Hand Injury Forces Weichel from Dec. 9 M-1 Title Defense

Though M-1 Challenge 30 was initially expected to showcase a lightweight title fight, that plan will not come to fruition.

Sherdog.com learned from sources close to the event on Wednesday that M-1 Global lightweight champion Daniel Weichel suffered a hand fracture in his Sunday knockout victory over Jose Figueroa and will be unable to defend his belt on Dec. 9 as a result. The severity of the fracture is not known at this time and it is unclear when Weichel might return to action.

Headlined by a welterweight title collision between Shamil Zavurov and Rashid Magomedov, M-1 Challenge 30 will emanate from The Hangar in Costa Mesa, Calif. A full fight card is expected to be released next week.

A winner in 10 of his last 11 fights, Weichel finished Figueroa in less than two minutes in the semi-main event of M-1 Global “Fedor vs. Monson” at Olympic Stadium in Moscow. The German posted a perfect 3-0 record in 2011, besting Magomedrasul Khasbulaev and Beau Baker before pounding out Figueroa to win the 155-pound title. Known for his skill on the mat, Weichel owns 16 of his 28 career victories by submission.