M-1 Challenge 57: Clash of Champions Undefeated Maxim Divnich faces Frenchman Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui
An intriguing match-up of contrasting styles has been added to the May 2nd M-1 Challenge 57: Clash of Champions, in Orenburg, Russia as undefeated M-1 Challenge lightweight champion Maxim Divnich makes his first title defense against BAMMA & 100% Fights champion Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui.
The historic M-1 Challenge 57: Clash of Champions will be headlined by a special five-round, heavyweight Super Fight between unbeaten M-1 Challenge heavyweight titlist Marcin “Tybur” Tybura and M-1 Challenge light heavyweight champion Stephan “T-800” Puetz.
M-1 Challenge 57 will be streamed live in high definition on www.M1Global.TV. Viewers will be able to watch the preliminary fights and main card by logging on to register at www.M1Global.TV. Fans may watch all of the action on their computers, as well as on Andriod and Apple smart phones and tablets.
Pound-for-pound, Divnich (11-0-0, 6 KO/TKO, 1 SUB) is one of the brightest prospects in M-1 Global, a devastating striker who possesses heavy hands. Unbeaten in five M-1 Global fights to date, Divnich resides in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he trains under Eduard Shirobokov at the famed Alexander Nevsky Club.
Last December at M-1 Challenge 54, Divnich captured the vacant M-1 Challenge lightweight title, stopping Dzhambulat Kurbanov (6-1-0) by way of punches in the third round of their Fight of the Night. Divnich is 5-0-0 in M-1 Challenge fights.
Mansour Barnaoui
The 22-year-old Barnaoui has been recognized as one of the top European lightweight prospects for the past two years, when he signed a promotional contract with M-1 Global. He is 1-1-0 in M-1 Challenge competition. After choking out Zulfikar Usmanov (4-1-0) in the third round of their August 21, 2013 fight at M-1 Challenge 41, Barnaoui received permission to fight in Europe, where he knocked out defending BAMMA lightweight champion Kurt Warburton (12-3-0), followed by a successful title defense against UFC veteran Colin Fletcher (9-3-0) by way of a choke hold in the opening round last December.
Barnaoui is a Muay Thai specialist who demonstrates great technique on the mat. He has fully recovered from a shoulder injury after a lengthy rehabilitation.
All fights and fighters are subject to change. Additional fights to soon be announced
Fight Network will air M-1 Challenge 57 live on Cablevision’s Optimum TV, Grande Communications, Shentel Cable and Armstrong Cable in the U.S., as well as nationwide in Canada, Roku devices across North America, and globally in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
