The 2011 M-1 Challenge season was the fourth season of mixed martial arts (MMA) fighting presented by the M-1 Global promotion. The season began on March 5.
Events
M-1 Challenge XXIII: Grishin vs. Guram The first M-1 Challenge event of 2011 took place on March 5, 2011, at the Crocus City in Moscow, Russia.
Main card (Russia 2 TV) Heavyweight Championship bout: Guram Gugenishvili (c) vs. Maxim Grishin Gugenishvili defeated Grishin via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:03 of round 1. Welterweight Championship bout: Shamil Zavurov vs. Tom Gallicchio Zavurov defeated Gallicchio via TKO (strikes) at 1:11 of round 2. Welterweight bout: Rashid Magomedov vs. Rafał Moks Magomedov defeated Moks via TKO (strikes) at 2:06 of round 1. Lightweight bout: Mairbek Taisumov vs. Yuri Ivlev Taisumov defeated Ivlev via TKO (punches) at 1:34 of round 2. Middleweight bout: Magomed Sultanakhmedov vs. Plinio Cruz Sultanakhmedov defeated Cruz via TKO (strikes) at 1:11 of round 2.
Preliminary card (stream on mixfight.ru) Middleweight bout: Magomedrasul Khasbulaev vs. Daniel Weichel Weichel defeated Magomedrasul via technical submission (triangle choke) at 3:13 of round 1. Heavyweight bout: Goncalo Salgado vs. Arsen Abdulkerimov Abdulkerimov defeated Salgado via submission (armbar) at 2:29 of round 1. Light heavyweight bout: Igor Savelyev vs. Byron Byrd Saveliev defeated Byrd via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:12 of round 2. Light heavyweight bout: Shamil Tinagadjiev vs. Tomasz Narkun Narkun defeated Tinagadjiev via submission (triangle choke) at 3:33 of round 1. Light heavyweight bout: Maxim Bulahtin vs. Magomed Ismailov Ismailov defeated Bulahtin via submission (rear-naked choke) at 0:47 of round 2. Lightweight bout: Vusal Bairamov vs. Nikolai Kaushansky Kaushansky defeated Bairamov via submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:31 of round 1.
M-1 Challenge XXIV: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa The second M-1 Challenge event took place on March 25, 2011, at the Ted Constant Convocation Center in Norfolk, Virginia. This event marked the first M-1 show in the United States since 2009 and aired live on the Showtime cable network. The event drew an estimated 189,000 viewers on Showtime.
Due to problems with his visa Arthur Guseinov was unable to compete. Josh Bakkalao got injured during practice and was unable to face Alexander Sarnavskiy. He was replaced by Beau Baker.
Main card (Showtime TV) Lightweight Championship bout: Artiom Damkovsky (c) vs. Jose Figueroa Figueroa defeated Damkovsky via TKO (punches) at 2:28 of round 2 to become the new M-1 Global Lightweight Champion. Middleweight Championship bout: Magomed Sultanakhmedov vs. Tyson Jeffries Sultanakhmedov defeated Jeffries via TKO (knees to the body) at 3:07 of round 2. Light heavyweight bout: Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jake Doerr Magalhaes defeated Doerr via TKO (punches) at 1:47 of round 1. Middleweight bout: Jason Norwood vs. Mojo Horne Norwood defeated Horne by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Lightweight bout: Alexander Sarnavskiy vs. Beau Baker Sarnavskiy defeated Baker via submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:32 of round 2.
Preliminary card Bantamweight bout: Marcus Daniels vs. Bryan Lasham Lasham defeated Daniels via TKO (punches) at 0:57 of round 1. Featherweight bout: Bethany Marshall vs. Stacy Grant Marshall defeated Grant via submission (toe hold) at 1:49 of round 2. Welterweight bout: Brian Nielson vs. Colton Smith Smith defeated Nielson via submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:19 of round 1. Heavyweight bout: Johnny Curtis vs. Bobby Gurley Curtis defeated Gurley via KO (punch to the body) at 0:36 of round 1. Lightweight bout: George Sheppard vs. David Derby Sheppard defeated Derby via TKO (punches) at 1:50 of round 1. Bantamweight bout: Jessie Riggleman vs. Jason Hilliker Riggleman defeated Hilliker via submission (guillotine choke) at 3:13 of round 1.
M-1 Challenge XXV: Zavurov vs. Enomoto 28 April 2011 Ice Palace Saint Petersburg in St.Petersburg, Russia. On this day it was announced that Dmitry Samoilov and Mike Guerin were injured during the training process and, unfortunately, will not be able to take part in the tournament M-1 Challenge XXV. Zavurov vs Magomedov. Rashid Magomedov was seriously injured and was out of title bout with Shamil Zavurov. M-1 Global has made sure to in such a short period of time to find a replacement, and literally a few minutes ago to sign the exclusive contract with M-1 Global has put Swiss welterweight Yasubi Enomoto, who last year was a finalist at the Grand Prix at Sengoku in his weight class.
Main card (Russia 2 TV) Welterweight Championship bout: Shamil Zavurov (c) vs. Yasubey Enomoto Zavurov defeated Enomoto by unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47). Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Viktor Nemkov vs. Vinny Magalhaes Magalhaes defeated Nemkov via submission (mounted gogoplata) at 1:40 of round 3. Middleweight bout: Andrei Semenov vs. Luigi Fioravanti Semenov defeated Fioravanti by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Light Heavyweight bout: Mikhail Zayats vs. Malik Merad Zayats defeated Merad via TKO (punches) at 0:49 of round 2. Heavyweight bout: Maxim Grishin vs. Vladimir Kuchenko Grishin defeated Kuchenko via TKO (punches) at 3:14 of round 3. Heavyweight bout: Alexander Volkov vs. Denis Goltsov Volkov defeated Goltsov via TKO (punches) at 3:05 of round 2. Welterweight bout: Alexander Yakovlev vs. Christian Eckerlin Yakovlev defeated Eckerlin via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:14 of round 2.
Preliminary card (stream on mixfight.ru) Welterweight bout: Juan Manuel Suarez vs. Arsen Temirkhanov Suarez defeated Temirkhanov by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Middleweight bout: Murad Magomedov vs. Ramazan Emeev Emeev defeated Magomedov by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). Welterweight bout: Ramazan Esenbaev vs. Albert Akhmetov Esenbaev defeated Akhmetov via TKO (punches) at 2:49 of round 2.
M-1 European Battle June 4, 2011 ACCO International Center Kyiv, Ukraine
Main card (Ustream.com) Welterweight bout: Yasubey Enomoto vs. Rafał Moks Enomoto defeated Moks via majority decision (29-28, 28-28, 29-28). Lightweight bout: Yuri Ivlev vs. Artiom Damkovsky Ivlev defeated Damkovsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). Welterweight bout: Alexander Agafonov vs. Husein Haliev Haliev defeated Agafonov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Lightweight bout: Vugar Bakhshiev vs. Antun Račić Račić defeated Bakhshiev via submission (rear-naked choke) at 3:54 of 3 round.
Preliminary card Lightweight bout: Alexander Kozyr vs. Semen Tyrlya Kozyr defeated Tyrlya via submission (armbar) at 1:57 of 1 round. Welterweight bout: Vadim Khaitulov vs. Viktor Talashov Khaitulov defeated Talashov via TKO (punch) at 1:24 of 1 round. Middleweight bout: Ruslan Khaskhanov vs. Andrei Dryapko Dryapko defeated Khaskhanov via submission (shoulder injury) 1:57 of 1 round. Light Heavyweight bout: Saparbek Safarov vs. Denis Ivanets Safarov defeated Ivanets via TKO (punches) at 3:00 of 1 round. Heavyweight bout: Igor Zadernovsky vs. Yuri Snegovskoy Zadernovsky defeated Snegovskoy via submission (armbar) at 2:01 of 1 round.
European Gran Prix Lightweight bout: Farkhad Fatalla vs. Ilya Tiunov Fatalla defeated Tiunov via Submission (guillotine choke) at 1:48 of 1 round. Lightweight bout: Serhiy Adamchuk vs. Sergey Sinkevich Adamchuk defeated Sinkevich via KO (punch) at 2:47 of 2 round. Welterweight bout: Vladimir Opanasenko vs. Syanan Yusibov Opanasenko defeated Yusibov via submission (armbar) at 0:41 of 1 round. Welterweight bout: Vasily Novikov vs. Alexander Nimerenko Novikov defeated Nimerenko via submission (armbar) at 3:10 of 2 round. Middleweight bout: Alexander Dolotenko vs. Filip Anasovich Dolotenko defeated Anasovich via submission (armbar) at 1:15 of 1 round.
M-1 Challenge XXVI: Bennett vs. Garner II The second M-1 Challenge event to air on Showtime took place on July 8, 2011, in Costa Mesa, California. Guram Gugenishvili was originally announced for the main event, but suffered a hand injury and was replaced by Garner.
Main card (Showtime TV) Heavyweight bout: Kenny Garner vs. Pat Bennett Garner defeated Bennett via KO (punch) at 1:15 of round 2. Middleweight bout: Arthur Guseinov vs. Tyson Jeffries Guseinov defeated Jeffries via KO (back fist) at 1:32 of round 1. Lightweight bout: Mairbek Taisumov vs. Josh Bakkalao Taisumov defeated Bakkalao via KO (punch) at 2:01 of round 1. Lightweight bout: Daniel Weichel vs. Beau Baker Weichel defeated Baker by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-25). Middleweight bout: Eddie Arizmendi vs. Jason Norwood Arizmendi defeated Norwood via KO (punch) at 4:55 of round 2.
Preliminary card (Allboxing.tv) Lightweight bout: Max Martyniouk vs. Mike De Robles Martyniouk defeated Robles via TKO (punches) at 2:30 of 1 round. Lightweight bout: Diman Morris vs. Brandon Michaels Morris defeated Michaels by split decision (29-28, 27-30, 29-28).
M-1 Challenge XXVII: Magalhaes vs. Zayats The third M-1 Challenge show on Showtime took place on October 14, 2011, at the Grand Canyon University Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.
Heavyweight champion Guram Gugenishvili was originally set to defend his title in a rematch against Kenny Garner, but pulled out of the bout due to an elbow injury.
Main card (Showtime TV) Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Vinny Magalhaes (c) vs. Mikhail Zayats Magalhaes defeated Zayats via TKO (head kick and punches) at 1:13 of round 3. Heavyweight Interim Championship bout: Kenny Garner vs. Maxim Grishin Garner defeated Grishin via submission (punches) at 4:07 of round 5. Middleweight bout: Eddie Arizmendi vs. Arthur Guseinov Guseinov defeated Arizmendi via submission (heel hook) at 0:50 of round 1. Welterweight bout: Josh Thorpe vs. Yasubey Enomoto Enomoto defeated Thorpe via submission (triangle choke) at 1:07 of round 1. Welterweight bout: Tom Gallicchio vs. Daniel Madrid Madrid defeated Gallicchio via submission (armbar) at 0:48 of round 1.
Preliminary card Catchweight (158 lbs) bout: Ryan Crouch vs. Fredrik Lumpkin Crouch defeated Lumpkin via TKO (punches) at 2:26 of round 2. Welterweight bout: Mike Chavez vs. Joe Martinez Chavez defeated Martinez via split decision (29–28, 28–29, 29–28).
M-1 Challenge XXVIII: Emelianenko vs. Malikov 12 November, Star Centre, Astrakhan, Astrakhan Oblast
Shamil Zavurov was expected to defend his title against Rashid Magomedov on this card, but had to withdraw due to knee injury.
Main Card (PPV and Russia 2) Heavyweight bout: Alexander Emelianenko vs. Magomed Malikov Malikov defeated Emelianenko via KO (punches) at 0:23 of round 1 Light Heavyweight bout: Alihan Magomedov vs. Isaiah Larson Larson defeated Magomedov via submission (armbar) at 3:41 of round 2 Lightweight bout: Vugar Bakhshiev vs. Yves Landu Bakhshiev defeated Landu by split decision (30–27, 27–29, 29–27)
Preliminary card Middleweight bout: Anton Kostishchin vs. David Beaudrier Beaudrier defeated Kostishchin via submission (arm-triangle choke) at 2:48 of round 2
M-1 Selection: GP 84 kg Middleweight bout: Enoc Solves Torres vs. Ruslan Khaskhanov Torres defeated Khaskhanov via TKO (punches) at 1:00 of round 1 Middleweight bout: Jan Zdansky vs. Anatoly Tokov Tokov defeated Zdansky via TKO (punches) at 4:20 of round 1 Middleweight bout: Sunay Hamidov vs. Alexei Martinov Hamidov defeated Martinov via submission (triangle choke) at N/A of round 3 Middleweight bout: Gregory Babene vs. Alexander Dolotenko Babene defeated Dolotenko via submission (triangle choke) at 3:33 of round 1
M-1 Challenge XXIX: Samoilov vs. Miranda 19 November, Ufa Arena, Ufa, Bashkortostan
Vyacheslav Vasilevsky again was traumatized in a hand and according to its command, doctors have forbidden it to act until January, 2012.
Main Card Middleweight bout: Dmitry Samoilov vs. Mario Miranda Miranda defeated Samoilov via submission (kimura) at 3:58 of round 2 Lightweight bout: Antun Račić vs. Artiom Damkovsky