New York City, New York (October 4, 2010) – In an already amazing night of fights featuring three title tilts, M-1 Global ups the anti with the evening’s top super-bout featuring undefeated Magomed ‘The Eagle’ Shikshabekov taking on a yet to be determined opponent. By the time the event closes out, M-1 Challenge XXI: Guram vs. Garner will have crowned the organization’s first-ever champions in the lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions and mapped out the contender’s pictures for multiple weight classes.
“The world has been waiting to see Shikshabekov to get back to action since his victory in July,” says Evgeni Kogan, Director of Operations for M-1 Global. “With his high level sambo skills, ‘The Eagle’ is drawing comparison to Fedor Emelianenko. Showcasing Shikshabekov at M-1 Challenge XXI adds further proof to the caliber of athletes fighting on this already stacked card.”
Matchups include:
- Magomed Shikshabekov (12-0) vs. TBA Welterweight Super Bout
- Alexei Nazarov (9-3) vs. Alexei Belyaev (10-4) Welterweight
- Alexander Sarnavsky (10-0) vs. Victor Kuku (7-5-1) Lightweight
- Rashid Magomedov (6-2) vs. Igor Araujo (18-5) Welterweight
- Dmitry Samoilov (8-5-1) vs. Gadzhimurad Omarov (5-0) Light Heavyweight
- Vusal Bairamov (0-1) vs. Joakhim Apie (0-0) Lightweight
· Additional undercard bouts to be announced
Shikshabekov Highlight Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDHu7AH9hVg
Lightweight Title Fight:
- Artiom Damkovsky, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (10-4) vs. Mairbek Taisumov, M-1 Selection Western Europe 2010 champion (12-2)
Middleweight Title Fight:
- Magomed Sultanakhmedov, M-1 Selection Eastern Europe 2010 champion (28-4) vs. Rafał Moks, M-1 Selection Western Europe 2010 champ (5-2)
Heavyweight Title Fight:
- Kenny Garner, M-1 Selection Americas champion (5-2) vs. Guram Gugenishvili, M-1 Selection Western Europe champion (9-0)
The Welterweight and Light Heavyweight championship bouts will be awarded at M-1 Challenge XXII, December 11th in Atlantic City, New Jersey, establishing M-1 Challenge champions in all five weight classes. The contention system will continue to fuel events throughout 2011, driving M-1 Global’s growth as a leading brand in the US and international markets.
2011 includes a full slate of M-1 Challenge events held in the United States and Europe. These are the mega-event spectaculars where Champions will be crowned, titles defended and contenders’ positions on the ladder will be determined. Feeding the stable of fighters will be two Selection tournaments in 2011 with details being announced shortly.
Free broadcast coverage of the entire 2010 M-1 Challenge event schedule will be available at a later date to viewers worldwide on www.M-1Global.com and selected affiliate partner sites.
Go to www.M-1Global.com for additional information.
About M-1 Global:
Founded in 1998, M-1 Global 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 stages its M-1 Selection and M-1 Challenge events worldwide 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. 2011 marks a breakthrough year for this MMA powerhouse. With two Selections tournaments across Eastern & Western Europe and North America and a full calendar of Challenge events, M-1 Global’s World Champions will rank amongst the greatest in the sport and the contention system will fuel spectacular cards around the world.
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.