Kharitonov stops Garner - results and pictures from M-1 Challenge 59 in Kazakhstan

(PRESS RELEASE) -- ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN (July 4, 2015) - For the second time in less than eight months, Russian striker Sergei Kharitonov defeated former M-1 Challenge champion Kenny Garner in a Heavyweight SuperFight, stopping the dangerous American in the opening round this past Friday night in M-1 Challenge 59: Battle of Nomads 5 main event in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Kharitonov (23-5-0, 13 KO/TKO, 9 SUB) defeated Garner at the 4:11 mark of the first round via punches, setting the stage for a potential showdown with M-1 Challenge heavyweight Marcin Tybura

A pair of promising Kazakh prospects, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Sergey Morozov, gave their fellow countrymen in attendance plenty to cheer about. Rakhmonov (3-0-0, 1 KO/TKO 2 SUB), the 2013 WMMAA welterweight champion, locked in a guillotine choke on Polish welterweight Michael Wiencek (5-3-0, 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) only 49-seconds into their fight for a win by submission. In M-1 Challenge's inaugural bantamweight fight, Morozov remained undefeated with a second-round technical knockout of the United Kingdom's Andy "Naz" Young (6-7-0, 0 KO/TKO, 2 SUB) by way of a spinning back fist and punches.

In two other main event fights, American middleweight Luigi "The Italian Tank" Fioravanti (26-13-0, 10 KO/TKO, 7 SUB) used a rear-naked choke to force a second-found submission of previously undefeated Sergey Kovalev ,(5-1-0, 2 KO/TKO, 2 SUB), while Azerbaijan heavyweight Zaur Hajibabayev (4-1-0, 3 KO/TKO, 0 SUB) punched out Spaniard David Trallero (2-4-0, 2 KO/TKO) in round two.

On the preliminary card, Kazakh welterweight Rashid Dagaev (3-1-0) won a three-round unanimous decision over Daniel "The Gladiator" Tabera (18-8-3), of Spain, Russian lightweight Damir Ismagulov (4-1-0) registered a win by first-round technical knockout (punches) against Spain's Pedro Eugenio Granjo (3-2-0), Georgian middleweight Nodar Kudikhashvili improved his record to 10-1-0 with a decision over pro-debuting Ukrainian Aleksander Boyko (0-1-0), Russian light heavyweight Batraz Agnaev (3-0-0) remained unbeaten with a first-round technical knockout (punches) of Ukrainian Anton Pazenko (2-1-0), and Russian middleweight Artem Frolov (4-0-0) used a triangle choke to win by opening round decision over pro-debuting Russian Inshel Erkimbek (0-1-0). MAIN CARD

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPER FIGHT

Sergei Kharitonov(23-5-0), Russia WTHO1 (Punches - 4:11) Kenny Garner (16-9-0), USA

HEAVYWEIGHTS

Zaur Hajibabayev (4-1-0), Azerbaijan WTKO2 (Punches - 4:37) David Trallero (2-4-0), Spain

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Luigi Fioravanti (26-13-0), USA WSUB2 (Reared Naked Choke - 1:56) Sergey Kovalev (5-1-0), Russia

WELTERWEIGHTS

Shavkat Rakhmonov (3-0-0), Kazakhstan WSUB1 (Guillotine Choke - 0.49) Michal Wiencek (5-3-0), Poland

BANTAMWEIGHTS

Sergey Morozov(6-0-0), Kazakhstan WTKO2 (Spinning Back Fist & Punches - 3:50) Andy Young (6-7-0), UK

PRELIMINARY CARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS

Batraz Agnaev (3-0-0), Russia WTKO1(Punches - 3:00) Anton Pazenko (2-1-0), Ukraine

MIDDLEWEIGHTS

Nodar Kudukhashvili(10-1-0), Georgia WDEC3 Aleksander Boiko (0-1-0), Ukraine

Artem Frolov (4-0-0), Russia WSUB1 (Triangle Choke - 1:15) Inzhel Erkimbek (0-1-0), Russia

LIGHTWEIGHTS

Damir Ismagulov(4-1-0), Russia WTKO1 (Punches - 2:53) Pedro Eugenio Granjo (3-2-0), Spain

WELTERWEIGHTS

Rashid Dagaev (3-1-0), Kazakhstan WDEC3 Daniel Tabera (18-8-3), Spain