We are live, watching M-1 Global Challenge XXVII on Showtime. The show is coming from Phoenix, Ariz., at Grand Canyon University Arena.
Mauro Ranallo and Pat Miletich greet us on commentary. Remember, no cage in M-1, we have ring with four ropes. Jimmy Lennon Jr. is our ring announcer. Off we go!
1. Welterweight fight
Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio (16-6, 170 pounds) vs. Daniel “Blackout” Madrid (9-2, 165 pounds)
Madrid has been boxing since he was four and made the transition to MMA when he was 16. He hasn’t fought since a knockout loss in June 2010.
Gallicchio, a catch-wrestling specialist, won the M-1 Americas welterweight tournament last year. He comes out to “Stuck in the Middle With You” by Stealers Wheel.
Madrid knocks out Gallicchio’s mouthpiece, gets taken down, but locks in an armbar from the bottom for the submission—just like that!
Winner by submission: Daniel Madrid (48 seconds).
2. Welterweight fight
Yasubey Enomoto (7-3, 168 pounds) vs. Josh Thorpe (10-5, 166 pounds)
I interviewed Thorpe earlier in the week and you can read that right here. He comes out to “Sweet Home Alabama” as he fights out of Port City MMA in Mobile. Enomoto runs his own dojo in Zurich, Switzerland. He reached the finals of the Sengoku welterweight grand prix.
Thorpe gets the takedown, but Enomoto locks in the triangle, and it’s another quick submission!
Winner by submission: Yasubey Enomoto (1:07).
3. Middleweight fight
Arthur Guseinov (8-2, 185 pounds) vs. Eddie “Crazy Face” Arizmendi (15-2, 186 pounds)
We see clips of both men scoring spectacular knockouts in their last fights, including Guseinov’s SICK spinning backfist KO of Tyson Jeffries. Crazy Face has the La Parka skeleton mask, while Guseinov comes out with a smile to “Raise Up.”
Guseinov tries a couple of spinning back kicks that miss, so Crazy Face takes him down. For the third fight in a row, it’s a quick submission as Guseinov sinks in a perfect heel hook.
Winner by submission: Arthur Guseinov (50 seconds).
4. M-1 Interim heavyweight title (vacant)
Kenny “Deuce” Garner (7-3, 255 pounds) vs. Maxim Grishin (11-5, 220 pounds)
These men both want another shot at Guram Gugenishvili for the M-1 heavyweight belt. Guram is out with an elbow injury, but he is in Phoenix watching the fight. Garner was supposed to get the shot at Guram tonight, but at least he has a chance at an interim title.
Deuce Garner wins Round 1 with smart boxing, punctuated with a takedown near the end of the round. Miletich speculates that Grishin may be trying to extend this fight so the heavier Garner will run out of gas.
Garner dominates Round 2, but Maxim gets a takedown late and almost gets a submission before the bell. Still, you have the give the round to Garner, but remember, this one is supposed to go five rounds.
Round 3 was a stalemate as both men were running out of gas. Garner was kicked in the head while grounded, so Maxim got a warning.
In Round 4, Maxim slides out of the ring, so we get a restart—Garner did it earlier, and the ref starts them from a standing position. Maxim hits a takedown but Garner winds up on top. Fans were not happy with Maxim and were chanting for Garner to KNOCK HIM OUT!
Final round! Very slow action as Garner tries to ice this one. Maxim tries a guillotine but it doesn’t work. Maxim goes with a pair of quick takedowns and an armbar—can he get the submission? No—tries a triangle, but Garner escapes again. Garner wins at the end as the ref said Grishin tapped while getting pounded.
Winner by submission: Kenny Garner (Round 5, 4:07) and NEW M-1 Interim Heavyweight champion.
5. M-1 Global Light heavyweight title
Vinny Magalhaes (champion, 8-5, 204 pounds) vs. Mikhail Zayats (14-5, 205 pounds)
Both fighters have won four in a row. Magalhaes is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu submission master, while Zayats specializes in Russian Sambo fighting.
First round was pretty even, with a slight edge going to Mikhail Zayats, who hit Vinny with some nice leg kicks.
Round 2 also goes to Zayats, who is doing a great job of not getting sucked into Vinny’s strength, which is Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
In Round 3, Vinny EXPLODES with a head kick and pounds out Zayats to retain the title—what a turnaround!
Winner by TKO: Vinny Magalhaes (Round 3 – 1:13) and STILL M-1 Light Heavyweight champion.
Thanks for joining me—good fight and good night!
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