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. ...

YAMMA Pit Fighting, a new MMA organization created by UFC founder Bob Meyrowitz, has announced the final details of the organization’s first live pay-per-view event. The event, comprised of an eight-man tournament for the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion and two Masters Superfights, will air live in the U.S. from the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City on 11 April. The two Masters Superfights will feature “Butterbean” Eric Esch (10-5-1) versus "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge (23-15-1) and “The Russian Bear” Oleg Taktarov (15-5-2) versus “The Predator” Don Frye (19-6-1).  “For YAMMA Pit Fighting’s inaugural event, we’ve brought together some of the greatest MMA veterans as well as some of the best emerging fighters,” said Bob Meyrowitz.  “The event will demonstrate that these MMA legends still have a lot to teach and will also advance the tournament fighters towards legendary status themselves.” Butterbean is a professional super heavyweight boxer, kickboxer, and mixed martial artist.  Esch has held the title of IBA World Super Heavyweight Champion, as well as the WWA world heavyweight title.  Butterbean stands 5 ft 11 tall and weighs 398lbs. Goodridge, a UFC/Pride/K-1 veteran, was born in Trinidad & Tobago and now resides in Ontario, Canada.  Goodridge is known for his devastating strikes and showmanship.  He first turned heads in the MMA scene with his victory over Paul Herrera in UFC 8.  Goodridge is also a top-ranked contender in professional arm wrestling.  He stands 6 ft 3 in tall and weighs 240lbs. The 11 April event will unveil “The YAMMA”, an evolution of the traditional fighting structure that will change how the fight is fought and the strategy the fighters must use to win.  This new “ring” has been specifically designed to keep the fighting more explosive and continuous. The event will also showcase the skill and endurance of eight fearsome competitors in a tournament match.  For the first time in over a decade in the States, MMA will return to its origins by reviving the hugely popular tournament format, in which fighters will participate in multiple fights on their way to claiming the ultimate victory, the title of YAMMA Heavyweight Champion.  Tournament fighting has long been a huge draw for dedicated MMA fans due to the non-stop action provided by fight-after-fight formatting. The two newly announced MMA tournament fighters are: Alexey Oleynik - a 6'1", 220-pound fighter on Russia's #1 team, Red Devil Sports Club, and an M-1 and Bodog veteran with an MMA record of 4-3. George Bush - a 6’ 1”, 235-pound fighter from Columbus, Ohio with an MMA record of 5-0. The entire fight card is as follows: Masters Superfights “The Russian Bear” Oleg Taktarov v “The Predator” Don Frye "Butterbean" Eric Esch v "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge Heavyweight Tournament “Pato” Marcelo Pereira "The Tank" Sherman Pendergarst Rex Richards Tony Sylvester Chris Tuscherer “Diesel” Travis Wiuff Alexey Oleynik George Bush ...