M-1 Global and Showtime Announce M-1 Challenge March 25 Telecast

M-1 Global and Showtime, as MMAWeekly.com reported last week, reached an agreement to air four M-1 Challenge events on the network in 2011, beginning with the promotion’s March 25 event.

M-1 Global and Showtime Sports on Wednesday made the March 25 telecast official, announcing M-1 Challenge: Damkovsky vs. Figueroa, featuring two title bouts, will start at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Artiom Damkovsky will defend his M-1 Challenge lightweight championship against Jose Figueroa, while Tyson Jeffries and Magomed Sultanakhmedov will battle for the vacant M-1 Challenge middleweight belt from Constant Center in Norfolk, Va.

In other action, Alexander Sarnavskiy will take on Josh Bacallao in a lightweight scrap and Vinny Magalhaes will fight an opponent to be named in a light heavyweight match-up.

Mauro Ranallo will call the action from ringside along with fellow Strikeforce broadcaster Pat Miletich serving as analyst.