MAIN EVENT – M-1 CHALLENGE FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP – 5 X 5
MARAT GAFUROV (8-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), Champion, Dagestan, Russia 144 ½ LBS.
LEE MORRISON (13-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), Challenger, Okanogan, Washington, USA 144 ½ LBS.

(L-R) Marat Gafurov, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Lee Morrison

CO-FEATURE – HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
JEFF MONSON (49-17-1, 3 KO/TKO, 29 SUB), Miami, Florida, USA 237 ¾ LBS.
CHABAN KA (6-3-1, 0 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), Villeneuve-d’ Ascq, France 246 ½ LBS.

(L-R) — Jeff Monson, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Chaban Ka

HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
Marcin TYBURA (9-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), Lodz, Poland 242 ½ LBS.
MARIO “Gladiator” PEREK (23-33-1, 12 KO/TKO, 7 SUB), Dubrovnik, Croatia 219 ½ LBS.

(L-R) — Marcin Tybura, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Mario Perak

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
IVAN BUCHINGER (25-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 15 SUB), Gabcikovo, Slovania 153 ¾ LBS.
SERGEY GOLYAEV (23-10-0, 6 KO/TKO, 12 SUB), St. Petersburg, Russia 154 ¼ LBS.

(L-R) — Sergey Golyaev, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Ivan Buchinger

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
LUIS FERNANDO MIRANDA (11-0-1, 4 KO/TKO), 6 SUB), Rio Grande, Rio Grande Do Sol, Brazil 202 LBS.
VASILY BABICH (9-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 5 SUB), Yeupatoria, Ukraine 202 ½ LBS.

(L-R) — Luis Fernando Miranda, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Vasily Babich

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
JULIEN WILLIAMS (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), Orlando, Florida, USA 170 LBS.
RASUL ABDULAEV (3-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), Kolpino, Russia 169 ¾ LBS.

(L-R) — Rasul Abdulaev, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Julien Williams

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
KAMIL MARON (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 3 SUB), Tarnov, Poland 145 LBS.
GEORGY FUROV (2-1-0, 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), Orenburg, Russia 145 LBS.

(L-R) — Georgy Fursov and Kamil Maron

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
ALEXEI KUNCHENKO (2-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 1 SUB), Tyumen, Russia 168 LBS.
ANATOLY SAFRONEV (19-20-0, 3 KO/TKO, 8 SUB), Kharkiv, Ukraine 169 ¾ LBS.

(L-R) — Anatoly Safronev, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Alexei Kunchenko

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5
MURAD MIRZABEKOV (1-0-0, 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), Orenburg, Russia 144 ½ LBS.
SAID MAADZIEV (0-1-0), St. Petersburg, Russia 144 ½ LBS.

(L-R) — Murad Mirzabekov, M-1 promoter Vadim Finkelchtein and Said Maadziev

WHAT: M-1 Challenge 47: Battle in the Heart of the Continentent

WHEN: Friday, April 4, 2014

WHERE: Orenburgzhye Sport Hall, Orenburg, Orenburg Blast, Russia

PROMOTER: M-1 Global

LIVE BROADCAST: FREE at www.m-1global.tv (Friday, April 4 at 11 a.m. / 8 a.m. PT in U.S.A.). Also On Russia 2 throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Individual States (CIS), as well as across the Middle East on Abu Dhabi Sports Channels

INFORMATION: https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244

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 and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with 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 renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

SPN3 will present exclusive live coverage in the U.S. of BAMMA 15 Saturday, April 5, at 4 p.m. ET. BAMMA is Europe’s flagship Mixed Martial Arts promotion. The event, from the UK’s iconic Copper Box Arena, in London’s Olympic Park, will be headlined by Heavyweights Oli Thompson (12-5) and Gzim Selmani (5-1).

About ESPN3
ESPN3 is ESPN’s live multi-screen sports network, a destination that delivers thousands of exclusive sports events annually. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app and streamed on televisions through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The network is currently available to more than 92 million homes at no additional cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection or video subscription from an affiliated service provider. The network is also available at no cost to approximately 21 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers, smartphones and tablets connected to on-campus educational and on-base military broadband and Wi-Fi networks.

Tacoma, WA (April 1, 2014) – Northwest fight fans have a super fight on the way and CageSport MMA will be the place to be on May 3rd, when featherweight champion, Drew “The Eternal Fire” Brokenshire (9-1) challenges lightweight champion, Justin “Ruckus” Harrington (6-1) for the lightweight title in the main event of a stacked CageSport 30 lineup. Also being featured is Tacoma’s Alfonso Gonzales (4-0) taking on Moses Lake’s Jared Torgeson (10-9) in a fight to become a top contender to challenge Brent Knopp for the CageSport middleweight title.

Tickets for CageSport 30, scheduled for Saturday, May 3rd at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, WA are on sale and can be purchased online through Ticketmaster and at the EQC box office. Prices start at $35. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets early as they are expected to be a hot commodity among the Northwest fight scene.

Since turning professional in in 2012, Brokenshire has run right through the Northwest featherweight division, only being defeated by Lee Morrison who is now currently fighting for Europe’s number one MMA promotion, M-1 Global. After the defeat Brokenshire went on a tear, defeating Julian Erosa for the CageSport featherweight title and has since defended the belt three times in what has become part of a five fight win streak. Taking on Justin Harrington at CageSport XXX will undoubtedly be one of Brokenshire’s toughest challenges yet.

“While we develop my skills we are looking for challenges in my bouts to see where my strengths and weaknesses are so we can continue to work on them,” said Brokenshire when asked about his thoughts in wanting a fight with Harrington. “Justin Harrington is the perfect guy to test me so we can do just that. We want to step up to face the toughest opponents we can, so that is why I asked for the fight with the champ.”

The undefeated Harrington, who turned professional on the same day as Brokenshire, also has the makings of becoming the next great Northwest MMA star. In his six professional fights, the lightweight champion has finished every single one of his opponents before time expired. Training out of the well-respected Combat Sport and Fitness gym in Enumclaw headed by former UFC fighter, Jeff Hougland, Harrington will be no easy task for Brokenshire when the two step into the cage to headline CageSport 30.

An interesting matchup on the undercard to keep your eye on is the bout featuring Jared Torgeson and Alfonso Gonzales, where the winner will possibly get the opportunity to take on CageSport middleweight champion, Brent Knopp for the title at the next CageSport. The full undercard will be announced shortly.

Doors for CageSport 30 open at 6 PM with the first fight scheduled for 7 PM. For more information about CageSport 30 and all other Halquist Productions events, please visit www.halquistproductions.com and the official Facebook and Twitter pages of CageSport MMA and Battle at the Boat.

About CageSport MMA
Halquist Productions’ CageSport MMA continues to be the longest running and leading all professional MMA promotion in the Northwest. The promotion has drawn fighters from all over the region such as: Miesha Tate, Bryan Caraway, Sam Sicilia, and Michael Chiesa, who have all fought on former CageSport cards and going on to become UFC superstars. CageSport has become a top MMA promotion in the country for northwest fighters to gain experience and exposure as they continue to dedicate their lives in hoping to one day sign with the UFC.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (April 1, 2014) — Four-time French Olympian Joel Bouzou, president and founder of Peace and Sports (www.peace-sport.org), has been appointed Vice President of World Mixed Martial Arts Association (WMMAA).

Bouzou captured a gold medal at the 1987 World Championship Modern Pentathlon, in addition to representing France in 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1994 Olympic Games, winning a Bronze Medal in 1984 as a team member.

Peace and Sports is a neutral international organization based in Monaco, under the patronage of Prince Albert II, founded in 2007 to promote the use of sport to foster dialogue and reconciliation everywhere it’s needed.

WMMAA’s goal is to be the official world governing body for Mixed Martial Arts. A non-profit organization founded in 2012, WMMAA is on a mission to develop a standardized and regulated organization, including competition, training, officiating, testing and growth when necessary. More than 400 countries have been granted WMMAA membership.

The head of WMMAA is President Vadim Finkelchtein, also the president of M-1 Global, the largest MMA group in Russia and Europe. WMMAA’s honorary president is legendary Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the greatest MMA fighter of all-time.

Bouzou’s start in MMA was through an introduction by his wife to Finkelchtein. “Interest in collaboration was mutual,” Bouzou explained. “Vadim does very much for the development of MMA in the whole world and is interested in popularization of this sport. I see enormous peacemaking potential in mixed martial arts. We had a conversation during which we found the points of contiguity and drew up a plan of our collaboration. Both is us – Vadim and I – analyzed carefully all pros and cons. And as a result we decided that collaboration has to take place.

“The first important steps for MMA development have already been done. The national MMA federations already exist in many countries. Tutors, seminars and master classes are being conducted all over the world. Fighters are excellent role models for our society. There are two fighters, two opponents. Each of them has his own story. One is a winner, the other is a loser. But they respect each other. If there is no opponent there is no fight. And you can be a hero, real winner and a good fighter, only if you are a good opponent. To respect the rules and your opponent is important here. It unites sportsmen and it is an example for society.”

Last October, WMMAA hosted the inaugural World MMA Championships held in St. Petersburg, Russia, which made history as amateur MMA fighters from all over the world competed for national pride in front of an audience of millions via television and internet broadcasts. The second annual World MMA Championships is scheduled to be held this September in Minsk, Belarus.

“I’m sure one of the basic tasks for us is to increase the interest of MMA in government,” Bouzou continued. “For this purpose it is necessary to develop master classes, seminars and conferences. Also, we will conduct different social programs in partnership with the Peace and Sports organization. Presenting MMA through collaboration with Peace and Sports, we will show to governments and society that mixed martial arts can be a very useful type of sport which can help with the solution of social problems.

“I consider it is important to carry MMA’s philosophy to the people. It is the philosophy of respect to the opponent and following rules. It is not just a show. It is a prime example that even irreconcilable rivals can unite for a general aim.

“The social side of sport – education, developing programs, competitions, popularization of sport among children and youth – is important to the state. If government is sure MMA can play an important role for society, that fighters can become excellent examples for people, they will support development of this sport. Fights, tournaments, and shows are spectacular and exciting, but it goes more to business. My goal is to show that MMA also has a strong social side.”

A recent WMMAA meeting
Seated far left, V.P. Joel Bouzou, and far center, President Vadim Finkelshtein

For more information about WMMAA, please visit www.WMMAA.org

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (March 31, 2014) – The opportunity American featherweight contender Lee “American Bulldog” Morrision (13-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) has trained so hard for finally arrives April 4 on M-1 Challenge 47: Battle in the Heart of the Continent,” airing free worldwide on M-1Global.tv, live from Orenburgzhe Sport Hall in Orenburgh, Russia. Morrison takes on unbeaten M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Marat Gafurov (8-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) in the highly-anticipated main event.

Unbeaten in his last eight fights, dating back nearly three years, Morrison will be fighting a long way from his home in Okanogon, Washington. The 28-year-old former collegiate wrestling star, at North Dakota College and Menio College in California, won his M-1 Global debut in his last fight (Oct. 20, 2013) with a hard fought split decision over Mikhail Malyutin at M-1 Challenge 42 to earn “Fight of the Night” honors. He also positioned himself as the No. 1 M-1 Challenge featherweight contender.

His first fight in Russia may have been somewhat surreal for him but this trip he’s on a mission to bring the coveted M-1 Challenge belt home to America. “Fighting in Russia the first time was quite interesting because it was like I was fighting alone in my head,” Morrison explained what it was like for him. “I traveled internationally to fight in a big organization. I had never been there and fans hadn’t see me before. Everything was breathtaking the last fight but this fight won’t be as much of a culture shock for me. Interest is even greater because a title is on the line this time.

“I’m coming to show what I’m capable of doing and hope to have my hand raised at the end of the fight. I’m a guy who is explosive. I’ve worked hard on conditioning; muscle movement – when to release and when to maintain – because I needed to prepare for a five-round fight. Seeing how I’ve been a wrestler all my life, I to try to stand-up and move around more in every fight. I’ve worked on my stand-up but I’m not really certain what will happen once the fight starts.”

The 29-year-old Gafurov is a jiu-jitsu world champion from Russia who won the inaugural M-1 Challenge featherweight championship Nov. 15, 2013, choking Vugar Bahshiev into a submission at M-1 Challenge 35. In his first and only title defense to date, Gaforov stopped Yuri Ivlev by way of punches in the second round, last November at M-1 Challenge 41.

“He’s undefeated, one of the top featherweight fighters in the world,” Morrison talked about his opponent. “Gafurov’s tough, very talented, strong and a Russian fighting at home. He’s the cream-of-the-crop. A win will elevate me to another level.”

An intriguing co-feature pits another American, ageless Jeff “The Snowman” Monson (49-17-1, 3 KO/TKO, 29 SUB), against French heavyweight Chaban Ka (6-3-1, 0 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) in a rematch of their 2011 fight that ended in a draw.
Monson is an MMA icon whose 16-year professional MMA career includes six fights in Russia (3-3-0), highlighted by a loss by decision to the great Fedor Emelianenko, as well as a win by submission (north-south choke) over Fedor’s younger brother, Alekander Emelianenko.

M-1 Challenge 47 will also be broadcast live on Russia 2, the terrestrial channel, throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Individual States (CIS), as well as across the Middle East on Abu Dhabi Sports Channels.

Chief support on the undercard will be provided by a Special Heavyweight Attraction featuring unbeaten Polish heavyweight Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (9-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) and always dangerous Croatian powerhouse Maro “Gladiator” Perak (23-3-1, 12 KO/TKO, 7 SUB).

Slovakian lightweight Ivan “Buki” Buchinger (25-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 15 SUB) is out seeking revenge against Russian veteran Sergey Golyaev (23-10-0, 6 KO/TKO, 12 SUB), who in 2010 needed only 21 seconds to become the first to knockout Buchinger.

Another American invader fighting on the loaded M-1 Challenge 47 event, making his M-1 Global debut, is Floridian welterweight Julien “J-Smoove” Williams (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), who faces unbeaten Russian grappling specialist Rasul Abdulaev (3-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB), the 2013 National and European amateur MMA champion.

Also fighting on the undercard is a pair of featherweight prospects, Kamil Maron (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 3 SUB), pf Poland, vs. Georgy Fursov (2-1-0, 1 KO/TKO), of Russia; Brazilian light heavyweight Luis Fernando “Hulk” Miranda (11-1-0) vs. Ukrainian National MMA champion Vasily Babich (9-2-0, 3 KO/TKO/5 SUB); Russian welterweight Alexei Kunchenko (2-0-0, 1 KO/1 SUB) tests himself vs. Ukrainian veteran Anatoly “Doctor” Safronev (19-20-0, 3 KO/TKO/8 SUB); and Murad Mirzabekov (1-0) vs. Said Maadziev (0-1-0) rounds-out this entertaining card in a battle of young Russian featherweights.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The M-1 Challenge series has traditionally introduced a new wave of potential MMA stars, showcasing elite athletes from Russia and across Europe. M-1 Global is the No. 1 European MMA organization, as well as one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 1998. Superstar Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the greatest fighter in MMA history, has been the face of M-1 Global around the combat sports world for the past decade.

Go on Facebook for more information about M-1 Global and M-1 Challenge 47 at https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244.

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 and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with 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 renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

Las Vegas, Nevada – Former UFC® heavyweight champion and pro-wrestling superstar Brock Lesnar is back in the public consciousness this week, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization’s digital subscription service UFC FIGHT PASS is premiering a retrospective on the 280-pound beast’s unique legacy as a mixed martial arts fighter.

Available immediately on UFC FIGHT PASS, “The Best of the Beast” anthology features all seven of Lesnar’s UFC fights, archive material including footage of Lesnar’s amateur wrestling career and – in addition – exclusive interviews with pro-wrestling stars “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Jim Ross, each of whom discuss Lesnar’s journey from pro-wrestling to the UFC Octagon®.

Wrestling Hall of Fame announcer Jim Ross was the man who scouted and eventually signed NCAA freestyle wrestling heavyweight champion Lesnar to a seven-figure pro-wrestling contract. Offering a unique perspective on Lesnar’s time in the UFC, Ross said: “Brock is a once in a generation athlete, he could have excelled in any number of sports that he turned his attention to. But – and he won’t mind me saying this one bit – he has a nasty streak in him. So I always suspected he’d do well when he went to the UFC. That said, I think what he accomplished as a MMA fighter, with little training and in such a short amount of time, was something very special.”

Wrestling superstar and Hollywood action hero Johnson, who has performed in the ring with Lesnar, said: “Giving Brock Lesnar a shot in the UFC after just one win in MMA was a risk for the UFC. And they threw everything at him – Frank Mir in his first fight. But what Brock managed accomplish in such a short amount of time was historic and I’m not sure if it will happen again.”

Steve Austin, action movie hero, podcaster and the iconic star of pro-wrestling’s biggest boom period, said: “I’m a huge UFC fan and, from a fan’s perspective, Brock brought a lot of excitement to the UFC’s heavyweight division. Brock’s also a friend of mine, so I’m biased, but I think that if fans really look at what he accomplished in a short amount of time, they will see he’s as good as anyone in the history of the heavyweight division.”

Entering the Octagon for the first time as a 1-0 novice in February 2008, Lesnar competed in the UFC until December 2011. In that time, he defeated UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, two-time UFC champion Frank Mir, and respected veteran Heath Herring, and overcame near-impossible odds to submit the previously unbeaten Shane Carwin. He retired from competition following back-to-back first round defeats to reigned UFC champ Cain Velasquez and No.6 ranked contender Alistair Overeem.

UFC FIGHT PASS Chief Content Officer Marshall Zelaznik said: “Brock Lesnar looms large in the annuals of the UFC and we’re excited to present our subscribers with the chance to relive his incredible career in the Octagon on UFC FIGHT PASS.”

For more information go to UFC.com and UFCFIGHTPASS.com.

About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that consistently sell out some of the most prestigious arenas around the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S., which annually includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network, as well as The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. The UFC organization also licenses over 100 UFC GYM® locations, and owns UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC Magazine, and has a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and on Twitter and Instagram: @UFC.

LAS VEGAS – Brazilian submission master Rousimar Palhares (17-6) needed just 69 seconds to take the World Series of Fighting welterweight title away from former champ Steve Carl (21-4).

And it was his signature move – the heel hook – that led “Toquinho” to victory.

The championship fight headlined Saturday’s “World Series of Fighting 9: Carl vs. Palhares” event at Las Vegas’ Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and aired on NBCSN.

Making his World Series of Fighting debut, Palhares wasted little time in shooting the fight to the floor. From there, he rolled for Carl’s leg, and the end was near. Looking first for a kneebar, Palhares then turned to his patented finishing hold, wrenching the inverted heel hook until Carl was forced to tap and hand over the belt.

In the night’s co-feature, Marlon Moraes claimed (13-4-1) claimed World Series of Fighting’s inaugural bantamweight title with a dominating decision win over a gutsy Josh Rettinghouse (10-3).

Rettinghouse looked to push the pace early, but Moraes’ excellent defensive wrestling skills kept him on the feet, and his crisp muay Thai provided all the offense he would need. A sharp counter punch floored Rettinghouse in the first, but he crawled back to his feet and soldiered on. Moraes came forward with thunderous leg kicks that wobbled Rettinghouse early and often and left him nearly immobile for the final few rounds.

A game Rettinghouse pushed forward until the final bell, but in the end, Moraes was simply too much and cruised to a decision win, earning a championship belt in the process.

Fighting for the first time under the World Series of Fighting banner, Japanese middleweight Yushin Okami (30-8) proved he’s still one of the world’s best fighters, as he dominated Bulgarian opponent Svetlozar Savov (12-5).

Savov simply had no match for Okami’s powerful wrestling attack and found himself on his back early and often. Pushing easily to mount in both the first and second rounds, Okami dominated the fight on the floor and eventually set up an arm-triangle choke and cranking the hold until he earned the tap with 14 seconds left in the frame.

Afterward, Okami admitted he had hoped to show off his striking skills but realized the importance of a win.

“My gameplan was to use my striking game, but once we got going, I saw that he had good distance, so I was forced to change my gameplan,” Okami said.

In a key welterweight fight, Josh Burkman (27-10) picked up another highlight-reel win with a stunning knockout of Tyler Stinson (27-10).

While Stinson was the vaunted knockout artist, it was Burkman who landed a crushing lead right from a southpaw stance, sending his opponent crashing to the floor. Burkman made sure he had no time to recover, landing a huge follow-up right hand that ended the fight at the 2:15 mark of the first.

“The one thing I didn’t want to do was stand in front of him,” Burkman said after the win. “I knew he had enough respect for my hands, and if he hurt me, I was going to take it to wrestling.”

In the night’s first main-card matchup, lightweight Johnny Nunez (5-0) kept his career mark perfect with a hard-fought split-decision win over Ozzy Dugulubgov (5-2).

The aggressive Nunez set the tone early in each round, pushing forward with reckless abandon. Dugulubgov proved a tough foe, defending takedown attempts and answering back with submission attempts of his own.

Ultimately, while Dugulubgov had frequent moments in dominant positions, his inability to capitalize on the advantages cost him, and Nunez was awarded a split-decision win. Afterward, Nunez said he wasn’t concerned with anyone claiming controversy in the call.

“I don’t care what anybody says,” Nunez said. “I’m not worrying about anyone but myself and my team.”

In the night’s featured preliminary contest, Mike Corey (13-3-1) looked downright dominant in a second-round submission win over Shane Kruchten (11-3).

The shorter Corey dealt well with Kruchten’s reach, leaping in with powerful punches and dropping him in the opening round. In the second, Corey took Kruchten to the floor, peppered him with punches and moved quickly to his back. While Kruchten tried to defend, Corey muscled in a rear-naked choke attempt and squeezed until he earned the tap at the 2:59 mark of the round.

Bryson Hansen (7-1) made an immediate impact in World Series of Fighting’s bantamweight division, needing just 46 seconds in his promotional debut to score a TKO win over Sean Cantor (1-1).

Hansen looked for a takedown early in the fight, and while Cantor defended well, he also exposed his chin in the process. Hansen seized the opportunity, unleashing a barrage of left hands that stunned Cantor and forced a quick TKO stoppage.

Featherweight prospect Chris Gruetzemacher (12-1) made his long-awaited World Series of Fighting debut in impressive fashion, thoroughly dominating longtime veteran John Gunderson (34-16-2). Using a grinding wrestling attack, Gruetzemacher had Gunderson on the defense from start to finish, and “Gritz” was awarded a clear-cut decision win.

While his brother, Bryson, would later duplicate the feat, Brenson Hansen (6-2) picked up a victory, downing Boostayre Nefarios (2-2) via decision. Nefarios appeared to hold in the edge in speed and quickness, but Hansen moved constantly forward, firing heavy punches and outworking his opponent en route to the victory.

In an early welterweight matchup, Danny Davis (9-8-1) turned in one of the more impressive efforts of his career, outworking Phil Dace (9-5) over the course of three rounds and scoring a unanimous-decision win.

The night’s first fight saw lightweight JimmySpicuzza (3-0) keep his perfect career mark intact with an impressive, first-round submission win over Gil Guardado (2-1).

ESPN Deportes brings Brazil’s Jungle Fight 67 to U.S. viewers Saturday, March 29 at 8 p.m. EST LIVE from the Costa Cavalcanti Gymnasium in Foz de Iguazu. The 67th edition of Jungle Fight will feature nine bouts by MMA’s most promising young talent, highlighted by the flyweight belt dispute between Mario Israel and Jonas Bilharinho.

Both fighters are coming into the match with no losses in their careers and a great reputation of being well-rounded athletes within the MMA scene. While Jonas Bilharinho trains at Team Nogueira with the Rodrigo Minotauro and Rogério Minotouro team, the current champion, Isreal, has the support of Alexandre “Capitão” and Rayner Silva – both champions in their category of Jungle Fight.

“This fight between Jonas Bilharinho and Mário Israel has the making of one of the best fights of all time,” said Wallid Ismael, former athlete and President of Jungle Fight. “It is a fight between two unbeaten rising stars of the national MMA scene. They are both outstanding Brazilian fighters, and I am sure we will hear a lot more from them.”

The first time Jungle Fight was held in Foz de Iguazu was August 2013. According to the Secretary of Sports Anderson Andrade, the event brought great visibility to the city, which called for a new edition in 2014 during the city’s 100th anniversary.

In addition to being considered a cradle for many popular MMA fighters, Jungle Fight distinguishes itself for inspiring and recruiting young fighters from poor communities, such as Cidade de Deus and Mangueira. Jungle Fight Championship also donates a portion of its proceeds to promote education, protect the endangered Amazon rainforest and support social programs.

The nine matchups are as follows (subject to change):

Jonas “Speed” Bilharinho (Team Nogueira) vs. Mario Israel (Top Life Amazonas) – 135 lbs.

Fabian Quintanar (Chakal MX Team – Mexico) vs. Richard Godoy (Thai Brasil/Foz do Iguaçu) – 145 lbs.

Alan Miguel (Fight Club BFC) vs. Rivaldo Junior (Top Life Amazonas) – 135 lbs.

Paulo “Smash” Durão (KRteam/novauniao-Portugal) vs. Cesar “Goku” Arzamendia (Fight Center Gym/Paraguai ) – 155 lbs.

Brandon Gushiken (Chakal & Ludus Fight Team – USA) vs. Aldo Ariel Villalba (Fight
Center Gym – Paraguay) – 125 lbs.

Bruno Silva (XGym/Team Nogueira) vs. Leandro Vasconcelos (SST / Foz do Iguaçu) – 155 lbs.

Apostolis de Andrade (CM System) vs. Gilberto ‘Pantoja’ (Lotus Club/ Macapá) – 125 lbs.

Gabriel Silva (XGym/ Team Nogueira) vs. Willian Vogado (SST/ Foz do Iguaçu) – 135 lbs.

Edson Jairo (SST MMA/Foz do Iguaçu) vs. Fabian Armoa (Dog Brothers/Argentina) –170 lbs.

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (March 26, 2014) – American fighters Lee “American Bulldog” Morrision (13-3-0, 4 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) and Jeff “The Snowman” Monson (49-17-1, 3 KO/TKO, 29 SUB) will be featured April 4 on M-1 Challenge 47: Battle in the Heart of the Continent, airing free worldwide on M-1Global.tv, live from Orenburgzhe Sport Hall in Orenburgh, Russia.

Morrison challenges unbeaten M-1 Challenge featherweight champion Marat Gafurov (8-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) in the main event, while Monson takes on French heavyweight Chaban Ka (6-3-1, 0 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) in a rematch of their 2011 fight that ended in a draw.

Morrison, fighting out of Okanogon, Washington, is unbeaten in his last eight fights, dating back nearly three years. The 28-year-old was a collegiate wrestler at North Dakota College and Menio College in California. He was 8-0 as an amateur MMA fighter before turning pro in 2007. Morrison made his M-1 Global debut in his last fight (Oct. 20, 2013), winning a hard fought split decision over Mikhail Malyutin at M-1 Challenge 42, earning Fight of the Night honors, as well as the No. 1 contender position for Morrison.

The 29-year-old Gafurov is a jiu-jitsu world champion from Ukraine who lives in Russia. He won the inaugural M-1 Challenge featherweight championship Nov. 15, 2013, choking Vugar Bahshiev into a submission at M-1 Challenge 35. In his first and only title defense to date, Gaforov stopped Yuri Ivlev by way of punches in the second round, last November at M-1 Challenge 41.

Monson was a standout wrestler in college at Oregon State and Illinois. He went on to become the two-time ADCC Submission Wrestling and No Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Champion. The 43-year-old veteran has fought in Russia three times (3-3-0), including a loss by decision to the great Fedor Emelianko, as well as a win by submission north-south choke) over Fedor’s younger brother, Alexander Emelianko.

The 6′ 2″ Ka has split a pair of Russian fights, losing by first-round submission (strikes) to Marcin Tybura in 2013 at M-1 Challenge 41, after winning his M-1 Global debut earlier that year to Alexei Kudin by first-round submission (choke) at M-1 Challenge 38.

M-1 Challenge 47 will also be broadcast live on Russia 2, the terrestrial channel, throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Individual States (CIS), as well as across the Middle East on Abu Dhabi Sports Channels.

Providing chief support on the undercard in a Special Heavyweight Attraction is a potential show-stealing clash between two of the most exciting European heavyweights, undefeated Marcin “Tybur” Tybura (9-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) and dangerous Maro “Gladiator” Perak (23-3-1, 12 KO/TKO, 7 SUB). Tybura was scheduled to challenge M-1 Challenge champion and fellow Polish heavyweight, Damian Grabowski, at M-1 Challenge 46. Grabowski, however, had to withdraw due to a neck injury and Tybura was rescheduled to fight Apr. 4. The high-regarded Perak, fighting out of Croatia, accepted the most significant challenge of his career to fight Tybura.

Revenge seeking lightweight Ivan “Buki” Buchinger (25-4-0, 6 KO/TKO, 15 SUB) vacated his Cage Warriors title and joined M-1 Global to become its first Slovakian champion. His plans call for a rematch Apr. 4 against veteran lightweight Sergey Golyaev (23-10-0, 6 KO/TKO, 12 SUB) and then a move down in weight to M-1’s stacked featherweight division. Buchinger has won 13 of his last 16 fights and Golyaev was one of three who defeated Buchinger during the aforementioned period, needing only 21 seconds to become the first to knockout Buchinger.

Another American invader fighting on the loaded M-1 Challenge 47 event is Floridian welterweight Julien “J-Smoove” Williams (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 4 SUB), who tangles with an unbeaten Russian, Rasul Abdulaev (3-0-0, 1 KO/TKO, 0 SUB). Williams makes his M-1 debut after going 2-0 in Bellator competition. He faces 2013 National and European amateur MMA champion Abdulaev, a physically strong individual who prefers to fight on the ground.

Also fighting on the undercard is lightweight prospects Kamil Maron (4-1-0, 0 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) vs. Georgy Fursov (2-1-0, 1 KO/TKO), as well as Brazilian light heavyweight Luis Fernando “Hulk” Miranda (11-1-0) vs. undefeated Ukrainian National MMA champion Vasily Babich (7-0-0).

Poland-native Maron, unlike many Alexander Nevsky-trained fighters who are well-prepared for stand-up battles, has won three of four fights by submission. Fursov is a young, Russian fighter trying to establish himself.

Miranda has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and only one of his fights has gone the full distance. Babich is a strong puncher and kicker who stopped highly-regarded Russian prospect Artur Alibulatov by TKO.

All fights and fighters are subject to change.

The M-1 Challenge series has traditionally introduced a new wave of potential MMA stars, showcasing elite athletes from Russia and across Europe. M-1 Global is the No. 1 European MMA organization, as well as one of the oldest in the world, dating back to 1998. Superstar Fedor Emelianenko, considered by many to be the greatest fighter in MMA history, has been the face of M-1 Global around the combat sports world for the past decade.

Go on Facebook for more information about M-1 Global and M-1 Challenge 47 at https://www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244.

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 and Los Angeles and affiliates in Seoul, Tokyo and Paris, the M-1 brand has staged more than 150 events worldwide, including the M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge and M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the Showtime network in the United States. Captivating live, television and broadband audiences with its superior production values and match-ups, M-1 Global events have featured some of the sport’s top names, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2014 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with 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 renowned heavyweight fighter, Fedor Emelianenko.

Las Vegas, Nev. – On Wednesday, April 16, Ultimate Fighting Championship® (UFC®) fans will get their fill of the UFC’s long-running reality series, The Ultimate Fighter®, as FOX Sports 1 showcases the season-ending The Ultimate Fighter Nations Finale live from Quebec City, followed by the two-hour premiere of the hotly anticipated 19th season headlined by former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and two-division champion BJ Penn.

In the 19th edition of the series, 16 middleweight (185 lbs.) and 16 light heavyweight (205 lbs.) fighters will square off in the most challenging sports tournament on television. The premiere episode will determine the eight men from each division who will successfully move into The Ultimate Fighter house and compete for a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a six-figure contract with the UFC.

See this season’s newly released promos featuring Frankie Edgar, BJ Penn and the latest cast of Ultimate Fighters.

The successful fighters will be divided into two teams, coached by Edgar and Penn respectively. The series will follow the teams as they live and train together in preparation for their fights. Then, both coaches will settle their score once and for all at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 6, in the main event of The Ultimate Fighter 19 Finale.

“Frankie Edgar is a guy who many believed should have fought at 145 pounds but fought at 155 pounds and beat everybody including BJ Penn – twice,” said UFC president Dana White. “This kid went from being a one-dimensional wrestler to having some of the best hands, knockouts and toe-to-toe wars.

“BJ Penn is one of the legends in the sport. He basically built the 155-pound division in the sport and had championship belts at 155 and 170 pounds. I can’t wait to see this third fight.”

The competitors are, in alphabetical order (name, professional MMA record, age, fighting out of):

The competitors are:
Corey Anderson (3-0), 24, Lincoln, Ill.
Cathal Pendred (13-2), 26, Dublin, Ireland
Kelly Anundson (6-1), 29, Deerfield Beach, Fla.
John Poppie (3-1), 24, Ettrick, Wis.
Anton Berzin (3-1), 24, Philadelphia, Pa.
Doug Sparks (7-2), 31, Bloomington, Ind.
Josh Clark (7-2), 29, Richmond, Ky.
Daniel Spohn (8-3), 29, Columbus, Ohio
Chris Fields (8-4), 30, Dublin, Ireland
Joshua Stansbury (4-2), 29, East Liverpool, Ohio
Matthew Gabel (8-3), 28, Le Mars, Iowa
Ian Stephens (4-0), 25, Ringgold, Ga.
Lyman Good (15-3), 28, New York, N.Y.
Adam Stroup (5-1), 27, Denver, Colo.
Eddie Gordon (6-1), 29, Uniondale, N.Y.
Nordine Taleb (8-2), 32, Montreal, Canada
Jacob Heun (6-3), 26, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Hector Urbina (16-8), 26, Coconut Creek, Fla.
Mike King (5-0), 30, Naples, Fla.
Matt Van Buren (6-2), 27, Chula Vista, Calif.
Tyler King (7-1), 33, North Attleboro, Mass.
Bojan Velickovic (8-2), 33, Delray Beach, Fla.
Dhiego Lima (8-1), 33, Sugar Hill, Ga.
Daniel Vizcaya (7-2), 28, Aurora, Ill.
Adrian Miles (14-5), 30, Biloxi, Miss.
Patrick Walsh (4-1), 25, Stoughton, Mass.
Tyler Minton (5-1), 26, Johnson City, Tenn.
Tim Williams (8-1), 27, Millville, N.J.
Todd Monaghan (8-2), 31, Clinton, Iowa
Roger Zapata (5-1), 27, New York, N.Y.
Cody Mumma (5-1), 30, Henderson, Colo.

The official headshots may be downloaded using the following link: ftp://upload:upload@ftp.ufc.com/2014-03-19-TUF-19-CAST-32-PRE-ELIMINATION-HEADSHOTS.zip (cut and paste link into your web browser to properly download files).

The Ultimate Fighter®: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn will run for 13 weeks in its regularly scheduled timeslot of 10 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1. Each episode’s winners will advance in the single-elimination tournament, which will culminate in a three-hour finale, live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 6.

Many of today’s most recognizable names in the UFC have emerged from The Ultimate Fighter series, which also produced champions such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Matt Serra and season winners Michael Bisping, Ryan Bader and Nate Diaz.

For more show information, bios, videos and photos, visit ultimatefighter.com and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter under our new name @UltimateFighter or on Facebook.com/TUF.

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The Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Owned and operated by Zuffa, LLC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC®) is the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and largest pay-per-view event provider in the world. Headquartered in Las Vegas with offices in London, Toronto, Beijing, Singapore and Sao Paulo, the UFC produces more than 40 live events annually that have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe. UFC programming is broadcast in over 145 countries to 800+ million TV households worldwide in 28 different languages. The UFC has a multi-year broadcast agreement with FOX in the U.S. which includes four live events broadcast on the FOX network annually, The Ultimate Fighter® reality television show and thousands of hours of programming on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2. In 2014, UFC launched UFC FIGHT PASS™, a digital subscription service with exclusive live events, thousands of fights on-demand and original content. UFC also owns over 100 UFC GYM® locations, UFC.TV® (offering live event broadcasts and video on-demand around the world), UFC FIT™ (an in-home fitness and nutrition program), UFC 360 (the internationally distributed magazine), a videogame franchise with EA SPORTS, best-selling DVDs and Blu-rays, UFC Fight Club®, UFC Fan Expo®, Octagon™ branded apparel and Topps Trading Cards. For more information, visit www.UFC.com and follow UFC at www.Facebook.com/UFC and Twitter: @UFC.

FOX Sports 1
FOX Sports 1 is America’s new national multi-sport channel that launched on August 17 in approximately 90 million homes and boasts nearly 5,000 hours of live event, news and original programming annually. The channel has several pillar sports: college basketball and football, MLB (in 2014), NASCAR, NFL (ancillary programs), international soccer, UFC and Golden Boy boxing, and adds USGA events, including the U.S. Open, and FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2015. FOX SPORTS LIVE is FOX Sports 1’s flagship 24/7 news, opinion and highlights program, providing around the clock coverage through regularly scheduled programs, hourly updates and an information rich ticker. Original programs include: AMERICA’S PREGAME; MLB WHIPAROUND; NASCAR RACE HUB; CROWD GOES WILD, a new live sports entertainment talk show hosted by Regis Philbin; and the groundbreaking BEING: documentary franchise. FOX Sports GO, a new authenticated mobile sports experience for iPhone, iPad, Android devices and the web, serves as the channel’s digital extension. The app offers more than 1,100 live games and events from cross FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports 2 and FOX Sports’ 22 regional sports networks, as well as scores, highlights, news, stats and analysis. For more information visit www.FOXSports.com/FOXSports1.

Anthony Pettis thrilled his hometown fans by winning the UFC Lightweight title with a 1st round submission over Benson Henderson at The Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wissonson.

Pettis won via armbar at 4:31. Pettis is now 17-2. Anderson is 19-3.

Josh Barnett stopped Frank Mir in the first round of their heavyweight bout with a knee to the face.

The time of the finish was 1:56.

Barnett, 255 lbs of Fullerton, CA is now 33-6. Mir, 248 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 16-8.

Chad Mendes stopped Clay Guida in the 3rd round of their featerweight bout.

Mendes dropped Guida in round three with a hard right. Fuida was on his saide and all he could do was cover up as Mendes jumped on him with punches and the bout was stopped at 30 seconds.

It was the 4th consecutive stoppage for Mendes. Guida had never been stopped before.

Mendes, 145 lbs of Sacramento, CA is 15-1. Guida, 146 lbs of Albuquerque, NM is 30-11.

Ben Rothwell punched out Brandon Vera at 1:54 of round three of their heavyweight bout.

Rothwell, 262 lbs of Kenosha, WI uis 33-9. Vera, 241 lbs of San Diego, CA is 12-7-1.

Dustin Poirier won a unanimous decision over Eric Koch in a featherweight bout.

Poirier won by scores of 29-28 twice and 29-27 and is now 14-3.