Englebrecht and Bash Awarded USA Team Franchise Team To Debut In February

(PRESS RELEASE) -- M-1 Global President and CEO Vadim Finkelstein announced today that M-1 Global has awarded an M-1 Challenge Team Franchise to Southern California fight promoter Roy Englebrecht and Beverly Hills Attorney Steven Bash. The team to be called USA West will compete in the 2009 M-1 Challenge World Tour, joining 15 other teams from 15 different countries. The first 2009 World Tour stop to be broadcast by HDNet, will be in the United States in February and will feature teams from Russia, Spain, Japan, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and USA West. The date and location for this first event will be announced in the next couple of weeks.

“Steve and I are extremely excited to be part of the M-1 Challenge 2009 World Tour and to have the opportunity to have our USA West team compete against some of the best mixed martial arts fighters in the world,” said Englebrecht. “The M-1 Challenge concept has arrived, as it affords some of the best young fighters in the world the opportunity to travel the world and compete on the world stage. Fans will definitely be seeing some of the superstars of tomorrow.”

M-1 Global (www.m1mixfight.com) has been one of the leading Mixed martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. International MMA stars who have fought under the M-1 banner have included Fedor Emelianenko, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksande Emelianenko, Keith Jardine, Alistair Overseem, Yushin Okami, Ben Rothwell, Mike Pyle, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Senstov, Denis Kang, Gilbert Yvel, to name a few.

Billed as the “World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts,” the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events showcasing some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 90 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters, fighting at weights of 155, 167, 184, under 205 and over 205, representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champion.

The M-1 Challenge presents MMA prospects all over the world an opportunity to test their skills, gain valuable experience at the international level, and become future stars in the sport of MMA. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge’s international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as Affliction Entertainment, Golden Boy Promotions and Roy Englebrecht Events.

“Steve and I believe some of the best young MMA talent is home grown right here on the West Coast,” said Englebrecht. “How about Shane Del Rosario, Bao Quach, Bobby Green, Billy Evangelista, JJ Ambrose, Emanuel Newton, and Josh Griggs to name a few.”

Mixed Martial Arts fighters who might be interested in joining the USA West team, and are not under any promotional contract with another MMA organization, and have a winning MMA record can contact Roy Englebrecht at fightpromotions@gmail.com or calling 949-760-3131. The selection and announcement of the USA West team will be done at a Southern California press conference the week of the February 24th Honda Center Affliction Day of Reckoning show, which is being promoted by Golden Boy Promotions in association with M-1 Global.

Englebrecht (www.battleintheballroom.com) is one of the busiest fight promoters in the United States promoting 17 pro MMA and boxing shows in 2008, and was hired by Affliction Entertainment to assist them on their July Affliction Banned show and also their upcoming Day of Reckoning show. He is also the founder of the widely acclaimed Fight Promoter University concept (www.fightpromoteruniversity.com). Bash, a UCLA graduate is CEO of Bash Boxing Inc. and has acted as “legal representative for pro boxers and MMA fighters. He has also held the position of managing partner of the Long Beach Ice Dogs professional hockey team and President of the Long Beach Armada minor league baseball team.