ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN (July 4, 2015) – For the second time in less than eight months, Russian striker Sergei “Paratrooper” Kharitonov defeated former M-1 Challenge champion Kenny Garner in a Heavyweight SuperFight, stopping the dangerous American in the opening round this past Friday night in M-1 Challenge 59: Battle of Nomads 5 main event in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Kharitonov (23-5-0, 13 KO/TKO, 9 SUB) defeated Garner at the 4:11 mark of the first round via punches, setting the stage for a potential showdown with M-1 Challenge heavyweight Marcin Tybura
A pair of promising Kazakh prospects, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Sergey Morozov, gave their fellow countrymen in attendance plenty to cheer about. Rakhmonov (3-0-0, 1 KO/TKO 2 SUB), the 2013 WMMAA welterweight champion, locked in a guillotine choke on Polish welterweight Michael Wiencek (5-3-0, 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) only 49-seconds into their fight for a win by submission. In M-1 Challenge’s inaugural bantamweight fight, Morozov remained undefeated with a second-round technical knockout of the United Kingdom’s Andy “Naz” Young (6-7-0, 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) by way of a spinning back fist and punches.
In two other main event fights, American middleweight Luigi “The Italian Tank” Fioravanti (26-13-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) used a rear-naked choke to force a second-found submission of previously undefeated Sergey Kovalev ,(5-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), while Azerbaijan heavyweight Zaur Hajibabayev (4-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) punched out Spaniard David Trallero (2-4-0, 2 KO/TKO) in round two.
On the preliminary card, Kazakh welterweight Rashid Dagaev (3-1-0) won a three-round unanimous decision over Daniel “The Gladiator” Tabera (18-8-3), of Spain, Russian lightweight Damir Ismagulov (4-1-0) registered a win by first-round technical knockout (punches) against Spain’s Pedro Eugenio Granjo (3-2-0), Georgian middleweight Nodar Kudikhashvili improved his record to 10-1-0 with a decision over pro-debuting Ukrainian Aleksander Boyko (0-1-0), Russian light heavyweight Batraz Agnaev (3-0-0) remained unbeaten with a first-round technical knockout (punches) of Ukrainian Anton Pazenko (2-1-0), and Russian middleweight Artem Frolov (4-0-0) used a triangle choke to win by opening round decision over pro-debuting Russian Inshel Erkimbek (0-1-0).
Complete results and picture gallery below:
MAIN CARD
HEAVYWEIGHT SUPER FIGHT
Sergei Kharitonov(23-5-0), Russia WTHO1 (Punches – 4:11) Kenny Garner (16-9-0), USA
HEAVYWEIGHTS
Zaur Hajibabayev (4-1-0), Azerbaijan WTKO2 (Punches – 4:37) David Trallero (2-4-0), Spain
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Luigi Fioravanti (26-13-0), USA WSUB2 (Reared Naked Choke – 1:56) Sergey Kovalev (5-1-0), Russia
WELTERWEIGHTS
Shavkat Rakhmonov (3-0-0), Kazakhstan WSUB1 (Guillotine Choke – 0.49) Michal Wiencek (5-3-0), Poland
BANTAMWEIGHTS
Sergey Morozov(6-0-0), Kazakhstan WTKO2 (Spinning Back Fist & Punches – 3:50) Andy Young (6-7-0), UK
PRELIMINARY CARD
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS
Batraz Agnaev (3-0-0), Russia WTKO1(Punches – 3:00) Anton Pazenko (2-1-0), Ukraine
MIDDLEWEIGHTS
Nodar Kudukhashvili(10-1-0), Georgia WDEC3 Aleksander Boiko (0-1-0), Ukraine
Artem Frolov (4-0-0), Russia WSUB1 (Triangle Choke – 1:15) Inzhel Erkimbek (0-1-0), Russia
LIGHTWEIGHTS
Damir Ismagulov(4-1-0), Russia WTKO1 (Punches – 2:53) Pedro Eugenio Granjo (3-2-0), Spain
WELTERWEIGHTS
Rashid Dagaev (3-1-0), Kazakhstan WDEC3 Daniel Tabera (18-8-3), Spain
Kenny Garner & Sergei Kharitonov
Kharitonov (right) hammers Garner
(L-R) Shavka Rakhmonov & Michel Wiencek
Luigi Fioravanti (bottom) closes show vs. Sergey Kovalev
Zaur Hajibabayev & David Trallero
Sergey Morozov throws Andy Young
Damir Ismaguluv & Pedro Eugenio Granjo
Nodar Kudukhashvili
Batraz Agnaev (top) & Anon Pazenko
Artem Frolov & Inzel Erkimbek
Daniel Tabera & Rashid Dagaev
Information:
www.mixfight.ru
www.wmmaa.org
www.M1Global.tv
Twitter & Instagram:
@M1GlobalNews
@VFinkelchtein
@M1Global
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/M-1-Global/145250878842244
ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL: Founded in 1997, M-1 Global has established itself in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) as the premier entity for discovering and developing the world’s next-generation of superstar fighters. With its office in St Petersburg, Russia, the M-1 brand has staged more than 160 events worldwide, including M-1 Selection, M-1 Challenge, M-1 Global and M-1 Global HWGP events, in addition to co-promoting Strikeforce events and M-1 Global on the U.S. network, Showtime. 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 legendary heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem, Keith Jardine, Ben Rothwell, Melvin Manhoef, Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Yushin Okami, Mike Pyle, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, Chalid Arrab and Stephan Struve. 2015 promises to be another sensational year of world-class competition with a full calendar of Challenge events fueled by a talent-rich contention system ranking M-1 Global Champions among the greatest fighters in the sport.
ABOUT M-1GLOBAL.TV: Enjoy MMA action now in high definition brought to you by M-1Global.tv, offering only the best fights from M-1 Global and other MMA organizations. M-1Global.tv is a great platform developed specifically to bring together the most exhaustive fight video database. It also provides an easy and intuitive interface, helping everyone to start using the platform in no time while avoiding any spoilers. Besides watching the past fights on demand at any time convenient to the customer, viewers are able to enjoy the action LIVE, all available to M-1Global.tv users through a low-priced month to month digital subscription. Your world of action. Anytime!
