This past Saturday night from the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, M-1 Challenge XXI: Guram vs. Garner held a frenzied crowd and fans online worldwide in captivating astonishment with the hottest mixed martial event produced in Europe this year. With suffocating chokes, joint- jacking submissions, one of 2010’s top knock-outs and stunning doctor stoppages, only one fight can be hailed as ‘Fight of the Night’: Che Mills vs. Magomed ‘The Eagle’ Shikshabekov.
In an incredible battle between two highly experienced combat sport specialists, England’s Che Mills handed the Russian hot prospect, Magomed Shikshabekov, his first career loss with a four-round unanimous decision marathon with the extension round being applied to the bout after the judges had scored the tilt a draw after 15 minutes.
Shikshabekov, who had needed only 95 seconds on average to claim victory over his prior opponents, clearly struggled with the size and strength of the British veteran. Though Shikshabekov managed to get Mills to the ground with his first attempted throw where he then worked diligently for multiple leglocks leaving Mills in agonizing pain, Mills managed to escape and defend the Russian’s subsequent takedowns; Mills was then able to take control of the fight and turn momentum in his favour with hard, skull-cracking knee strikes.
As ‘The Eagle’ did his best to mount his own offensive, the third round was all Mills as the quiet Gloucester man and former Cage Rage Champion mounted Shikshabekov for more than four minutes and completely dominated the proceedings in what was easily scored a 10-8 round. At the close of three frames, considering the one-point deduction Mills received pre-fight for missing weight by four pounds, the judges somehow returned with a draw, forcing the extension round.
The fourth was of no benefit to the exhausted Shikshabekov, who was unable to mount any sort of compelling offensive arsenal. Despite a dubious spinning back-fist that would have had more effect in the first round, the pair jostled between stand-up exchanges and the canvass where Mills worked diligently from the guard. Mills won the fourth frame convincingly and earned the unanimous nod from the judges for a career-marking victory.