Grishin: 'I have to be prepared for anything...'

(PRESS RELEASE) -- As a fighter, Maxim Grishin calls the Red Devil Sport’s Club his home in his native Russian mother land; not bad considering it’s shared by MMA notables such as the great Fedor Emelianenko, Roman Zentsov, Amar Suloev and Arman Gambaryan. Being around top calibre athletes has certainly rubbed off on this heavyweight prospect as he has a hard-fought and well-earned 7-4 record as a professional mixed martial artist. But the toughest bout in his career will come March 5th at M-1 Challenge XXIII where he’ll collide with current M-1 Challenge champion, Guram Gugenishvili, for the heavyweight title.

Since making his victorious debut against Gela Getsadze at the World Pancration Championship, Grishin has been on a tear winning five of his last six bouts and is currently riding a three-fight streak; a streak which earned him the title of M1 Selection 2010 Eastern Europe Champion, after he locked in a decisive first-round, rear-naked-choke submission victory over friend and training partner, Alexander Volkov.

Tipping the scales near the 225 pound mark, Grishin would be considered a small heavyweight fighter in comparison to his counterparts but don’t be fooled by his stature; “My weight is about 227 pounds right now and I feel great. I hope I can gain more weight too as I have no plans of moving down to light heavyweight. MMA has proven that it’s not only about the weight class but also a fighter’s mental toughness, which matters most.” With this said, Grishin is as strong and powerful as any heavyweight today and his striking capabilities are as fast as a lightweight with the precision of a surgeon; when you combine this striking style with his natural power, there’s no wonder why five of his seven victories come by way of TKO.

As a prominent figure in M-1 Global’s heavyweight stable, Grishin knows the road to gold goes through the tough Georgian champion. Speaking recently, Grishin was open about his thoughts on Guram. “He’s a well-rounded fighter, that’s why I have to be prepared for anything. I’m training for a war in the ring but hopefully I can finish it fast.”

Grishin was originally set to meet Guram at M-1 Challenge XXI this past October however a training injury forced him to withdraw. Now healed up and ready for action, Grishin, the definitive underdog in the critics’ eyes, is destined to square off against Guram in hopes of dethroning the current champ and handing him his first career loss. Thankful for the words of encouragement he’s received while preparing, Grishin spoke humbly; “I’d like to thank everybody who supports me, it helps me a lot. It’s nice to hear positive and supporting words from other people. I’ll do my best to give the fans an exciting bout.”

Fans can catch the action from the Crocus City arena in Moscow, Russia on Saturday, March 5th by tuning in to the official live stream on M-1 Global website, www.M-1Global.com at 11:00am EST / 8:00am PST.

Visit www.M-1Global.com for more information.