Sergei Kharitonov Flattens Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in 38 Seconds at M-1 Challenge 80

Sergey Kharitonov vs Rameau Thierry Sojoudjou tough #knockout #ko on #M1Challenge80. Watch all fights in HD on https://t.co/V2V4ODGbjJ pic.twitter.com/RLvfrW1Gw2

— M-1 Global (@M1GlobalNews) June 15, 2017

It didn’t take long for Sergei Kharitonov to prove who the better man was Thursday night against Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. In fact, it happened so fast that the Russian powerhouse barely broke a sweat in the main event of M-1 Challenge 80.

With a packed house in Harbin, China, Kharitonov blasted his fellow Pride Fighting Championships alum with vicious punches to the head, knocking his foe out in just 38 seconds. Sokoudjou never had a chance to get anything going by the time “The Paratrooper” was all over him, wrecking his equilibrium and quickly turning out his lights.

The co-featured bout was much more competitive as Ivan Buchinger and Timur Nagibin fought tooth and nail for nearly four rounds before the promotion’s featherweight champion was crowned. In the end, it was Buchinger who prevailed as he forced Nagibin to submit to a rear-naked choke at the 3:24 mark of the fourth.

The main card was rounded out by similar action as Sascha Sharma made Musu Nuertiebieke submit to a rear-naked choke 63 ticks into the second and Mikhail Korobkov did the same thing to Asirkebai Jinensibieke, though he did it at 1:18 of the first. The only bout on the main card not to end in stoppage was when Alexander Butenko and Corey Nelson battled to a majority draw.

The preliminary card was loaded with decisions, though: Ibragim Navruzov edged Huoyixibai Chuhayifu via split decision; Artem Kazbanov defeated Nosherwan Khanzada, Kuerbanjiang Tuluosibake toppled Maksim Melnik and Adam Tsurov bested Kangkang Fu, all by unanimous decision. Lastly, Carlos Eduardo stopped Rene Hoppe in just 66 seconds due to a doctor stoppage.