· M-1 Challenge XXIII To Stream Live On MMA Spot
· Article author: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Posted on 03/04 at 10:32 AM
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 pounds) 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 knockout 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 (www.M-1Global.com) and MMA Spot starting at 11 a.m. EST/8 a.m. PST on Saturday March 5.
“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 25 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
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
Magomedrasul Khasbulaev (16-4) vs. Daniel Weichel (25-7) Lightweight
Magomed Sultanakhmedov (28-5) vs. Plinio Cruz (5-3) Middleweight
Yuri Ivlev (14-6) vs. Mairbek Taisumov (13-3) Lightweight
Rashid Magomedov (7-1) vs. Rafal Moks (6-2) Welterweight
Championship BoutsHeavyweight Division:Guram Gugenishvili (10-0) vs. Maxim Grishin (7-4)
Welterweight Division:Shamil Zavurov (18-1) vs. Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio (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 (www.M-1Global.com) starting at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST on Saturday March 5th.
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.
Returning to US soil for 2011’s sophomore event, current lightweight champ, Artiom Damkovsky is gearing for his first title defense against 2010 M-1 Selection Americas winner, Jose Figueroa, at M-1 Challenge XXIV on Friday March 25th from the Constant Center in Norfolk, Virginia.
For additional information, go to the official M-1 website, www.M-1Global.com and M-1 Global facebook fan page.
About M-1 Global:
Founded in 1998, M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) has established itself in the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA) as the premiere entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With offices in St. Petersburg, Amsterdam, New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles and affiliates in Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged over 70 events worldwide including the M-1 Selection and M-1 Challenge events and its co-produced Strikeforce events in the United States. Captivating the live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 events boast some of the sport’s top names including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Stephan Struve and rising stars Shamil Zavurov, Byron Byrd, Alexander Sarnavskiy and Vinny Magalhaes. 2011 marks a breakthrough year with two Selections tournaments across Eastern & Western Europe, North America and Asia and a full calendar of Challenge events fuelled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global’s Champions amongst the greatest in the sport.
M-1 Global’s greatest asset is the number one heavyweight fighter in mixed martial arts history, Fedor Emelianenko. With daily coverage on all MMA-related websites in the world, and articles in Time Magazine, LA times and New York times, Fedor and M-1 Global make a lifetime match serving as the catalyst to grow MMA in the 21st century.
