All season long Team England has been an underdog in the 2009 edition of the M-1 Challenge. But Team England has proved the naysayers wrong by going 2-1 during the regular season and earning a semifinal berth in the M-1 Challenge playoffs.

However, when Team England faces Russia Legion on Sept. 26 in Rostov, the Brits will once again find themselves the underdog to make it past the hometown heroes and earn a berth in the finals. But with talented fighters such as Rob Broughton and Simon Phillips, England is not a team to be taken lightly.

In addition to Broughton and Phillips, Team England also features Matt Thorpe at middleweight — one of the best 185 lbs. competitors you will find in this year’s competition. After compiling an impressive 2-1 record during regular season play, Thorpe is working hard to prepare for the semifinals on Sept. 26 in hopes of proving the critics wrong yet again.

Below is a recent video shot of Thorpe preparing for the semifinals along with his thoughts on what it means to be competing in the M-1 Challenge.