+NEWS
UFC NEWSPFL NEWSBELLATOR NEWSWOMEN'S MMA NEWS
+FEATURES
PREVIEWSOPINIONINTERVIEWS
+FIGHT FINDER
UFC EVENTSBELLATOR EVENTSPFL EVENTSFULL CALENDARFIGHT FINDER GUIDE
+PODCASTS
SHILLAN & DUFFY PODCASTTHE SHEEHAN SHOWFIGHT BUSINESS PODCASTAFTER THE BELL
VIDEOS
+RANKINGS
DIVISIONAL RANKINGSPOUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGSWOMEN'S POUND-FOR-POUND RANKINGS
+FORUM
UFC DISCUSSIONWORLDWIDE MMA DISCUSSIONOFF TOPIC DISCUSSIONPHOTOSHOPS
BOXING
+MORE
PICTURESHOW TO WATCHCONTACT
FIGHT ODDS

M-1 Challenge 72 Finalized with Four Additional Bouts

Mike SloanNov 03, 2016

M-1 finalized the main card for M-1 Challenge 72 on Thursday as the Russian promotion announced four more bouts.

Middleweight Artem Frolov will take on Luigi Fioravanti in a bout that could determine the next in line for a shot at the title. Kurbaneli Abdusalamor will take on fellow featherweight Timur Nagibin, and lightweight Damir Ismagulov will stand opposite Rubenilton Pereira. The final bout that was revealed is 185-pound affair between Kristijan Perak and Talekh Nadzhafzads.

Reigning welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko will defend his crown against Murad Abdulaev in the main event of M-1 Challenge 72. The action will commence in Moscow on Nov. 18 and will be streamed live on M1Global.tv.

Kunchenko is an unbeaten beast from Tyumen, Russia, and the fight will be the first defense of his title. Kunchenko won the title by stopping Abdulaev in the fourth in April at M-1 Challenge 65. Kunchenko fought at M-1 Challenge 70 in September and he toppled Eduardo Ramon, but it was a non-title affair.

Abdulaev, meanwhile, had won 10 of 11 fights before snatching the vacant 170-pound title by edging Marcelo Brito via decision last June at M-1 Challenge 58. But “Hunter” never successfully defended the belt, though, because his next match was against Kunchenko and now he’s out for vengeance.

M-1 also revealed a few weeks ago that former lightweight champ Artiom Damkovsky will take on Alexey Makhno in a scheduled three-rounder at 155 pounds.