Kunchenko punching Romanov (photo via M-1 Challenge)

By Press Release

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (October 27, 2017) – M-1 Challenge welterweight champion Alexey Kunchenko retained his title, improving hid professional mixed-martial-arts record to 19-0-0, in last night’s M-1 Challenge 84 main event in St. Petersburg Russia. Undefeated Artiom Frolov (10-0-0), of Russia, captured the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight title, taking a five-round decision from Caui “Hellboy” Malgahaes (10-34-0).

Kunchenko, fighting out of Russia, stopped his challenger and fellow countryman, Sergey Romanov (11-2-0), via punches in the opening round, highlighting the 20th anniversary of promotional company M-1 Global. Kunchenko and Romanov both started the action unbeaten in M-1 Global competition, Kunchenko at 8-0-0, 5-0-0 for Romanov.

Frolov won a tough five-round decision from Brazilian veteran Malgahaes in the co-featured event. American middleweight Joe “Diesel” Riggs registered his 46th career MMA victory, punching out Oleg Olenichev (9-5-0) in the third round, while Spanish middleweight Enoc Solves Torres (21-10-1) made quick work of Andrey Seledtzov (7-5-0), using an armbar for a win by way of first-round submission. Russian bantamweight Bair Shtepin (5-2-0) upset employed a triangle choke to forces his Finnish opponent, Janne “Jamba” Elonen-Kulmala (15-6-1) by way of a third-round submission, and Russian lightweight prospect Roman Bogatov (3-0-0) won a three-round decision over German invader Sascha Sharma (13-4-0).

Fighting on the preliminary card, Russian heavyweight Philip “F-11” De Freis (13-6-0, M-1: 1-0-0) won a majority decision over fellow countryman Anton Vyzigin (7-2-0), while Russian featherweight Zalimbek Omarov (9-2-1) won a unanimous decision against Sascha Sharma (13-4-0), of Germany.   Ilya Bochkov (2-1-0) stopped Arkady Lisin (5-2-0) and Dmitry Tebekin (7-3-0) won a unanimous decision over Vasily Volodko (2-1-0) in a pair of fights between Russian light heavyweights, In three welterweight matches featuring six Russian fighters, Maksim Grabovich (6-3-0) used a rear naked choke to defeat Temirlan Sharipov (3-1-0) in the third round, and Danila Prikaza (8-2-1) took a decision from Akhmadkhan Ozdoev (4-1-1).

MAIN CARD

MAIN EVENT – M-1 CHALLENGE WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Alexey Kunchenko (17-0-0, M-1: 9-0-0), Champion, Russia

WKO/TKO1 (Punches – 2:44)

Sergey Romanov (11-2-0, M-1: 5-1-0), Challenger, Russia

(Kunchenko M-1 Challenge welterweight title)

CO-FEATURE – VACANT M-1 CHALLENGE MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

Artem Frolov (10-0-0, M-1: 8-0-0), Russia

WDEC5

Caio Magalhaes (10-4-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Brazil

(Frolov won vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight title)

Joe Riggs (46-17-0, M-1: 2-0-0), USA

WKO/TKO (punches – 3:22)

Oleg Olenichev (9-5-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia

Enoc Solves Torres (21-10-1, M-1: 6-7-1), Spain

WSUB1 (Armbar – 0:44)

Andrey Seledtsov (7-5-0, M-1: 0-4-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Roman Bogatov (3-0-0, M-1: 3-0-0), Russia

WDEC3

Jani Salmi (9-4-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Finland

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Bair Shtepin (5-2-0, M-1: 2-2-0), Russia

WSUB3 (Triangle Choke – 4:44)

Janne Elonen-Kulmala (15-5-1, M-1: 1-0-1), Finland

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Arkadiy Lisin (5-0-0, M-1:0-0-0), Russia

Ilya Bochkov (3-1-0, M-1:1-1-0), Russia

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Philip DeFreis (13-6-0, M-1: 1-0-0), England

WDEC3

Anton Vyazigin (7-2-0, M-1: 3-1-0), Russia

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Dmitry Tebekin (7-3-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia

WDEC3

Vasily Volodko (2-1-0, M-1: 0-1-0), Russia

Ilya Bochkov (4-1-0, M-1: 2-1-0), Russia

WKO/TKO2 (Punches – 4:24)

Arkady Lisin (5-2-0, M-1: 0-1-0)

WELTERWEIGHTS

Maksim Grabovich (6-3-0, M-1: 5-3-0), Russia

WSUB3 (Rear Naked Choke (1:47)

Temirlan Sharipov (3-1-0, M-1: 1-1-0), Russia

Danila Prikaza (8-2-1, M-1: 5-2-0), Russia

WDEC3

Akhmadkhan Ozdoev (4-1-0, M-1: 4-1-0), Russia

FEATHERWEIGHTS

Zalimbek Omarov (9-2-1, M-1: 6-1-1), Russia

WDEC3