Khasbulaev Looking to Explode at M-1 Challenge XXIII
2010 M-1 Selection tournament finalist, Magomedrasul Khasbulaev has been following the path of many talented European fighters as of late and making the move to a lighter weight class. Known for his battles as welterweight, Khasbulaev is making a run at a new roster of opponents as a 155’er and is quickly establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. Come March 5th at M-1 Challenge XXIII, he faces the greatest test in his career as he collides with German striker, Daniel Weichel.
Since losing to current M-1 Challenge welterweight champ Shamil Zavurov in the Selection tournament finals this past summer, Khasbulaev has done his RusFighters team proud by going on a tear, decisively winning five of his last six fights inside the first round; the one loss coming by way of a disappointing submission to the imposing Ivan Buchinger.
Although known more for his submission skills, Khasbulaev has recently been showcasing some new-found hand speed and stand-up striking delivering two electrifying TKO performances over Jaroslav Franchuk and Jakub Tangiev, proof that the Russian fighter is continually evolving as a devastating professional fighter.
Khasbulaev’s run through the 2010 M-1 Selection tournament was highly impressive. Kicking off against Rashid Magomedov, Khasbulaev showed patience, composure and confidence. Defending submissions and securing takedowns in order to inflict constant damage to his opponent, Khasbulaev scored enough points in the eyes of the judges to eek out the split-decision and advance to the semi-finals.
Riding an impressive win streak into the final-four round in Kiev, Ukraine, Khasbulaev quickly disposed of alternate contestant, Radik Iboyan, with a joint-jacking armbar submission. As Iboyan tapped the canvas signalling the referee to halt the bout, Khasbulaev emerged from the ground victorious and in position to fight his Rusfighters teammate, Shamil Zavurov, for the tournament’s welterweight crown. Unfortunately his quest came to an abrupt halt inside the opening frame as Zavurov sunk in a suffocating rear-naked-choke.
Now facing opponents closer in physical comparison thanks to dropping down a weight class, Khasbulaev has been enjoying great success with his new-found speed after shedding 15-pounds. Ready to make a charge at the M-1 Challenge lightweight title, his tilt against Weichel marks a massive step-up in the level of competition and a win will certainly shoot him up several rungs on the contention ladder.
Fans can catch Khasbulaev and Weichel battle it out at the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, http://www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
Rashid Magomedov: The Evil Stepmother Lurking in Mok’s
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keithlewis
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keithlewis
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
‘170’ is the Place to Be: Nazarov Returns at M-1 Challenge XXIII
Cemented as a veteran M-1 fighter, Alexei Nazarov is making a return trip inside the confines of the five-rope ring on Saturday March 5th as he faces Legion Fight Team prospect Ramazan Abdulzhalilov in welterweight battle on the M-1 Challenge XXIII undercard. Seeming to have kicked a recent three-fight skid and re-inventing himself as the warrior he once was, Nazarov has won back-to-back tilts outside of Europe’s largest MMA promotion and is ready to return to the big stage.
Calling the Red Devil Sports Club his home, Nazarov is a developing Russian fighter with a promising career still ahead. After a disappointing loss to Alexei Belyaev this past October, this crafty Russian has taken the sound advice after fighting as a middleweight with mixed results and headed to the welterweight division with a respectable 11-4 record.
His last two outings have returned him to his winning ways with decision victories over Frenchman, Christoph Dafrevilya and Saihan Domaeva; as the hometown favourite at the MFT - Mix Fight Tournament in Voronezh, Oblast, Nazarov’s definitive performance has him wielding some much needed confidence.
Better suited as welterweight by North American standards, Nazarov is proving that he can stand with competition. With a tight, sound defence on the feet, this talented prospect prefers to keep his bouts standing in order to exercise his strengths and deliver heavy precision striking and stinging leg kicks. His teammates at the Red Devil Sports Club have been focussed on helping him develop a much stronger ground game, working Nazarov through submission and ground sessions in order to elevate his proficiency and give him an added boost to his on-canvass arsenal, an area where he has been known to leave himself exposed to unnecessary punishment.
Alexei Nazarov is regaining the momentum he had built and has his hands full with Ramazan Abdulzhalilov; should he come out the victor, he’ll be anxiously looking to clamour up the contender’s ladder and set his sites on the division’s current top-dog, Shamil Zavurov, who defends his M-1 Challenge belt for the first time later that night against tough, iron-willed American, Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio.
Fans can catch all the action from inside the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning-in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, http://www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
Cemented as a veteran M-1 fighter, Alexei Nazarov is making a return trip inside the confines of the five-rope ring on Saturday March 5th as he faces Legion Fight Team prospect Ramazan Abdulzhalilov in welterweight battle on the M-1 Challenge XXIII undercard. Seeming to have kicked a recent three-fight skid and re-inventing himself as the warrior he once was, Nazarov has won back-to-back tilts outside of Europe’s largest MMA promotion and is ready to return to the big stage.
Calling the Red Devil Sports Club his home, Nazarov is a developing Russian fighter with a promising career still ahead. After a disappointing loss to Alexei Belyaev this past October, this crafty Russian has taken the sound advice after fighting as a middleweight with mixed results and headed to the welterweight division with a respectable 11-4 record.
His last two outings have returned him to his winning ways with decision victories over Frenchman, Christoph Dafrevilya and Saihan Domaeva; as the hometown favourite at the MFT - Mix Fight Tournament in Voronezh, Oblast, Nazarov’s definitive performance has him wielding some much needed confidence.
Better suited as welterweight by North American standards, Nazarov is proving that he can stand with competition. With a tight, sound defence on the feet, this talented prospect prefers to keep his bouts standing in order to exercise his strengths and deliver heavy precision striking and stinging leg kicks. His teammates at the Red Devil Sports Club have been focussed on helping him develop a much stronger ground game, working Nazarov through submission and ground sessions in order to elevate his proficiency and give him an added boost to his on-canvass arsenal, an area where he has been known to leave himself exposed to unnecessary punishment.
Alexei Nazarov is regaining the momentum he had built and has his hands full with Ramazan Abdulzhalilov; should he come out the victor, he’ll be anxiously looking to clamour up the contender’s ladder and set his sites on the division’s current top-dog, Shamil Zavurov, who defends his M-1 Challenge belt for the first time later that night against tough, iron-willed American, Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio.
Fans can catch all the action from inside the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning-in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, http://www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
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keithlewis
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
Breaking Down M-1 Challenge XXIII’s Welterweight Title Clash
Zavurov Aims to Break ‘Da Tank’
M-1 Challenge XXIII’s co-main event pits current champion, Shamil Zavurov against the always-tough-as-nails, 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament winner, Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio. With Zavurov putting his welterweight championship belt on the line for the very first time, the eerily similar fighting styles of both fighters are set to explode inside the confines of the five-rope ring. Fans can catch the title-tilt’s action from inside the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia for free and LIVE on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) on Saturday March 5th starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
Hailing from Dagestan, Russia, Shamil Zavurov is the owner of the inaugural M-1 Challenge welterweight belt and one of Europe’s top welterweight prospects sporting an impressive 18-1 record. The crafty Russian’s only defeat came over a year ago when he lost a close split-decision to Rashid Magomedov; the gritty RussFighters team standout is up to the test that Gallicchio represents in his first outing as the promotion’s champion.
Zavurov has won almost every competition available to him in sound, devastating fashion; a 3-time world champion in Combat Sambo, 2-time champion of the CIS in hand-to-hand combat, winner of international tournaments in wrestling and Wushu Sanda and champion of Dagestan in Wushu Sanda, Zavurov has amassed more than 50 victories in combat Sambo and 50 victories as an amateur / semi-professional MMA fighter. Flying under the radar of North American fans until recently, Zavurov has built a vault of experience.
Gallicchio rides in on a three-fight streak, has won six of his last seven and is looking to dethrone Zavurov in a highly explosive and entertaining fight in the fashion that he’s known for. Throughout 2010, Gallicchio made three consecutive trips to the Atlantic City boardwalk on route to capturing the M-1 Selection Americas tournament; the conquest included knocking off tough opponents Reggie Pena, Aaron Meisner and Len Bentley which earned a ‘fight of the night’ award and a ‘submission of the night’ honourable mention. With his persistent work ethic and relentless drive inside the ring, there is no questioning where ‘Da Tank’ garnered his nickname.
Other than Zavurov’s additional combat sport experience, the pair matchup extremely well in physical size and fighting style but Zavurov will need to chip away at, and eventually break, Gallicchio’s un-teachable relentless, mental toughness. This battle can very well go deep into the championship rounds.
However long this fight does last, come March 5th when these two electrifying warriors face off in the biggest fight of their careers, fans can expect a tilt that delivers on its ‘fight of the night’ expectations; Zavurov drives to make a successful first defense and Gallicchio aims to bring the belt home to US soil.
Zavurov Aims to Break ‘Da Tank’
M-1 Challenge XXIII’s co-main event pits current champion, Shamil Zavurov against the always-tough-as-nails, 2010 M-1 Selection Americas tournament winner, Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio. With Zavurov putting his welterweight championship belt on the line for the very first time, the eerily similar fighting styles of both fighters are set to explode inside the confines of the five-rope ring. Fans can catch the title-tilt’s action from inside the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia for free and LIVE on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) on Saturday March 5th starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
Hailing from Dagestan, Russia, Shamil Zavurov is the owner of the inaugural M-1 Challenge welterweight belt and one of Europe’s top welterweight prospects sporting an impressive 18-1 record. The crafty Russian’s only defeat came over a year ago when he lost a close split-decision to Rashid Magomedov; the gritty RussFighters team standout is up to the test that Gallicchio represents in his first outing as the promotion’s champion.
Zavurov has won almost every competition available to him in sound, devastating fashion; a 3-time world champion in Combat Sambo, 2-time champion of the CIS in hand-to-hand combat, winner of international tournaments in wrestling and Wushu Sanda and champion of Dagestan in Wushu Sanda, Zavurov has amassed more than 50 victories in combat Sambo and 50 victories as an amateur / semi-professional MMA fighter. Flying under the radar of North American fans until recently, Zavurov has built a vault of experience.
Gallicchio rides in on a three-fight streak, has won six of his last seven and is looking to dethrone Zavurov in a highly explosive and entertaining fight in the fashion that he’s known for. Throughout 2010, Gallicchio made three consecutive trips to the Atlantic City boardwalk on route to capturing the M-1 Selection Americas tournament; the conquest included knocking off tough opponents Reggie Pena, Aaron Meisner and Len Bentley which earned a ‘fight of the night’ award and a ‘submission of the night’ honourable mention. With his persistent work ethic and relentless drive inside the ring, there is no questioning where ‘Da Tank’ garnered his nickname.
Other than Zavurov’s additional combat sport experience, the pair matchup extremely well in physical size and fighting style but Zavurov will need to chip away at, and eventually break, Gallicchio’s un-teachable relentless, mental toughness. This battle can very well go deep into the championship rounds.
However long this fight does last, come March 5th when these two electrifying warriors face off in the biggest fight of their careers, fans can expect a tilt that delivers on its ‘fight of the night’ expectations; Zavurov drives to make a successful first defense and Gallicchio aims to bring the belt home to US soil.
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keithlewis
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
Lightweights Explode on the M-1 Challenge XXIII Canvas
Breaking Down Taisumov vs. Ivlev
Headed into M-1 Challenge XXIII on Saturday March 5th, Mairbek ‘Beckan’ Taisumov and Yuri ‘Cable guy’ Ivlev share the same site set on the lightweight title spotlight. To clamour up the contention ladder, one warrioir has to dispose of an extremely tough opponent. A win over Ivlev puts Taisumov back in immediate contention while Ivlev gets into the sniff for the belt with a win over Taisumov. Fans can catch the lightweights face-off, starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST, Saturday March 5th on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com).
M-1 Challenge XXIII marks Yuri ‘Cable Guy’ Ivlev’s return to action after suffering his first loss in seven outings. Over a two year span, the Legion Fight Team warrior was proving to be unstoppable until he collided with Daniel Weichel this past October. Healed up and ready for action, the crafty, heavy-handed striker with exceptional submission skills looks to dispose of Mairbek Taisumov and jump-start his climb into title contention.
Training with notables Ansar Chalangov and Magomed ‘The Eagle’ Shikshabekov, it’s little wonder why Ivlev has made more than ripples on route to building an impressive 14-6 record. Possessing what many claim as Olympic-level judo and world-class sambo skills, Ivlev has been outclassing opponents time and time again with abilities seeming to improve exponentially with every round clocked.
With a mass of early submission victories, Ivlev has earned the reputation of being one of Europe’s most-feared submission technicians. What stands out most are his spectacular hip tosses that he transitions into joint-jacking submissions; they’re as smooth as silk and had HDNet calling his victory over Carlos Valeri as one of the top submissions of 2008. As an always-improving fighter, Ivlev has evolved his game with the addition of an incredible striking arsenal enabling him to successfully close out seven of his last eight victories with heavy-handed, one-punch knockouts or devastating ground and pound.
Taisumov, a highly-talented, 23 year old, M-1 lightweight veteran and Chechen Republic native, moved to the Czech Republic to train with the GFC Team. Born with the genetics gifting him phenomenal speed and athleticism, Taisumov has continually displayed impressive stand-up skills and an always improving ground game; this young athlete is developing into an impact fighter in an incredibly deep 155-pound weight class.
Since debuting in 2007, this promising young striker has racked up an impressive 13-3 record thanks to his highly effective stand-up skills and phenomenal footwork, which enables him to glide effortlessly around the canvass as he stalks and maintains superior offensive positioning. He has an impressive striking arsenal from both in close and outside, his hand speed is lightning quick and he cocks a heavy overhand right that can be unleashed in a split second should his opponent drop his hands. Combine this lethal striking power with well guarded defensive skills and the ability to release stinging leg and body kicks and rib-cracking knees at will and you have the technical blueprint for Taisumov’s methodically sound performances.
‘Beckan’s’ background in freestyle wrestling reveals excellent reaction time, quick hips and an effective sprawl but he’ll need to continue working on his takedown defense in order to acclimate himself in the North American game should. But when in position to take opponents to the ground, Taisumov is equipped with an aggressive ground and pound where is able to unleash precision punches and hammer fists to finish a bout. With back-to-back-to-back first round finishes over Petr Cajnak, Julien Boussuge and Sergey Adamchuk, Taisumov put on a striking and submission clinic to win the 201 M-1 Selection Western Europe lightweight tournament. His meteoric run came to a halt last October as he suffered a tough loss to Artiom Damkovsky in M-1 Global’s first-ever lightweight title fight.
Shrugging off the loss and getting back to action with a first-round demolition of Ivica Truscek, Taisumov finds himself back near the top of the lightweight food chain and set to face Yuri Ivlev; ‘Beckan’ will look to put victory at his beckon call as he trudges forward with the goal of earning another shot at the coveted championship belt.
With his flashy techniques, awesome suplexes, fluid spinning high kicks and will-breaking G&P, Yuri Ivlev is a marketable fighter with ‘Eddie Alvarez-esque’ celebratory back-flips. Without a doubt, these warrior’s fighting styles matchup perfectly and are set to cause havoc inside the ring. With both men eagerly pursuing a shot at the 155-pound title, this battle between two furious and relentless lightweights is bound to be a barn-burner.
Breaking Down Taisumov vs. Ivlev
Headed into M-1 Challenge XXIII on Saturday March 5th, Mairbek ‘Beckan’ Taisumov and Yuri ‘Cable guy’ Ivlev share the same site set on the lightweight title spotlight. To clamour up the contention ladder, one warrioir has to dispose of an extremely tough opponent. A win over Ivlev puts Taisumov back in immediate contention while Ivlev gets into the sniff for the belt with a win over Taisumov. Fans can catch the lightweights face-off, starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST, Saturday March 5th on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com).
M-1 Challenge XXIII marks Yuri ‘Cable Guy’ Ivlev’s return to action after suffering his first loss in seven outings. Over a two year span, the Legion Fight Team warrior was proving to be unstoppable until he collided with Daniel Weichel this past October. Healed up and ready for action, the crafty, heavy-handed striker with exceptional submission skills looks to dispose of Mairbek Taisumov and jump-start his climb into title contention.
Training with notables Ansar Chalangov and Magomed ‘The Eagle’ Shikshabekov, it’s little wonder why Ivlev has made more than ripples on route to building an impressive 14-6 record. Possessing what many claim as Olympic-level judo and world-class sambo skills, Ivlev has been outclassing opponents time and time again with abilities seeming to improve exponentially with every round clocked.
With a mass of early submission victories, Ivlev has earned the reputation of being one of Europe’s most-feared submission technicians. What stands out most are his spectacular hip tosses that he transitions into joint-jacking submissions; they’re as smooth as silk and had HDNet calling his victory over Carlos Valeri as one of the top submissions of 2008. As an always-improving fighter, Ivlev has evolved his game with the addition of an incredible striking arsenal enabling him to successfully close out seven of his last eight victories with heavy-handed, one-punch knockouts or devastating ground and pound.
Taisumov, a highly-talented, 23 year old, M-1 lightweight veteran and Chechen Republic native, moved to the Czech Republic to train with the GFC Team. Born with the genetics gifting him phenomenal speed and athleticism, Taisumov has continually displayed impressive stand-up skills and an always improving ground game; this young athlete is developing into an impact fighter in an incredibly deep 155-pound weight class.
Since debuting in 2007, this promising young striker has racked up an impressive 13-3 record thanks to his highly effective stand-up skills and phenomenal footwork, which enables him to glide effortlessly around the canvass as he stalks and maintains superior offensive positioning. He has an impressive striking arsenal from both in close and outside, his hand speed is lightning quick and he cocks a heavy overhand right that can be unleashed in a split second should his opponent drop his hands. Combine this lethal striking power with well guarded defensive skills and the ability to release stinging leg and body kicks and rib-cracking knees at will and you have the technical blueprint for Taisumov’s methodically sound performances.
‘Beckan’s’ background in freestyle wrestling reveals excellent reaction time, quick hips and an effective sprawl but he’ll need to continue working on his takedown defense in order to acclimate himself in the North American game should. But when in position to take opponents to the ground, Taisumov is equipped with an aggressive ground and pound where is able to unleash precision punches and hammer fists to finish a bout. With back-to-back-to-back first round finishes over Petr Cajnak, Julien Boussuge and Sergey Adamchuk, Taisumov put on a striking and submission clinic to win the 201 M-1 Selection Western Europe lightweight tournament. His meteoric run came to a halt last October as he suffered a tough loss to Artiom Damkovsky in M-1 Global’s first-ever lightweight title fight.
Shrugging off the loss and getting back to action with a first-round demolition of Ivica Truscek, Taisumov finds himself back near the top of the lightweight food chain and set to face Yuri Ivlev; ‘Beckan’ will look to put victory at his beckon call as he trudges forward with the goal of earning another shot at the coveted championship belt.
With his flashy techniques, awesome suplexes, fluid spinning high kicks and will-breaking G&P, Yuri Ivlev is a marketable fighter with ‘Eddie Alvarez-esque’ celebratory back-flips. Without a doubt, these warrior’s fighting styles matchup perfectly and are set to cause havoc inside the ring. With both men eagerly pursuing a shot at the 155-pound title, this battle between two furious and relentless lightweights is bound to be a barn-burner.
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keithlewis
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
Head-to-Head in the Welterweight Division
Dissecting Moks vs. Magomedov
Without doubt Rafal ‘Kulturysta’ Moks pulled off the most exciting upset at M-1 Challenge XXII this past December, overcoming his underdog status and capturing the first-ever M-1 Challenge middleweight title. It took the talented Polish fighter and Berserkers team member a mere 19 seconds to dispose of Magomed Sultanakhmedov with a tendon-tearing heel-hook which earned him Submission of the Night honors
With the victory, Moks improved to 6-2 and sat at the top of his division filled with a deep and talented pool of fighters. Unafraid of the competition but knowing that his promising career is better suited in the lighter divisions, Moks has made the tough decision to relinquish his belt before defending it in order to compete as a welterweight.
M-1 Challenge XXIII marks Rafal ‘Kulturysta’ Moks’ first outing in the 170-pound division since vacating the title and he’s set to face Gorec fight team stand-out, Rashid Magomedov. With his conditioning never in question, Moks has proven to critics that he has a chin that can withstand power punches and that his thick, compact, 5’8” frame is comfortable and confident fighting off his back; Moks holds the all keys to continue his Cinderella run with M-1 Global and chase down a shot at the welterweight title currently in the clutches of Shamil Zavurov.
A relentless Rashid Magomedov is intent on making a horrific nightmare out of Moks’ welterweight debut since relinquishing the 185-pound title. Looking to put an abrupt end to his foe’s’ fairytale and climb a few rungs up the contention ladder himself, there is also a story of revenge brewing as Moks’ golden victory came at the defeat of a Gorec teammate.
As one of the brightest and most talented welterweight fighters to come out of Russia in recent years, Magomedov sports a 7-1 record and went undefeated in 2009, leading his team to victory through the M-1 Challenge Team Championship competition. Included in his list of wins, is the split-decision victory over current M-1 Challenge welterweight champ, Shamil Zavurov – the champ’s only loss in an extremely decorated professional fighting career.
Magomedov showcases one-punch knock-out power and precision striking. In 2002 he won the Dagestan Republic junior boxing championship and earned Dagestan’s "Master of Sport" title in boxing and kickboxing; adding to his decoration is a 2004 National Championship in hand-to-hand combat. Combined with superior striking, this former militiaman also packs unshakable cardio backed up with victories in four of five decision fights; the one loss – the only loss on his record – was via split decision against Magomedrasul Khasbulaev.
Both fighters enter the ring riding on the back of momentous wins and are set to collide in battle that brings significant welterweight title ramifications. Moks gets the edge in the ground game but Magomedov gets the tick in striking. With each man’s cardio never being suspect, this contest can easily go three action-packed rounds.
With a win, Moks will look to put together a string of victories to propel him up the contention ladder and into the championship spotlight once again. Should Magomedov walk out victorious, he’ll be keenly watching Zavurov in his first title defense against Tom Gallicchio later that evening as he’ll face one of them in his next outing. Whether he faces the winner in an immediate title shot or the loser in a subsequent contention bout is up to the matchmaker but Magomedov is eager to cement himself as the division’s top contender.
Fans can catch the action from the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, http://www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
Dissecting Moks vs. Magomedov
Without doubt Rafal ‘Kulturysta’ Moks pulled off the most exciting upset at M-1 Challenge XXII this past December, overcoming his underdog status and capturing the first-ever M-1 Challenge middleweight title. It took the talented Polish fighter and Berserkers team member a mere 19 seconds to dispose of Magomed Sultanakhmedov with a tendon-tearing heel-hook which earned him Submission of the Night honors
With the victory, Moks improved to 6-2 and sat at the top of his division filled with a deep and talented pool of fighters. Unafraid of the competition but knowing that his promising career is better suited in the lighter divisions, Moks has made the tough decision to relinquish his belt before defending it in order to compete as a welterweight.
M-1 Challenge XXIII marks Rafal ‘Kulturysta’ Moks’ first outing in the 170-pound division since vacating the title and he’s set to face Gorec fight team stand-out, Rashid Magomedov. With his conditioning never in question, Moks has proven to critics that he has a chin that can withstand power punches and that his thick, compact, 5’8” frame is comfortable and confident fighting off his back; Moks holds the all keys to continue his Cinderella run with M-1 Global and chase down a shot at the welterweight title currently in the clutches of Shamil Zavurov.
A relentless Rashid Magomedov is intent on making a horrific nightmare out of Moks’ welterweight debut since relinquishing the 185-pound title. Looking to put an abrupt end to his foe’s’ fairytale and climb a few rungs up the contention ladder himself, there is also a story of revenge brewing as Moks’ golden victory came at the defeat of a Gorec teammate.
As one of the brightest and most talented welterweight fighters to come out of Russia in recent years, Magomedov sports a 7-1 record and went undefeated in 2009, leading his team to victory through the M-1 Challenge Team Championship competition. Included in his list of wins, is the split-decision victory over current M-1 Challenge welterweight champ, Shamil Zavurov – the champ’s only loss in an extremely decorated professional fighting career.
Magomedov showcases one-punch knock-out power and precision striking. In 2002 he won the Dagestan Republic junior boxing championship and earned Dagestan’s "Master of Sport" title in boxing and kickboxing; adding to his decoration is a 2004 National Championship in hand-to-hand combat. Combined with superior striking, this former militiaman also packs unshakable cardio backed up with victories in four of five decision fights; the one loss – the only loss on his record – was via split decision against Magomedrasul Khasbulaev.
Both fighters enter the ring riding on the back of momentous wins and are set to collide in battle that brings significant welterweight title ramifications. Moks gets the edge in the ground game but Magomedov gets the tick in striking. With each man’s cardio never being suspect, this contest can easily go three action-packed rounds.
With a win, Moks will look to put together a string of victories to propel him up the contention ladder and into the championship spotlight once again. Should Magomedov walk out victorious, he’ll be keenly watching Zavurov in his first title defense against Tom Gallicchio later that evening as he’ll face one of them in his next outing. Whether he faces the winner in an immediate title shot or the loser in a subsequent contention bout is up to the matchmaker but Magomedov is eager to cement himself as the division’s top contender.
Fans can catch the action from the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, http://www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.
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keithlewis
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
M-1 Challenge XXIII’s Full Card
Stacked Better Than a Plate of Buttermilk Pancakes
New York, NY (March 1, 2011) – M-1 Challenge XXIII kicks off the promotion’s year and sets an incredibly high bar for what’s to come for the remainder of 2011 from overseas and in the USA. Two title tilts, clarity in the light heavyweight (205 Lbs.) contention picture and multiple striker’s duels will make this event extremely difficult for the M-1 brass to award the event’s Fight, Submission and Knock-out of the night awards. Fans worldwide can catch the entire event from the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia LIVE and for free on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am on Saturday March 5th.
“The term ‘stacked’ is thrown around all the time in an effort to hype shows; the quality of this event speaks for itself,” says M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan. “Any fan of worldwide MMA recognizes the depth and stylistic matchups throughout the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII card. We couldn’t be any happier with how this card came together and how it sets up the year’s subsequent events.”
Once the event is in the books, Europe’s most-recognized mixed martial arts promotion makes its return to US soil on Friday, March 25th for M-1 Challenge XXIV: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa from the Constant Center in Norfolk, Virgina.
M-1 Challenge XXIII Under Card:
Vusal Bayramov (5-2) vs. Nikolai Kaushansky (pro debut) Lightweight (155 Lbs.)
Maxim Bulakhtin (8-1) vs. Magomed Ismailov (3-1) Light Heavyweight
M-1 Challenge XXIII Main Card (Streaming Live):
Shamil Tinagadjiev (7-3) vs. Tomasz Narkun (4-1) Light Heavyweight
Igor Savelyev (6-3-1) vs. Byron Byrd (3-0) Light Heavyweight
Arsen Abdulkerimov (6-2) vs. Goncalo Salgado (7-1) Heavyweight (205+ Lbs.)
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (16-4) vs. Daniel Weichel (25-7) Lightweight
Magomed Sultanakhmedov (28-5) vs. Plinio Cruz (5-3) Middleweight (185 Lbs.)
Yuri Ivlev (14-6) vs. Mairbek Taisumov (13-3) Lightweight
Rashid Magomedov (7-1) vs. Rafal Moks (6-2) Welterweight (170 Lbs.)
Championship Bouts
Heavyweight Division:
Guram Gugenishvili, M-1 Challenge Champion (10-0) clashes with
Maxim Grishin, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (7-4)
Welterweight Division:
Shamil Zavurov, M-1 Challenge Champion (18-1) clashes with
Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio, M-1 Selection Americas 2010 champion (15-5)
Free LIVE broadcast coverage of the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII event from Moscow, Russia will be available to viewers worldwide on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
Stacked Better Than a Plate of Buttermilk Pancakes
New York, NY (March 1, 2011) – M-1 Challenge XXIII kicks off the promotion’s year and sets an incredibly high bar for what’s to come for the remainder of 2011 from overseas and in the USA. Two title tilts, clarity in the light heavyweight (205 Lbs.) contention picture and multiple striker’s duels will make this event extremely difficult for the M-1 brass to award the event’s Fight, Submission and Knock-out of the night awards. Fans worldwide can catch the entire event from the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia LIVE and for free on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am on Saturday March 5th.
“The term ‘stacked’ is thrown around all the time in an effort to hype shows; the quality of this event speaks for itself,” says M-1 Global’s Director of Operations, Evgeni Kogan. “Any fan of worldwide MMA recognizes the depth and stylistic matchups throughout the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII card. We couldn’t be any happier with how this card came together and how it sets up the year’s subsequent events.”
Once the event is in the books, Europe’s most-recognized mixed martial arts promotion makes its return to US soil on Friday, March 25th for M-1 Challenge XXIV: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa from the Constant Center in Norfolk, Virgina.
M-1 Challenge XXIII Under Card:
Vusal Bayramov (5-2) vs. Nikolai Kaushansky (pro debut) Lightweight (155 Lbs.)
Maxim Bulakhtin (8-1) vs. Magomed Ismailov (3-1) Light Heavyweight
M-1 Challenge XXIII Main Card (Streaming Live):
Shamil Tinagadjiev (7-3) vs. Tomasz Narkun (4-1) Light Heavyweight
Igor Savelyev (6-3-1) vs. Byron Byrd (3-0) Light Heavyweight
Arsen Abdulkerimov (6-2) vs. Goncalo Salgado (7-1) Heavyweight (205+ Lbs.)
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (16-4) vs. Daniel Weichel (25-7) Lightweight
Magomed Sultanakhmedov (28-5) vs. Plinio Cruz (5-3) Middleweight (185 Lbs.)
Yuri Ivlev (14-6) vs. Mairbek Taisumov (13-3) Lightweight
Rashid Magomedov (7-1) vs. Rafal Moks (6-2) Welterweight (170 Lbs.)
Championship Bouts
Heavyweight Division:
Guram Gugenishvili, M-1 Challenge Champion (10-0) clashes with
Maxim Grishin, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (7-4)
Welterweight Division:
Shamil Zavurov, M-1 Challenge Champion (18-1) clashes with
Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio, M-1 Selection Americas 2010 champion (15-5)
Free LIVE broadcast coverage of the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII event from Moscow, Russia will be available to viewers worldwide on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
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keithlewis
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- Posts: 10586
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:49 pm
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Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
Redemption and Contention on the Line at M-1 Challenge XXIII
Sultanakhmedov vs. Cruz In-depth
After being on the receiving end of M-1 Challenge XXII’s most-stunning upset this past December, Magomed Sultanakhmedov is prepared to leave the nightmare locked in the memory banks and look forward to what lies ahead in 2011. With the defeat behind him, Sultanakhmedov is ready for redemption in the eyes of his fans, teammates and countrymen and will collide with 2010 M-1 Selection Americas semi-finalist, Plinio Cruz at M-1 Challenge XXIII on March 5th in Moscow, Russia.
A world champion in karate and kick-boxing and M-1, Dream and K-1 Hero’s veteran, who many have compared to the great Mirko Cro-Cop of the past, may have ended a near-flawless 2010, which included winning the M-1 Selection Eastern European tournament, with a dastardly loss but the talented left-handed striker will be looking to kick-off the year by getting back into title contention.
The 26 year old middleweight’s vault of experience and refined technique again mark him as the favourite to win the bout against Cruz but it’s imperative that Sultanakhmedov doesn’t overlook this as a free pass inside the ropes; he must take heed in the fact that Cruz’s camp took the fight because they feel he can be beaten. With the stage set once again, this tough-as-iron warrior and engaging striker needs to exhibit the exciting fighting style he is known for and impose a flawless game plan to shake off an extremely haunting loss.
The man standing opposite on fight night will be East Coast, Tri-state striker, Plinio Cruz who sits in a phenomenal position to hand Sultanakhmedov back-to-back losses for the first time in his fighting career.
Fighting out of Jorge "Macaco" Patino's Gold Team USA, Cruz has a Chute Boxe affiliation and his stand-up is characterized as being extremely aggressive and physical; Cruz has the ability to press the action and come at his opponents relentlessly while throwing rapid-fire combinations which is a perfect match to counter Sultanakhmedov’s striking. Should a standing game plan become ineffective, Cruz’s Brazilian jiu jitsu brown belt can be resurrected and immediately put into action on the canvass where his grappling skills will also pair up perfectly against the Tulsa, Russia native.
Cruz began training at age 16 while growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Under the guidance of Master Patino, Cruz entered The São Paulo State Championship after six months and placed third; a tournament he re-entered a couple years later and subsequently won.
After watching some of Macaco's MMA fights in Brazil early in his career, Cruz’s heart was immediately devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts and his training was re-directed and focused, founded in discipline, respect and humility.
A very skilled and well rounded fighter, Cruz began competing professionally in 2008 and his first MMA bouts were part of the Ultimate Combat Grand Prix where he won the light heavyweight belt with back-to-back victories.
Having the opportunity to fight in the 2010 M-1 Selection tournament, Cruz earned a hard-fought decision victory against John Doyle in the opening brackets which lined up the semi-final tilt against the eventual tournament winner, Tyson Jeffries. The contest with Jeffries was one of the card’s most exciting fights with Cruz keeping the Team Quest fighter at range and lamping the Oregon native with non-stop, precision striking. Had it not been for a point deduction thanks to an incidental kick landing in Jeffries’ fruit-basket, Cruz would have likely won the bout; instead he lost by a razor-thin split decision.
Cruz has an amazing opportunity to turn his underdog status into an astonishing upset but Sultanakhmedov’s stealth submission skills and laser-guided precision striking must be mitigated. Other than the Russian’s wealth of experience, these fighters match up extremely well and are anticipated to put on a show that will rival for Fight of the Night honours.
Seems Sultanakhmedov has done all he can to prepare himself for the fast-approaching collision with Plino Cruz. Undoubtedly Cruz faces his toughest competition to date on a stage set for a wickedly entertaining upset; knocking off Sultanakhmedov in front his home country crowd would put the Russian on a skid to the bottom of the ladder. Either way, one fighter must win and that man will have a mere four weeks to prepare for battle against American Selections champ, Tyson ‘The Anti- Hero’ Jeffries for the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight strap on March 25th.
The middleweight tilt with impending title ramifications can be seen LIVE online for free on the official M-1 website, http://www.M-1Global.com, starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
Sultanakhmedov vs. Cruz In-depth
After being on the receiving end of M-1 Challenge XXII’s most-stunning upset this past December, Magomed Sultanakhmedov is prepared to leave the nightmare locked in the memory banks and look forward to what lies ahead in 2011. With the defeat behind him, Sultanakhmedov is ready for redemption in the eyes of his fans, teammates and countrymen and will collide with 2010 M-1 Selection Americas semi-finalist, Plinio Cruz at M-1 Challenge XXIII on March 5th in Moscow, Russia.
A world champion in karate and kick-boxing and M-1, Dream and K-1 Hero’s veteran, who many have compared to the great Mirko Cro-Cop of the past, may have ended a near-flawless 2010, which included winning the M-1 Selection Eastern European tournament, with a dastardly loss but the talented left-handed striker will be looking to kick-off the year by getting back into title contention.
The 26 year old middleweight’s vault of experience and refined technique again mark him as the favourite to win the bout against Cruz but it’s imperative that Sultanakhmedov doesn’t overlook this as a free pass inside the ropes; he must take heed in the fact that Cruz’s camp took the fight because they feel he can be beaten. With the stage set once again, this tough-as-iron warrior and engaging striker needs to exhibit the exciting fighting style he is known for and impose a flawless game plan to shake off an extremely haunting loss.
The man standing opposite on fight night will be East Coast, Tri-state striker, Plinio Cruz who sits in a phenomenal position to hand Sultanakhmedov back-to-back losses for the first time in his fighting career.
Fighting out of Jorge "Macaco" Patino's Gold Team USA, Cruz has a Chute Boxe affiliation and his stand-up is characterized as being extremely aggressive and physical; Cruz has the ability to press the action and come at his opponents relentlessly while throwing rapid-fire combinations which is a perfect match to counter Sultanakhmedov’s striking. Should a standing game plan become ineffective, Cruz’s Brazilian jiu jitsu brown belt can be resurrected and immediately put into action on the canvass where his grappling skills will also pair up perfectly against the Tulsa, Russia native.
Cruz began training at age 16 while growing up in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Under the guidance of Master Patino, Cruz entered The São Paulo State Championship after six months and placed third; a tournament he re-entered a couple years later and subsequently won.
After watching some of Macaco's MMA fights in Brazil early in his career, Cruz’s heart was immediately devoted to the sport of mixed martial arts and his training was re-directed and focused, founded in discipline, respect and humility.
A very skilled and well rounded fighter, Cruz began competing professionally in 2008 and his first MMA bouts were part of the Ultimate Combat Grand Prix where he won the light heavyweight belt with back-to-back victories.
Having the opportunity to fight in the 2010 M-1 Selection tournament, Cruz earned a hard-fought decision victory against John Doyle in the opening brackets which lined up the semi-final tilt against the eventual tournament winner, Tyson Jeffries. The contest with Jeffries was one of the card’s most exciting fights with Cruz keeping the Team Quest fighter at range and lamping the Oregon native with non-stop, precision striking. Had it not been for a point deduction thanks to an incidental kick landing in Jeffries’ fruit-basket, Cruz would have likely won the bout; instead he lost by a razor-thin split decision.
Cruz has an amazing opportunity to turn his underdog status into an astonishing upset but Sultanakhmedov’s stealth submission skills and laser-guided precision striking must be mitigated. Other than the Russian’s wealth of experience, these fighters match up extremely well and are anticipated to put on a show that will rival for Fight of the Night honours.
Seems Sultanakhmedov has done all he can to prepare himself for the fast-approaching collision with Plino Cruz. Undoubtedly Cruz faces his toughest competition to date on a stage set for a wickedly entertaining upset; knocking off Sultanakhmedov in front his home country crowd would put the Russian on a skid to the bottom of the ladder. Either way, one fighter must win and that man will have a mere four weeks to prepare for battle against American Selections champ, Tyson ‘The Anti- Hero’ Jeffries for the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight strap on March 25th.
The middleweight tilt with impending title ramifications can be seen LIVE online for free on the official M-1 website, http://www.M-1Global.com, starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
-
keithlewis
- CAGESLAYER
- Posts: 10586
- Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 6:49 pm
- Location: At the No Name Bar playing Golden Tee
Re: M-1 Challenge XXIII - Updates
All bouts Official at M-1 Challenge XXIII: Guram vs. Grishin
Moscow, Russia (March 4, 2011) – Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, M-1 Global, has set an incredibly high bar for what’s to come for the remainder of 2011 from overseas and in the USA as all bouts are now set for M-1 Challenge XXIII; engaging fans with two title tilts, giving clarity to the light heavyweight contention picture and multiple striker’s duels, Saturday’s event is set to deliver on its high expectations. Fans worldwide can catch the entire event from the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia LIVE and for free on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am on Saturday March 5th.
“All the fighters showed up prepared and ready to step on the scale today; as professional athletes, fighters need to prepare themselves professionally – respecting their opponents, the fans and the promotion” says Evgeni Kogan, M-1 Global’s Director of Operations. “M-1 has done everything possible to make this event our best to date which includes two title fights, a stacked undercard full of top contenders and another live, free stream to capture our worldwide fan base. M-1 Challenge XXIII has set a new standard in quality competition that we’ll be building on throughout 2011.”
M-1 Challenge XXIII Under Card:
Vusal Bayramov (155.0 Lbs) vs. Nikolai Kaushansky (152.75 Lbs) Lightweight
Maxim Bulakhtin (195.75 Lbs) vs. Magomed Ismailov (195.0 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
M-1 Challenge XXIII Main Card (Streaming Live):
Shamil Tinagadjiev (203.5 Lbs) vs. Tomasz Narkun (202.5 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
Igor Savelyev (201.0 Lbs) vs. Byron Byrd (205.5 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
Arsen Abdulkerimov (234.5 Lbs) vs. Goncalo Salgado (308.0 Lbs) Heavyweight (*no upper weight limit)
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (155.5 Lbs) vs. Daniel Weichel (155.0 Lbs) Lightweight
Magomed Sultanakhmedov (185.0 Lbs) vs. Plinio Cruz (187.25 Lbs) Middleweight
Yuri Ivlev (153.25 Lbs) vs. Mairbek Taisumov (155.0 Lbs) Lightweight
Rashid Magomedov (170.0 Lbs) vs. Rafal Moks (168.75 Lbs) Welterweight
· Cruz was given an additional 2 hours to make weight
Championship Bouts
Heavyweight Division:
Guram Gugenishvili, M-1 Challenge Champion (244.25 Lbs) vs.
Maxim Grishin, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (227.5 Lbs)
Welterweight Division:
Shamil Zavurov, M-1 Challenge Champion (168.25 Lbs) vs.
Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio, M-1 Selection Americas 2010 champion (169.25 Lbs)
Free LIVE broadcast coverage of the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII event from Moscow, Russia will be available to viewers worldwide on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
Moscow, Russia (March 4, 2011) – Europe’s leading mixed martial arts promotion, M-1 Global, has set an incredibly high bar for what’s to come for the remainder of 2011 from overseas and in the USA as all bouts are now set for M-1 Challenge XXIII; engaging fans with two title tilts, giving clarity to the light heavyweight contention picture and multiple striker’s duels, Saturday’s event is set to deliver on its high expectations. Fans worldwide can catch the entire event from the Crocus City Arena in Moscow, Russia LIVE and for free on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am on Saturday March 5th.
“All the fighters showed up prepared and ready to step on the scale today; as professional athletes, fighters need to prepare themselves professionally – respecting their opponents, the fans and the promotion” says Evgeni Kogan, M-1 Global’s Director of Operations. “M-1 has done everything possible to make this event our best to date which includes two title fights, a stacked undercard full of top contenders and another live, free stream to capture our worldwide fan base. M-1 Challenge XXIII has set a new standard in quality competition that we’ll be building on throughout 2011.”
M-1 Challenge XXIII Under Card:
Vusal Bayramov (155.0 Lbs) vs. Nikolai Kaushansky (152.75 Lbs) Lightweight
Maxim Bulakhtin (195.75 Lbs) vs. Magomed Ismailov (195.0 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
M-1 Challenge XXIII Main Card (Streaming Live):
Shamil Tinagadjiev (203.5 Lbs) vs. Tomasz Narkun (202.5 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
Igor Savelyev (201.0 Lbs) vs. Byron Byrd (205.5 Lbs) Light Heavyweight
Arsen Abdulkerimov (234.5 Lbs) vs. Goncalo Salgado (308.0 Lbs) Heavyweight (*no upper weight limit)
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (155.5 Lbs) vs. Daniel Weichel (155.0 Lbs) Lightweight
Magomed Sultanakhmedov (185.0 Lbs) vs. Plinio Cruz (187.25 Lbs) Middleweight
Yuri Ivlev (153.25 Lbs) vs. Mairbek Taisumov (155.0 Lbs) Lightweight
Rashid Magomedov (170.0 Lbs) vs. Rafal Moks (168.75 Lbs) Welterweight
· Cruz was given an additional 2 hours to make weight
Championship Bouts
Heavyweight Division:
Guram Gugenishvili, M-1 Challenge Champion (244.25 Lbs) vs.
Maxim Grishin, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (227.5 Lbs)
Welterweight Division:
Shamil Zavurov, M-1 Challenge Champion (168.25 Lbs) vs.
Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio, M-1 Selection Americas 2010 champion (169.25 Lbs)
Free LIVE broadcast coverage of the entire M-1 Challenge XXIII event from Moscow, Russia will be available to viewers worldwide on the official M-1 Global website (http://www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
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