“Road to M-1: USA” August 11th in Nashville – MMA News
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“Road to M-1: USA”, presented by M-1 Global USA and Angel Fight Promotions, will be held August 11, airing on worldwide pay-per-view live from Global Mall in Nashville, Tennessee.
Russia-based M-1 Global has been promoting professional MMA events in Russia, China, Finland and other countries for the past 21 years, featuring many of the sport’s greatest fighters, including Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Gegard Mousasi, Alistair Overeem and Sergei Kharitonov, among the more notables.
In the past, M-1 Global has promoted seven M-1 Challenges and four M-1 Selection events in the United States.
“We are excited to come back to the USA,” M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein commented. “It’s been almost seven years since M-1 Global held its last show in the United States and the upcoming Road to M-1 is going to be the first step on our way back into American MMA. We’ve been working hard together with our American representatives, Angel Natal and Mike Merriman, to make it happen and on August 11th we are going to have a show to remember!”
A hybrid ring-cage, “The Rage”, will make its American debut at “Road to M-1: USA”, which allows fans optimum viewing, while fighters have the safety associated with a cage.
Integrated Sports Media will distribute “Road to M-1: USA” in North America on cable, satellite and digital pay-per-view via iN Demand, Vubiquity, DIRECTV and DISH in the United States, as well as SaskTel and other outlets to be announced in Canada, and live-streamed worldwide on the FITE.TV app and website (www.fite.tv), starting at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, for a suggested retail price of only $19.95.
“I can’t describe how good it feels to be this close to this show airing,” said Merriman, head of operations for M-1 Global USA & Angel Fight Promotions. “Everyone loves to see sweat and blood in the ring, myself included, but so few people see the blood, sweat, and tears spilt while setting something like this up. This show is going to open a lot of eyes… and drop a few jaws!”
The main event pits Georgia middleweight Doug “Yamato” Usher (9-3-0) versus Reggie “The Regulator” Pena (14-6-0), of Florida, while Russian lightweight Vadim Ogar (6-3-0) takes on his Cuban opponent fighting out of North Carolina, Yoislandy “Cuba” Izquierdo (11-4-0) in the co-featured event.
Undefeated Russian bantamweight prospect Saidyokub Kakharamonov (5-0-0), fighting out of Chicago, throws down with Tony Gravely (12-5-0), of Virginia; Georgia flyweight C.J. “The Autobot” Hamilton (12-6-0) faces Floridian fighter Abdiel “The Nightmare” Velazquez (8-5-0), Kentucky welterweight “The Juggernaut” Brandon Bell (5-6-0) meets Jacob “Tick-Tock” McLintock (9-2-0), of Arizona; and Tennessee welterweight James Conway (3-0-0) squares off with P.J. Cajigas (5-7-0), of Chicago, to round out the main card.
Scheduled to fight on the undercard is California heavyweight Cody “The Moose” Goodale (5-4-0) vs. TBA, New Brunswick, Canada bantamweight Chris Johnson (5-6-0) vs. Jerrod “The Hillbilly Hammer” Jennings (2-1-0), of Kentucky, and local Nashville favorite Dwayne Herrelle (0-1-0) vs. pro-debuting Kentucky lightweight Kegan Agnew.
All fights and fighters are subject to change.