» Fighter: Mikhail Zayats

Light heavyweight über-prospect “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (3-0) and middleweight Brazilian “Spartan” Lucio Linhares (11-3) highlight Friday’s M-1 Global Breakthrough in Kansas City that features an exhibition sparring match between Fighters.com’s Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (29-1) and Strikeforce light heavyweight champ “Dreamcatcher” Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1).

Breakthrough gets started at 7:30 PM local time at Memorial Hall in KC and the meat of the of the card will be broadcast on HDNet at 10:00 PM EST. Outside of the United States, the entire card will be streamed via the Internet. Details are available at M-1 Global’s website. Tickets starting at $25 can be purchased at Ticketmaster and there’s a buy-one-get-one-free offer.

Fighters.com asked Mousasi to explain the exhibition sparring format last Thursday. “It’s just like a light sparring,” he said, and added that the exhibition won’t turn competitive in front of thousands in Kansas City. “We are not animals. We can control ourselves.”

Read More About Mo Lawal, Lucio Linhares Highlight KC M-1 Card Featuring Emelianenko/Mousasi Sparring Exhibition…

The M-1 Challenge finals for the 2008 season will take place between Team Red Devil of Russia and Team Holland 26 December in Tacoma, near Seattle, WA, M-1 Global announced Monday.

The match-ups are as follows:

Lightweights Mikhail Malutin (7-5) v Bogdan Christea (4-2-1)

Welterweights Erik Oganov (8-7) v Romano de los Reyes (5-3)

Middleweights Dimitry Samoylov (5-4) v Jason Jones (5-2)

Light heavyweights Mikhail Zayats (7-1) v Kamil Uyghun (6-3)

Heavyweights Alexey Oleynik (6-4) v Jessie Gibs (3-0)

Also participating in non-tournament bouts are Makhtar Gueye (3-2) of France, Tommy Depret (4-0) of Belgium, “Skull Cracker” Mike Dolce (2-5) of the USA, and Toni Valtonen (13-6) of Finland.

A rematch between badass British pugilist Wayne Buck (4-1) and Italian Muay Thai wrecker Matteo Minonzio (7-6) headlines a 13-fight card in Nottingham 27 September.

Minonzio forced a doctor stoppage “W” over Buck in Nottingham in July, handing Buck his first MMA loss.

Buck is a retired boxer hailing from Nottingham and looking for revenge.  He ended his career in the ring in 2000 at 10-4-1, winning his final five fights.

Saturday afternoon before the fights, Red Devil fighter and coach Fighters.com’s ninth-ranked heavyweight Aleksander Emelianenko (13-3) will hold a seminar featuring DREAM Middleweight GP Champion Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1), UFC welterweight “Outlaw” Dan Hardy (19-6), and “The Machine” Ian Freeman (19-7-1).

Just a week after winning a split decision over Brandon Thatch (3-1) in Beverly Hills, north of Los Angeles, Brandon Magana (6-1) will fight Red Devil’s Erik Oganov (7-7) in Nottingham.

Read More About Minonzio and Buck Rematch, Magana Fights Again at M-1 Challenge…