(PRESS RELEASE) -- Hailing from Split, Coatia, Matias Baric brings his 5-3 professional mixed martial arts record as a light heavyweight into the ring at M-1 Challenge XXI: Guram vs. Garner on October 28th. Knowing that Zayats is in a must-win situation, Baric clearly wants to thwart any resurrection of Mikhail Zayats’ career and leave St. Petersburg with the victory. Even though cast in relative obscurity, there is no mistaking the fact that Baric represents a real threat to Zayats who has been struggling over his last six bouts.
The 25 year old is an athletic, good-sized light heavyweight by American standards; standing a solid 6’0” and utilizing an effective pre-fight diet to shed the necessary weight required to meet the 205lb limit, Baric’s strengths reside in his kick boxing skills and raw power. In his recent TKO victory over Ivan Simic, Baric was able to manhandle his opponent on route to securing a dominant top position on the mat where he rained down a piston-pumping, rapid-fire ground and pound. Should Zayats end up on the ground in a similar position as Simic, Baric will win with relative ease.
The bout on October 28th has Baric placed in a formidable underdog position where a victory will mark his stature in Europe as the fighter who pushed Zayats out to pasture.