M-1 Global officials informed www.M-1Global.com on Monday morning that two of the best heavyweights currently in the M-1 Challenge will be showcased during Affliction and M-1′s “Trilogy” pay-per-view event on Saturday, Aug. 1 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
According to M-1 Global officials, an inter-division heavyweight tilt between Team Benelux’s Jessie Gibbs and Team England’s Rob Broughton will be featured on the “Trilogy” undercard. Broughton and Gibbs will join a “Trilogy” card that is already scheduled to feature M-1 Global contracted fighters Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.
Both Gibbs and Broughton represent two of the M-1 Challenge’s highly-competitive heavyweight division that also includes Lloyd Marshbanks of USA East, Shane Del Rosario of USA West, Michael Kitta of Team World, Joaquim “Mamute” Ferreira of Brazil, and Toni Valtonen of Team Finland.
Broughton was tapped to represent Team England earlier this year thanks in part to a strong resume that includes wins over former UFC heavyweight Neil Grove, former PRIDE and EliteXC heavyweight James Thompson, as well as talented English heavyweight prospect Martin Thompson.
A former veteran of the once popular Cage Rage fight promotion in the UK, Broughton has improved his lifetime MMA record to 10-4-1 by going a perfect 2-0 in this year’s M-1 Challenge. Broughton’s first win took place on April 29 in Tokyo when he recorded a unanimous decision victory over Japanese heavyweight Yusuke Kawaguchi. His second win took place earlier this month at an M-1 Challenge event in Kansas City, where he was granted a first round TKO victory over France wrestling standout Soufian Elgarne after Elgarne could no longer to continue to fight due to injury.
Gibbs, 7-2, helped lead Benelux to the M-1 Challenge Championship finals last year when it was known as Team Holland. Considered to be a blue chip heavyweight prospect, Gibbs’ only career losses are to former PRIDE star Aleksander Emelianenko as well as experienced BodogFIGHT and YAMMA veteran Alexey Oleinik.
The two are hoping to combine to put on a strong showing at “Trilogy” that will call attention to many of M-1′s top International talent currently being overlooked by many in the U.S. media.
In another sign of Affliction’s commitment to help support M-1′s goal of growing MMA on an International level, a second M-1 Challenge showcase could also be added to the “Trilogy” undercard.
Pictured: Rob Broughton
