M-1 Challenge 45 Matchups Feb. 28, 2014 * Atmosphere Hall * St. Petersburg, Russia

MAIN EVENT – HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

DENIS SMOLDAREV (5-0-0), Estonia  266 ½ lbs.

ANTE “Walking Trouble” DELIJA (8-1-0), Croatia   247 lbs.

Ante Delija (L) – Denis Smoldarev (R)

CO-FEATURE – LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

MUSA KHAMANAEV (13-3-0), Russia   155 lbs.

VLADIMIR NIKOLAEV (10-1-0), Ukraine  154 ½ lbs.

Musa Khamanaev (L) – Vladimir Nikolaev (R)

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

CHARLES “Gracie” ANDRADE (27-15-0), Brazil   184 ½ lbs.

RASHID YUSUPOV (2-2-0), Russia   205 lbs.

Charles Andrade (L) – Rashid Yusupov (R)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

NIKO PUHAKKA (28-14-0), Finland   155 lbs.

ALEXANDER “Iron Capture” BUTENKO (33-9-0), Ukraine   154 lbs.

Niko Puhakka (L) – Alexander Butenko (R)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

RAHMAN MAKHAZHIEV (1-0-0),Russia   155 lbs.

SERGEI ANDREEV (5-2-0), Russia   155 lbs.

Sergei Andreev (L) – Rahman Makhazhiev (R)

WELTERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ILYA DODERKIN (3-0-0), Russia   171 ½ lbs.                                    

NENAD “Nino” AVRAMOVIC (0-1-0), Spain   175 lbs.

Nenad Avramovic

FEATHERWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

YUNUS EVLOEV (12-6-0), Russia   135 lbs.

VITALI BRANCHUK (13-3-0), Ukraine   134 ½ lbs.

Yunus Evloev (L)) – Vitali Branchuk (R)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

OLEG MISIKOV (1-0-0), Russia   155 lbs.

IVAN GET’MAN (1-0-0), Russia   141 lbs.

Oleg Misikov (L) – Ivan Get’man (R)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

KURBANALI ABDUSALAMOV (2-2-0), Russia   155 lbs.

ALEJANDRO KRATZ-FERRER (pro debut), Russia   153 lbs.

Kurbanali Abdusalamov (L) – Alejandro Kratz-Ferrer (R)

LIGHTWEIGHTS – 3 X 5

ALEXANDER KORNEEV (pro debut), Russia   152 lbs.

OLEG KHACHATUROV (0-1-0), Ukraine   155 lbs.

Oleg Khachaturov (L) – Alexander Korneev (R)

WHEN:        Friday, February 28, 2014

WHERE:      Atmosphere Show Hall in St. Petersburg, Russia

PROMOTER:  M-1 Global

TELEVISION: Live 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 Gobal 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 matchups, 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.

-30-

USA MEDIA CONTACT:

Bob Trieger, Full Court PRESS, 978.664.4482, [email protected], @FightPublicist