(PRESS RELEASE) -- BEIJING, CHINA - Last night at M-1 Challenge: Battle in the Celestial Empire, undefeated M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Marcin Tybura (12-0-0, 4 KO/TKO, 6 SUB) had a very successful first title defense, Russian heavyweight Sergei Kharitonov (22-5-0, 12 KO/TKO, 9 SUB) registered another impressive knockout, and former M-1 Challenge heavyweight champion Damian Grabowski (20-2-0, 6 KO/TKO 12 SUB) returned to his winning ways in the blockbuster event.
Tybura, of Poland, needed only 3:35 to force previously unbeaten Estonian challenger Denis Smoldarev (8-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) into tapping-out from a rear naked choke.
Kharitonev emerged victorious from his Heavyweight Super Fight against American challenger and late replacement Kenny "Deuce" Garner (14-8-0, 8 KO/TKO, 3 SUB) when the doctor stopped the fight in the third round.
Grabowski locked an arm triangle as Latvian challenger and knockout specialist, Konstantine Gluhuv (28-14-0, 21 KO/TKO, 4 SUB) submitted in round three of their Special Heavyweight Attraction.
Four-time Washu Sanda champion Muslim Salikhov, of Russia, improved his professional record to 5-1-0 with a first-round knockout by punches of Brazilian welterweight Victor Sckoteski (5-2-0, 3 KO/TKO, 1 SUB).
Undefeated Ukrainian featherweight Pavel Vitruk (12-0-0, 3 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) kept his perfect record intact, punching out Brazilian invader Rafael Miranda (9-5-0, 2 KO/TKO, 5 SUB) in the opening round.
Chinese bantamweight Honggang Yao (10-4-1) and Nikita Chistyakov (4-1-1), of Russia, fought to a three-round majority draw.
Unbeaten Kazakh bantamweight Sergey Morozov (5-0-0) punched his way to a second round knockout victory over fan-favorite Rijirigala Amu (8-4-0), of China.
The pro debut of Movsar Evloev was successful as the Russian bantamweight defeated another Chinese fighter, Jianwei Uksw" He (1-2-0), by way of a rear naked choke that resulted in a second-round submission.
COMPLETE RESULTS
HEAVYWEIGHTS:
Marcin Tybura (12-0-0), Poland WSUB1 (3:35 - rear naked choke) Denis Smoldarev(8-0-0), Estonia (Tybura retained M-1 Challenge heavyweight title)
Sergei Kharitonov (22-5-0), Russia WTKO3 (2:01) Kenny Garner (14-8-0), United States
Damian Grabowski(20-2-0), Poland WSUB3 (1:47 - arm triangle) Konstantin Gluhuv (28-15-0), Latvia
WELTERWEIGHTS:
Muslim Salikhov (6-1-0), Russia WKO1 (4:27 - punch) Victor Sckoteski(5-2-0), Brazil
FEATHERWEIGHTS:
Pavel Vitruk (12-0-0), Ukraine WKO1 (1:44 - punch) Rafael Miranda (9-5-4), Brazil
BANTAMWEIGHTS:
Honggang Yao(10-4-1), China D3 Nikita Chistyakov (5-1-1), Russia
Sergey Morozov (5-0-0), Kazakhstan WTKO2 (4:36 - punches) Rijirigala Amu (8-3-0), China
Movsar Ervoev(1-0-0), Russia WSUB2 (2:56 - rear naked choke) Jianwei He (1-1-0), China
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