At 37 years of age Mike Sheckenberg will be entering the ring 10 years the elder of his opponent -  undefeated Byron Byrd. But this gritty grinder doesn’t see the age card playing a factor in this bout.

Training out of Freestyle Fighting Academy, Coach Dave Strasser sees Mike “Shake and Bake” Sheckenberg as a tough, hard-nosed fighter who’s willing to get in the ring and get the job done. “Mike is one of those guys who bring a wrestler’s base and a football players will into training – he simply doesn’t quit,” says Strasser. “His ability to counter and take body control comes natural to him and is certainly one of his strongest attributes as a fighter.”

With three fights under his mixed martial arts belt, Sheckenberg has left two to the judges, winning both by decision. His one loss was a true test of his will after taking what Strasser calls ‘a formidable beating’; Sheckenberg, however, recovered and was able to force a counter attack of his own only to wrench his knee and be unable to answer the bell for the final round. “I knew I was hurt but when the roles reversed and I ended up in a position to pound him out, I went for it. I had the referee ready to stop the fight but time ran out on me. When the bell rang to start the third, I couldn’t continue and risk a more serious injury.”

When asked about the injury, Sheckenberg adamantly replied, “I’m fully recovered now. My knee is strong and I’ve only gotten better.  I’m excited for my opportunity to fight at the M-1 Selection tournament.” Both Sheckenberg and Strasser know the importance of wining his bout against Byrd as only the winner advances to the next round with the loser goes home.

The tilt between Sheckenberg and Byrd has the right combination of athleticism and toughness to be an all out war. With Byrd having won three of his four bouts by way of first round TKO and Sheckenberg having the toughness and stamina to go the distance, fans can expect to see a back and forth tilt until the final bell rings or one fighter hits the canvass ‘lights out’.

The M-1 Selection2010 – Americas tournament second round takes place live on June 26 at Bally’s Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tickets are available through www.TicketMaster.com. Doors open at 6.30 pm, first fight at 7:00 PM/ET.

Free broadcast coverage of the entire 2010 M-1 Selection tournament will be available to viewers worldwide on www.M-1global.com and selected affiliate partner sites.