Former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and International Fight League veteran Delson Heleno defeated Fabio Nascimento by unanimous decision to lead Team USA East past Team USA West in the 2009 M-1 Challenge Semi-Finals on Saturday at the Russian Sports Palace in Rostov, Russia.

The 31-year-old Heleno has rattled off three consecutive victories since his knockout loss to Brad Blackburn at an IFL event in April 2008. Heleno won the battle between Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts on superior stand-up and relentless aggression, as he handed Nascimento his third defeat in five fights.

Other victors for Team USA East were Ivan Jorge, Gerson Cordeiro and World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Chuck Grigsby. Unbeaten heavyweight prospect Shane del Rosario posted the lone win for Team USA West, as he stopped Lloyd Marshbanks on a first-round knee to the body. Del Rosario -- who has finished all eight of his professional opponents, seven of them inside one round -- needed just 94 seconds to turn away Marshbanks.

Team USA East will face Russia Legion, a 4-1 winner over Team England, in the M-1 Championship Cup later this year.

Yuri Ivlev, Magomed Shikshabekov, Besike Gerinava and UFC veteran Ansar Chalangov posted victories for Russia Legion. Only Rob Broughton’s keylock submission win against Akhmed Sultanov prevented a clean sweep by the Russians.