where he unleashed piston-pumping strikes to his opponent’s face that was drenched in blood, spattering a halo around his head’s imprint on the canvass. With Damkovsky’s defense destroyed and unable to escape the storm of shots, the referee in charge intervened to halt the one-sided beating at 2:28 of round two, crowning Figueroa the new champion on M-1’s SHOWTIME debut.

With the momentous win, Figueroa is determined to extend his current three fight streak with a victorious title defense on July 8th; to continue his Cinderella run, he’ll once again need to deliver a career performance against Daniel Weichel’s vast vault of experience, speedy striking and stealth submissions.

[Keithlewis]

Weichel Crosses the Atlantic Packing a Vault of Experience: German Submission Specialist Aims to Dethrone Figueroa



Capitalizing on his opportunities inside M-1 Global’s five-rope ring, Daniel Weichel’s commitment and dedication to MMA has paid off big time. With a late replacement win over Yuri Ivlev at Challenge XXI, one of the night’s most exciting fights, the talented lightweight from Michelstadt, Hesse, Germany was awarded with a 6-fight exclusive contract. His first bout of the new agreement came against Magomed Khasbulaev and the slick submission specialist locked down a textbook triangle submission victory; these back to back victories launched Weichel into title contention and the vastly experienced warrior has been awarded with an opportunity to stand under the championship spotlights. On July 8th, Weichel will meet newly crowned champion, Jose Figueroa in the United States in the co-main event of M-1 Challenge XXVI: Guram vs. Bennett.

At 26 years old, Weichel has been fighting professionally since 2002, racked up an impressive 26-7 record and has won eight of his last nine tilts. North Americans fans are quick to recognize him thanks to bouts versus Thiago Tavares, Dan Hardy and Paul Daley. With experience that has been hard-fought and earned through international passage with organizations including Shooto, King of the Cage, Cage Warriors and the UFC, one of his most notable victories comes against Dennis Siver.

Weichel’s made it clear he prefers to avoid the judges’ scorecards in favour of finishing fights in exciting fashion; he possesses the exceptional athleticism and dexterity and capable of scooping the single or double leg takedown effortlessly as a precursor to a submission. Should Weichel end up in full mount or side control, expect to see contusion-creating knees to the body and a devastating ground-and-pound that will fire holes through even the most steadfast defence. If the fight stays up, he’ll tag you from every angle and can issue skull-cracking knees at will. Simply put: Weichel adds some serious depth to M-1 Global’s lightweight division and is a considerable threat to the monstrous 6’3” Figueroa.

As a true lightweight by North American standards, Weichel fluctuated between weight classes early on which put him in unfavourable positions fighting significantly larger opponents. Since being dedicated to the 155lb class, Виктор Куку.Weichel has achieved considerable success having won eight of his last nice matches, which include a rear-naked-choke submission victory over M-1 Selection Tournament lightweight finalist, Victor Kuku.

Taking the fight against Yuri Ivlev on short notice thanks to Eric Reynolds being forced to withdraw due to a late-training-camp knee injury, seems to be a blessing in disguise for Weichel who stepped into the spotlight of an already showcased bout and has made it an even larger focal point. The victory made an impression with the M-1 Global brass. “Weichel’s domination of Ivlev was talked about for weeks after the event,” said M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan. “Daniel is the type of fighter we want secured within our organization – fighters with heart, talent and relentless desire to give it their all; he possesses all the traits of a future champion and now he has his shot to become one.” Weichel’s clash with Ivlev was deserving of co-main event status as he electrified the crowd with his arsenal of skills. With a packed house anticipating a display of supreme submission attempts, Weichel altered the game plan and elected to keep it on the feet and out-struck Ivlev in an epic stand up battle.

[Keithlewis]

Will Jose “The People’s Champ” Figueroa Vanquish Weichel and Retain His Belt: A closer look at M-1 Challenge XXVI’s Lightweight Title Showdown



In the co-main event attraction at M-1 Challenge XXVI: Guram vs. Bennett on Friday July 8th, newly crowned Lightweight Champion, Jose ‘The People’s Champ’ Figueroa faces feared German submission specialist, Daniel Weichel in his first title defense since seizing the strap from Artiom Damkovsky. The differences in Weichel’s fighting style are extreme: Weichel boasts a vault of experience, pin-point precision striking and exceptional Jiu Jitsu credentials. Other than the height and reach advantage, the pair match up well and Figueroa stands to face his toughest competitor to date.

Usurping the belt from Artiom Damkovsky with a statement-making performance, Figueroa also seized new found confidence; he rides a momentous three fight win streak and rightfully deserves to be the crowning jewel of Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion’s lightweight division.

Since taking his fight against Yuri Ivlev on short notice, Weichel has proven to be one of the divisions most exciting fighters and subsequently secured himself a 6-fight contract and fast-tracked into title contention. Needless to say, Weichel’s commitment and dedication to MMA has paid off big time.

At 6’3”, Figueroa is a monstrous lightweight by any standard and has been fighting high-level competition from day one; he’s a tough competitor holding a respectable 10-4 record as a professional fighter, thanks to winning the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament which was followed with winning the championship belt. His only skid - three fights though 2009 / 2010 against Eric Reynolds, Edson Barboza and Luis Palomino, who have a combined record of 36-11.

At 26 years old, Weichel has been fighting professionally since 2002, racked up an impressive 26-7 record and has won eight of his last nine tilts. North Americans fans are quick to recognize him thanks to bouts versus Thiago Tavares, Dan Hardy and Paul Daley. With experience that has been hard-fought and earned through international passage with organizations including Shooto, King of the Cage, Cage Warriors and the UFC, one of his most notable victories comes against Dennis Siver.

The key to Figueroa successfully defending his belt depends on his ability to effectively leverage his height and reach advantage over Weichel; frustrate Weichel by keeping him at bay using rapid-fire, in and out combinations and time his counters to set up takedowns. When the pair hit the mat, Figueroa needs to show his overwhelming top control on the ground, post up and rain down bombs. From top position, his size will present too much to handle and tire Weichel out, opening the opportunity to pound out the win.

Weichel’s shot depends on which ‘Figueroa’ shows up; if it’s the one who fought Damkovsky, he’s in for a fight and will need to be wary of Figueroa’s reach and relentless aggression. Keys to Weichel’s victory depend on effective counter punching and ability to reverse positions on the mat; Weichel can’t end up on his back taking punishment. If the lackadaisical Figueroa shows up, like the one fans saw during moments of the 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament, Weichel will have a significant speed advantage and will be able to tag Figueroa at will, score a knock down or single leg takedown and lock in one of his repertoires inescapable submissions or pound the champ out himself.

Both fighters prefer to avoid the judges in favour of controlling their own destinies, setting the stage for an explosive title defense between two fighters at the top of their games. For Figueroa to continue his Cinderella run, he’ll once again need to deliver a career performance against Daniel Weichel’s vast vault of experience, speedy striking and stealth submissions.

[Keithlewis]