Shavkat Rakhmonov and Khadis Ibragimov were the big winners at the recent M-1 Challenge 101 event from Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Rakhmonov scored himself the M-1 Challenge welterweight title, while Ibragimov retained his light heavyweight crown. It was a strong night for fighters from Kazakhstan, as they won all five fights in which they were competing.
Below is a press release courtesy M-1 Global:
Kazakh power was on display at last night’s M-1 Challenge 101, which featured a pair of M-1 Challenge title fights, in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Home country fighters won five of five fights, including the main event, in which undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov (11-0) knocked out his Russian opponent, Danila Prikaza (11-3-1).
Rakhmonov thrilled his countrymen in attendance, unleashing a barrage of unanswered punches on Prikaza, until the referee halted the fight midway through the second round, capturing the vacant M-1 Challenge welterweight crown.
The 24-year-old Rakhmonov became the first undisputed M-1 Challenge champion from Kazakhstan.
In a battle between undefeated challengers, Russian Khadis Ibragimov (8-0) stopped Rafal “Kijana” Kijanczuk (7-1), of Poland, in the opening round to retain his M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title.
In a post-fight interview, Ibragimov said that he is now ready to sign with the UFC and start his quest for a new title belt.
Kazakhstan flyweight Arman Ashimov (10-3-1), the former Interim M-1 Challenge flyweight titlist, won a unanimous decision despite a broken hand over previously undefeated Brazilian Kayck “Chuck” Alencar (9-1), the South American Muay Thai champion. Ashimov broke his hand in the same place he did in his fight with current M-1 Challenge flyweight champion Aleksander Doskalchuk in their undisputed title fight last year.
Frenchmen won the opening two fights of the main card. Featherweight Anthony “La Masse” Dizy (12-3) won his M-1 Global debut, taking a split decision from previously undefeated Abubakar Mestoev (7-1), of Russia. Michael “Ragnar” Lebout (19-9-2) submitted Russian Alik Albogachiev (5-2) in the second round, earning him a title shot against M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Roman Bogatov.
On the preliminary card, Brazilian Jean “Panqueka” Petrick (10-3) defeated Russian middleweight Denis Tiuliulin (5-4) by way of split decision, Canadian heavyweight Tanner “Bulldozer” Boser (15-5-1) and Zaur Gadzhibabayev (7-2-1), of Azerbaijan, fought to a three-round draw, and American featherweight “Gorgeous” George Garcia (9-3) turned in an impressive M-1 Global debut, using a rear naked choke to submit Ukrainian Yuri Chobuka (10-2) in the third round. Garcia was losing the fight until the final 30-seconds, in which, he took down Chobuka, tried a few choke-holds and finished him off with only 20-seconds remaining for the Submission of the Night.
In a fight between a pair of 4-0 lightweights, two-time Kazakhstan National and Asian grappling champion, Azamat “Massaget” Bakytov (5-0) won a unanimous decision over Boris Medvedev (4-1), of Russia.
Another previously unbeaten fighter, Russian middleweight Ivan Bogdanov (6-1) was punched out by Vadim Shabadash (9-3) in the opening round.
On the pre-undercard, Kazakh flyweight Assu “Zulfikhar” Almabaev (10-2) knocked of yet another undefeated fighter, Frenchman Pierre Ludet (5-1), locking in a guillotine choke for a second-round submission.
Undefeated bantamweight Abylaikhan Kadyrkhan (5-0) got thing rolling in the first fight of the night, blasting out former Georgian National amateur champion Beno Adamia (5-4-1) via punches at the 53-second mark of the first round.
Below find the official results and photo gallery:
VACANT M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Shavkat Rakhmonov (11-0, M-1: 6-0), Kazakhstan
WKO/TKO2 (Punches – 2:16)
Danila Prikaza (11-3-1, M-1: 8-3), Russia
(Rakhmonov wins M-1 Challenge welterweight title)
M-1 LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Khadis Ibragimov (8-0, M-1: 4-0), Champion, Russia
WKO/TKO1
Rafal Kijanczuk, Challenger, (7-1, M-1: 3-1), Poland
( M-1 Challenge light heavyweight title)
Arman Ashimov (10-3-1, M-1: 4-1), Kazakhstan
WDEC
Kayck Alencar (9-1, M-1: 1-1), Brazil
Anthony Dizy(6-1, M-1: 1-0), France
WDEC3
Abubakar Mestoev (7-1, M-1: 7-1), Russia
Mickael Lebout (19-9-2, M-1: 3-1), France
WSUB2
Alik Albogachiev (5-2, M-1: 5-2), Russia
Zaur Gadzhibabayev (9-3-1, M-1: 5-1-1), Azerbaijan
D3
Tanner Boser (15-5-1, M-1: 0-0-1), Canada
Jean Petrick (10-3, M-1: 2-0), Brazil
WDEC3
Denis Tiuliulin (5-4, 1 NC, M-1: 1-2), Russia
Vadim Shabadash (9-3, M-1: 4-1), Ukraine
WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 3:54)
Ivan Bogdanov (6-1, M-1: 1-1), Russia
Azamat Bakytov (5-0, M-1: 1-0), Kazakhstan
WDEC3
Boris Medvedev (4-1, M-1: 3-1), Russia
George Garcia (9-3, M-1: 1-0), USA
WSUB3 (Rear Naked Choke – 4:45)
Yuri Chobuka (10-2, M-1: 2-1), Ukraine
Assu Almabaev (10-2, M-1: 2-0), Kazakhstan
WSUB2 (Guillotine Choke)
Pierre Ludet (5-1, M-1: 1-1), France
Abylaikhan Kadyrkhan (5-0, M-1: 1-0), Kazakhstan
WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 0:53)
Beno Adamia (5-4-1, M-1: 0-1), Georgia
NBC announced on Tuesday that it has picked up the country music star Reba McEntire's…
Earlier this year, Katy Perry announced that she will be leaving American Idol at the…
The Hollywood star Tom Selleck is speaking out this week to claim that he is…
Michael J. Fox and Jason Bateman got some screentime at a recent New York Rangers…
The country music star Jason Aldean is speaking out this week to reveal what would…
Jelly Roll is one of the hottest stars in country music right now, but he…