SIX QUESTIONS WITH YASUBEY ENOMOTO

CHICAGO (Dec 7, 2011) – M-1 GLOBAL’s final U.S. outing for 2011 features a rematch of what most consider up to this point the M-1 Challenge fight of the year. The mixed martial arts (MMA) event titled M-1 Challenge XXX: Zavurov vs. Enomoto II takes place at
The Hangar in Costa Mesa, California and airs LIVE on SHOWTIME Friday, December 9 at 11 p.m. ET/PT (Delayed on the West Coast).


The event is headlined with the rematch between welterweight champion Shamil Zavurov
(18-1) and Yasubey Enomoto (8-3).

“We’re happy with this match up. Zavurov and Enomoto match up very well as was the case in their first bout in April,” said M-1 Global Director of Operations Evgeni Kogan. “That fight was spectacular, and I expect nothing less from the rematch. After losing the razor thin decision, Enomoto immediately let me know that he would love to get a rematch anytime, anyplace.”

As fate would have it, Rashid Magomedov, who was scheduled to face the champion, encountered difficulty obtaining his Visa in time for the bout, creating the opening for Enomoto to get his wish.

Enomoto has remained busy since his bout with Zavurov in April, scoring victories over former M-1 Challenge Middleweight Champion Rafal Moks, as well as a triangle choke finish of Josh Thorpe in just over a minute in October.

Zavurov last saw action in July with a victory over Zhanybek Amatov at a Battle of Moscow event. Though very busy in 2011, the champion has battled a shoulder injury which kept him out of the M-1 Ring for a few months. Now fully recovered with a worthy challenger in place, Zavurov looks to make his mark in America leaving fans and Enomoto no doubt as to who is the welterweight kingpin of M-1 Challenge.



Six Questions with Yasubey Enomoto

QUESTION: What do you expect to see from Zavurov, who many call your toughest test to date?

ENOMOTO: I expect a tough fight like in the first bout, only with my hand getting raised by the end of it.

QUESTION: What are your long-term goals in MMA?

ENOMOTO: I want to improve with each fight. I want to become better and better and to travel around the world to fight the best fighters out there and win new belts.

QUESTION: Do people recognize you on the streets of Zurich? Is MMA popular there?

ENOMOTO: Not really. MMA is not big at all in Switzerland, but maybe one day it will pick up. To be honest, I don’t care at all if people recognize me on the streets.

QUESTION: Do you think you will have more fans in California cheering for you than Zavurov

on Dec. 9?

ENOMOTO: I think people will cheer for the guy who will put on the better show. So in my opinion they hopefully would cheer for both of us, because I want to have a war with Zavurov in the ring and to end this year with an awesome fight.

QUESTION: What do you plan on doing immediately after the fight?

ENOMOTO: I will go to New York first and then one week later I will celebrate my birthday on December 15, hopefully with a new belt in my gym. This would be my biggest birthday gift and I have to give it to myself.

QUESTION: What about Los Angeles? Have you been to Hollywood before?

ENOMOTO: Last Sunday I was in Hollywood. I took a lot of pictures at the Hollywood hills and the walk of fame. It was cool over there and I enjoyed it.


The co-main event will be a highly anticipated rematch between Jose Figueroa (10-5) and Artiom Damkovskiy (9-6) in a lightweight bout. In their first meeting this past July, Figueroa violently stripped Damkovskiy of his lightweight title by second round TKO. Figueroa lost the title to Daniel Weichel in Moscow at M-1 Global’s “Fedor vs Monson” event. Tyson Jeffries (7-6) will take on Eddie Arizmendi (15-5) in a middleweight matchup. And opening the evening of fights on SHOWTIME, AlessandroFerriera (10-1) will take on Bao Quach (18-10) in a featherweight (145 lbs.) bout.

“This entire card is expected to be extremely entertaining from start to finish.” said Evgeni Kogan, Director of Operations at M-1 GLOBAL. “We are very excited for these fights and excited to have our fourth event with SHOWTIME.”
http://www.m-1global.com/2011/12/07/six-questions-with-yasubey-enomoto/

I hope Enomoto can keep it standing this time.

jam packed with exciting fighters. With Zavurov and Enomoto, I dont know who to cheer, I like how both guys fight.